operational-safety/Cabin Safety

Cabin Safety

Restrictions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, physical distancing and workplace closures have made it increasingly difficult for cabin crew members to complete the operator's established annual recurrent training programme, mainly with regard to hands-on and simulated exercises such as donning of emergency equipment and participating in group drills.

To alleviate the potential operational challenges faced by operators during the COVID-19 pandemic, many States provided options to extend the validity of cabin crew qualifications (and licences, where applicable) and allowed alternative means for operators to provide recurrent training, using established regulatory approval processes.

While it may be some time before operations may be considered "normal", the following offers guidance for adapting cabin crew training in the "new normal" of COVID-19 pandemic conditions. It also supports the move back towards a situation whereby States comply with cabin crew training-related Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), even when allowing the use of alternative means of training delivery.

Cabin Crew Training Solutions Roadmap

The training solutions provided in the Cabin Crew Training Solutions Roadmap below:

Present training options that are adapted according to:
- The duration for which the cabin crew has experienced limited/modified training.
- The cabin crew member's absence from flying.
Respect the competency-based training and assessment (CBTA) principles and are applicable to both traditional training and CBTA training methodologies.
Should be assessed by the operator's safety management system to ensure that the training options are suitable to the operator's cabin crew population and, where necessary, complemented.

Who?	What?	When?	How?
Cabin crew affected by alleviations on recurrent training	Complete all theoretical items that may be covered in the online recurrent training programme	As per current recurrent training cycle	Refer to the list of theoretical items, as presented in Table 2-1 of Doc 10148
	Complete of all deferred hands-on and simulated exercises	Once alleviation expires	Refer to the list of critical items, as presented in Table 2-1 of Doc 10148
	Defer of other training items	Next recurrent training cycle	Refer to the list of other items, as presented in Table 2-1 of Doc 10148
Cabin crew or those whose qualifications have lapsed as a result of furlough/prolonged absence from flying the line	Complete required training, including recurrent or requalification training, as applicable	Prior to resuming duties as cabin crew	Refer to Chapter 1 (Sections 1.10/1.11/1.12 and Appendix 1) of Doc 10002, Ed 2
Cabin crew instructors and cabin crew evaluators affected by the alleviation	Complete all deferred training to maintain instructor/evaluator qualification	Once alleviation expires	Refer to Section 3.2 of Doc 10148
Operator	Develop and implement a "return to normal operations plan" to manage the completion of recurrent training, as per the approved training programme, by each cabin crew member affected by the alleviation	Prior to alleviation expiry	Refer to Section 3.3 of Doc 10148
	Maintain a "COVID-19 online training programme" for cabin crew	On-going	Refer to Table 3-1 of Doc 10148
	Maintain a records management process to keep track of all cabin crew members, cabin crew instructors and cabin crew evaluators affected by alleviations and to log completion of alleviated portions of training	On-going	Refer to Chapter 14 (Section 14.9) of Doc 10002, Ed 2
Operator (with State support)	Provide access to training facilities, including representative training devices (e.g. cabin simulator) necessary for cabin crew training, taking into consideration adherence to public health-related guidelines when reopening such facilities.	Once alleviation expires	Chapter 15 (Section 15.3) of Doc 10002, Ed 2
State	Allow the operator to maintain alternative means of training delivery (e.g. e-learning) to remain only for theoretical items of online recurrent training programme, for all cabin crew.	As per current recurrent training cycle	Refer to the list of theoretical items, as presented in Table 2-1 of Doc 10148

State Considerations for alternative means of delivering cabin crew recurrent training

While physical distancing remains a training constraint, the State may need to consider allowing alternative means of training delivery for hands-on and practical exercises that could further the transmission of COVID-19, (e.g. erecting a life-raft canopy from the outside of a raft, versus the inside of the raft). When assessing the adequacy of alternative methods for delivering cabin crew training, the State should consider the following:

Aspect	Items to Consider	Further Guidance
Size and complexity of the operator	Number of aircraft types in the fleet Number of cabin crew members affected by alleviations	Refer to Sections 2.4/2.5 of Doc 10148
Operator's digital learning capabilities	Existing e-learning platform Capability for instructor-led online training sessions Operator's experience with digital learning
Number and location of the operator's training facilities	Types of facilities and devices at each centre (e.g. full motion cabin simulator) Domestic vs. foreign training centres Use of facilities and training devices owned by another operator, or by approved training organization (ATO)

Regardless, the operator should support any proposed change in training delivery methods with a safety risk assessment for the State to review, before implementing the change. Once conditions permit, the required hands-on and practical exercises should be completed by each cabin crew member.

Unacceptable Scenarios for Cabin Crew Training

The State should not permit the following scenarios to occur:

Changes to the approved training programme by the operator without a safety risk assessment to manage the alleviation
Alleviation related to cabin crew initial training – This training cannot be subject to alleviations
Reduction of content in the approved recurrent training programme syllabus – Once alleviations expire, the previously approved training programme should be reinstated by the operator
- Some portions, such as theoretical items covered via e-learning, may remain in the modified training media, if approved by the State (refer to Cabin Crew Training Solutions Roadmap)
Lapses in cabin crew qualifications, once training has resumed as part of a return to normal operations

The ICAO Handbook for Cabin Crew Recurrent Training during COVID-19 (Doc 10148)

Cabin Crew Recurrent Training During COVID-19

Restrictions to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), physical distancing and work place closures make it increasingly difficult for cabin crew members to complete the required annual recurrent training programme, mainly with regard to hands-on and simulated exercises such as donning of emergency equipment and participating in group drills. The inability to complete these portions of recurrent training will result in a lapse of cabin crew qualifications (and licences, where applicable), which is why a contingency plan should be implemented.

The ICAO Handbook for Cabin Crew Recurrent Training during COVID-19 (Doc 10148) was developed to provide guidance to States on interim measures that can be taken by operators to modify their approved training programmes due to restrictions that have been put in place to mitigate the spread of infection during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides guidance that may be used to establish an online recurrent training programme, which can reduce the severity of operational training disruptions.

Download a copy of Doc 10148:

Other ICAO Resources:

COVID-19 Safety Operational Measures: www.icao.int/safety/COVID-19OPS

Facilitation (Aviation and COVID-19): www.icao.int/Security/COVID-19

Other Useful References for Further Guidance