Flight Attendants Gain Social Distance by Leaving the Jump Seats

(Bloomberg) --

Airline flight attendants can select seats within the aircraft cabin rather than cram together near galleys and no longer need to demonstrate safety equipment in new measures approved by federal regulators to help keep them safe from the new coronavirus.

The Federal Aviation Administration revised the guidelines Thursday in response to requests from Airlines for America, the lobbying group for major carriers. Some unions representing flight attendants also had sought relief from the rules. Airlines must individually request an exemption that would remain in effect until June 30.

Several major U.S. carriers have stopped normal food and beverage service, stepped up aircraft cleaning, blocked off middle seats in aircraft and allowed flight attendants to wear masks and gloves in an effort to avoid spreading the highly contagious virus aboard planes.

Flight attendants will be able sit in passenger seats instead of their normal jump seats to provide the social distancing recommended by health officials. They can also drop the practice of donning emergency oxygen masks and life vests during safety briefings at the start of flights. Airlines that seek the exemption must provide an alternate way to show passengers how to use the equipment.

Allowing these changes is “in the public interest and would not result in a risk to aviation safety that is unacceptable” under conditions specified in the exemption, the FAA said.

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