"In May 2019, 419,000 passengers flew on Icelandair. In May 2020, just 3,100 hopped aboard."
I mean, yeah.
Icelandair letting go its flight attendants and shifting their duties to pilots
11–20 of 75 posts
Re: Icelandair letting go its flight attendants and shifting their duties to pilots
#12I would actually be surprised if that’s legal. Flight attendants perform some critical safety functions, they’re not glorified wait staff that can be replaced on a whim.
I don’t mean to be ignorant, but what are these critical safety functions? The closest thing to safety that I’ve seen is they give the speech at the beginning about oxygen masks and remind you to buckle up. Given that the inflight safety demonstration is on video now, what’s the critical safety role?
The critical role is if something goes wrong to be able to help the passengers be safe. E.g. non-normal landings and medical emergencies.
Another less "critical" role, but still not something I want a pilot doing, is dealing with disgruntled passengers.
They also ensure that rules are followed and that people, e.g. in an exit row, understand what they need to do. If pilots couldn't begin preflight until passengers are seated and buckled it would take forever to depart.
Speaking of boarding, flight attendants also deal with seating and baggage issues. Again, it would delay departure.
Re: Icelandair letting go its flight attendants and shifting their duties to pilots
#13I would actually be surprised if that’s legal. Flight attendants perform some critical safety functions, they’re not glorified wait staff that can be replaced on a whim.
I don’t mean to be ignorant, but what are these critical safety functions? The closest thing to safety that I’ve seen is they give the speech at the beginning about oxygen masks and remind you to buckle up. Given that the inflight safety demonstration is on video now, what’s the critical safety role?
Just what comes quickly to mind: Door in flight / in park. Helping put the oxygen masks on (if that's required, I'd assume that pilot/copilot is otherwise occupied). And of course getting people out during an evacuation.
Re: Icelandair letting go its flight attendants and shifting their duties to pilots
#14This article is confused. The cockpit crew will not be handing out drinks. Other pilot-rated employees will be acting as attendants.
You can’t operate in the EU, US or Canada w/o someone attending in the back. You have to have so many attendants per passengers.
Pilots are well qualified for any cabin duties. Many US pilots who have lost their rating or are going through a health issue that keeps them out of the cockpit serve as attendants to keep their benefits or wait to be medically reinstated.
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/coronav...
“From 20 July pilots who are currently not required for flying duties will be assigned “responsibility for safety on board”.”
Re: Icelandair letting go its flight attendants and shifting their duties to pilots
#15I would actually be surprised if that’s legal. Flight attendants perform some critical safety functions, they’re not glorified wait staff that can be replaced on a whim.
I don’t mean to be ignorant, but what are these critical safety functions? The closest thing to safety that I’ve seen is they give the speech at the beginning about oxygen masks and remind you to buckle up. Given that the inflight safety demonstration is on video now, what’s the critical safety role?
First aid, detecting issues in the cabin, firefighting, checking the emergency exits and opening them or directing passengers elsewhere in case of an evacuation, ...
Re: Icelandair letting go its flight attendants and shifting their duties to pilots
#16Flight safety concerns will likely nix this. But regardless, that's a bad way to end a labor dispute in these times. But with Wow Air bankrupt there isn't all that much competition to and from that airport. Over half of all destinations reachable from Iceland are flown by Icelandair.
Will they even be allowed to operate in EU like this? https://www.easa.europa.eu/the-agency/faqs/minimum-required-... >when establishing the number of cabin crew needed for each aircraft and flight (...) by either applying the number established during the certification process or by a calculation of 1 cabin crew member per 50 installed passenger seats.
Having extra pilots act as cabin crew should be ok with the numbers as long as they don't drop the count. The concern is are they qualified to act as flight attendants? When I read the article, it doesn't say the pilot and co-pilot would be cabin crew, it was additional pilots filling in. If so few people fly, there should be enough pilots. Not saying they want to do this or legal, but it would be possible.
Re: Icelandair letting go its flight attendants and shifting their duties to pilots
#17I would actually be surprised if that’s legal. Flight attendants perform some critical safety functions, they’re not glorified wait staff that can be replaced on a whim.
It’s usually 3–4 months of training to be a fully qualified flight attendant. Surely a pilot is already well-versed in 90% of that training material. A week or two training may be all that’s required.
Re: Icelandair letting go its flight attendants and shifting their duties to pilots
#18I prefer beautiful women to hand out beverages and snacks on my flight; something that sadly appears to be a dying trend.
Re: Icelandair letting go its flight attendants and shifting their duties to pilots
#19I would actually be surprised if that’s legal. Flight attendants perform some critical safety functions, they’re not glorified wait staff that can be replaced on a whim.
I don’t mean to be ignorant, but what are these critical safety functions? The closest thing to safety that I’ve seen is they give the speech at the beginning about oxygen masks and remind you to buckle up. Given that the inflight safety demonstration is on video now, what’s the critical safety role?
Literally flight attendants exist to help with the safety of passengers in any sort of abnormal situation. That they serve beverages is just kind of the thing they do when there's not a critical safety function.
Re: Icelandair letting go its flight attendants and shifting their duties to pilots
#20> the airline said it planned to have its pilots temporarily assume flight attendants' roles
Excuse me captain can you top off my orange soda and fetch me a bag of peanuts?....this isn't what their pilots signed up for, expect a Icelandair pilot strike next