Wellbeing

Ensuring the mental wellbeing of cabin crew

As aviation struggles to maintain momentum in its recovery, cabin crew As aviation struggles to maintain momentum in its recovery, cabin crew are facing a particularly stressful situation. are facing a particularly stressful situation. Graham Newton investigates.Graham Newton investigates.

Cabin crew may be faced with staying away while health crises erupt, unsure of local rules or potential travel restrictions. Others will have been at home for a prolonged period and have become used to being there for young children or partners, making it a wrench to work away again.

On top of this, the work environment has changed enormously. Procedures have changed, colleagues may have lost their job. All the stresses of a new job are there on an almost daily basis.

A panel at the 2021 Cabin Operations Safety Conference tackled this challenging subject. Panelists included Steve Sneddon, Senior Manager Crew Experience Virgin Atlantic, Kris Major, European Transport Workers Federation, and Sandra Alves Pontes Human Factors Safety Offi cer, TAP Portugal, with the session chaired by Catherine Chan, Group Safety Manager, Cathay Pacifi c.

It has always been important to have a confi dent cabin crew as this confi dence transfers to the passengers. Maintaining that confi dence while a global pandemic is raging is easier said than done, however.

Part of the solution is revamped training programs. IATA, for example, has quickly taken onboard the constantly changing situation so that skills are refreshed or updated as necessary. Listening to air crew and feeding back that knowledge into training has been a key element in this endeavor.

But more important is ensuring the mental wellbeing of cabin crew. Imagine the anxiety of being on furlough, in a lockdown and then having to provide a service within a confi ned space at 30,000ft. Aircraft have, of course, been proven to be extremely safe environments in terms of virus transmission, but for the individual it is nevertheless a signifi cant adjustment.

“Open digital channels for people to ask questions and raise concerns have been really important,” said Virgin Atlantic’s Sneddon.

Many airlines started or ramped up initiatives to ensure regular transparent communication with crew. Virgin Atlantic, for example, has already trained some crew as mental health fi rst aiders to help colleagues. Cathay Pacifi c also has more than 50 certifi ed mental health fi rst aiders, Kenya Airways has its Embrace program, and there are many other examples.

abin crew may be faced In essence, these eff orts acknowledge with staying away while that emotional safety is just as important health crises erupt, unsure as other forms of safety. Mental wellbeing of local rules or potential should not be a project but a fundamental travel restrictions. Others part of the company culture. will have been at home for a prolonged Confi dentiality is obviously vital as period and have become used to being airlines must give cabin crew the space there for young children or partners, to voice their concerns. There may be making it a wrench to work away again. some uncomfortable issues raised and

On top of this, the work environment challenges for which there is no obvious has changed enormously. Procedures solution. But it is important that the have changed, colleagues may have lost parties embark on the journey toward their job. All the stresses of a new job are a solution together. there on an almost daily basis. The point, according to Major of the

A panel at the 2021 Cabin Operations European Transport Workers Federation Safety Conference tackled this is that cabin crew should not suff er in challenging subject. Panelists included silence. Though crew have an array of Steve Sneddon, Senior Manager Crew skills to translate into self-care—after Experience Virgin Atlantic, Kris Major, all, they deal with colleagues, border European Transport Workers Federation, control offi cials, and passengers on a and Sandra Alves Pontes Human Factors daily basis—strong support is essential. Safety Offi cer, TAP Portugal, with the Honest, open, adult conversations session chaired by Catherine Chan, should be easily accessible, even routine. Group Safety Manager, Cathay Pacifi c. In the past two years, cabin crew

It has always been important to have a have had to deal with experiences that confident cabin crew as this confidence nobody anticipated. It seems the next transfers to the passengers. few years will be no less diffi cult. It is Maintaining that confidence while important that the industry a global pandemic is raging is acknowledges the diffi culties that easier said than done, however. cabin crew face and provide the correct

Part of the solution is revamped level of support.

training programs. IATA, for example, has quickly taken onboard the constantly changing situation so that skills are refreshed or updated as necessary. Listening to air crew and feeding back that knowledge into training has been a key element in this endeavor.

But more important is ensuring the mental wellbeing of cabin crew. Imagine the anxiety of being on furlough, in a lockdown and then having to provide a service within a confi ned space at 30,000ft. Aircraft have, of course, been proven to be extremely safe environments in terms of virus transmission, but for the individual it is nevertheless a signifi cant adjustment.

“Open digital channels for people to ask questions and raise concerns have been really important,” said Virgin Atlantic’s Sneddon.

Many airlines started or ramped up initiatives to ensure regular transparent communication with crew. Virgin Atlantic, for example, has already trained some crew as mental health fi rst aiders to help colleagues. Cathay Pacifi c also has more than 50 certifi ed mental health fi rst aiders, Kenya Airways has its Embrace program, and there are many other examples.

In essence, these eff orts acknowledge that emotional safety is just as important as other forms of safety. Mental wellbeing should not be a project but a fundamental part of the company culture.

Confidentiality is obviously vital as airlines must give cabin crew the space to voice their concerns. There may be some uncomfortable issues raised and challenges for which there is no obvious solution. But it is important that the parties embark on the journey toward a solution together.

The point, according to Major of the European Transport Workers Federation is that cabin crew should not suffer in silence. Though crew have an array of skills to translate into self-care—after all, they deal with colleagues, border control offi cials, and passengers on a daily basis—strong support is essential. Honest, open, adult conversations should be easily accessible, even routine.

In the past two years, cabin crew have had to deal with experiences that nobody anticipated. It seems the next few years will be no less diffi cult. It is important that the industry acknowledges the diffi culties that cabin crew face and provide the correct level of support.