Safety Recommendation A-00-077

On April 12, 2001, the FAA issued Handbook Bulletin for Air Transportation (HBAT) 01-02, "Air Carrier Exit Seating Program Development." The bulletin contained information and guidance for principal operations inspectors (POI) and cabin safety inspectors (CSI) regarding the development of an air carrier exit seating program. The bulletin directed POIs and CSIs to encourage their assigned certificate holders to consider the safety benefits of special briefings for exit seat row passengers and to include such briefings in their predeparture procedures.

On January 3, 2002, the Safety Board responded to the FAA that although the HBAT contains much valuable information, the Board believes that strongly encouraging consideration of safety benefits is not an acceptable substitute for requiring individual exit seat briefings as recommended and classified this recommendation "Open--Unacceptable Response."

At the October 3, 2003, meeting, the FAA agreed to survey carriers to see how many include exit row briefings in their procedures. At that meeting, the Safety Board agreed that if most carriers included the recommended procedures, this recommendation would be classified "Closed--Acceptable Alternate Action." The FAA conducted the survey and found that most carriers include the briefings in their procedures. However, the FAA found that Atlantic Coast, Chicago Express, Colgan, Continental, Midwest, Pan Am, and US Airways do not include the briefings in their procedures, nor do they intend to start conducting the briefings.

In addition, some major carriers, including American, Delta, ATA, Comair, and United were not surveyed. The FAA subsequently contacted these additional carriers, except United, and found that all of them included briefings for exit row passengers in their procedures. The Board understands that the FAA does not plan to follow up with the carriers that do not include exit row briefings in their procedures to convince them to add the procedure recommended in HBAT 01-02.

The Safety Board notes that although most carriers conduct briefings as recommended in the HBAT, there are some notable exceptions. Among the exceptions are some major carriers, such as Atlantic Coast, Continental, Midwest, and US Airways, and none of these carriers plans to change. The case of US Airways is of particular note. The Board first became aware of the benefit of exit row briefings during its investigation of an accident involving a US Airways flight in which the exit row passengers had been given the type of briefing recommended.

Staff from the Board contacted representatives from US Airways who confirmed that US Airways has recently changed their procedures to no longer include the briefing.

HBAT 01-02 and other actions taken by the FAA in response to this recommendation have not been effective given that several major carriers have not adopted the procedures and indicate that they do not plan to do so, or have removed them. The FAA has advised the Board that it has no other plans to follow up with these carriers. Therefore, Safety Recommendation A-00-77 is classified "Closed--Unacceptable Action."

email from Judy Leach, FAA: we are not going to do anymore followup with the carriers, other than what was already done. We plan no further action.

email: I contacted 10 additional air carrier Certificate Management Offices for survey information. The following air carriers answered YES to questions #1, 1B, 2, and 3. American Delta Alaska ATA (America Trans Air) Spirit Skywest Comair Mesa Hawaiian One air carrier, Aloha, does give personal briefings to passengers but is currently reviewing their program VS. AC-121-24C. From my personnel experiences when performing enroute inspections, air carriers do give personal exit row briefings. Should you need any additional information, let me know.

Safety Recommendation A-00-77 asks the FAA to require that all passengers seated in exit rows in which a qualified crewmember is not seated to receive a preflight personal briefing on what to do if the exit is needed. The Safety Board notes that HBAT 01-02 indicates that POIs and CSIs "should strongly encourage their assigned certificate holders to consider the safety benefits that are accomplished by individual exit seat briefings." Although the HBAT contains much valuable information, the Board believes that strongly encouraging consideration of safety benefits is not an acceptable substitute for requiring individual exit seat briefings.

Pending completion of the recommended action, Safety Recommendation A-00-77 is classified "Open--Unacceptable Response."

Letter Mail Controlled 08/10/2001 12:52:59 PM MC# 2010633 On April 12, 2001, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued Handbook Bulletin for Air Transportation 01-02, Air Carrier Exit Seating Program Development. The bulletin contains information and guidance for principal operations inspectors (POI) and cabin safety inspectors (CSI) regarding the development of an air carrier exit seating program. The bulletin directs POIs and CSIs to encourage their assigned certificate holders to consider the safety benefits that are accomplished by individual exit seat briefings and to include such briefings in their predeparture procedures.

In the absence of procedures that require individual briefings, POIs and CSIs should ensure that each carrier has a method in place to ensure compliance with 14 CFR 121.585(g). 14 CFR 121.585(g) requires verification by a required crewmember that the passenger can perform all required functions, including the ability to follow oral directions. I have enclosed a copy of the bulletin for the Board's information. I believe that the FAA has addressed the full intent of this safety recommendation, and I consider the FAA's action to be completed.

Pending completion of the recommended actions, Safety Recommendation A-00-77 is classified "Open--Acceptable Response."

Letter Mail Controlled 11/14/2000 4:39:44 PM MC# 2001688 The FAA agrees with the intent of this safety recommendation and will issue a flight standards handbook bulletin for air transportation. The bulletin will direct principal operations inspectors (POI) to examine the procedures of their assigned carriers to ensure that exit row criteria are met and that passengers are encouraged to review the safety information card by the most effective means possible.

The POI's will also be directed to encourage their assigned carriers to revise the exit row seating procedures to include, as part of the crewmember verification process, verbal interaction between the crewmember and the passengers who occupy the exit row. This will ensure that passengers understand oral commands that are given by the crew and verbal encouragement by the flight attendant to read the safety information card, which is the best tool at the flight attendant's disposal to communicate information to passengers quickly and efficiently regarding exit operation. The FAA anticipates issuing the bulletin by December 2000.

I will provide the Board with a copy of the bulletin as soon as it is issued.