Japan Airlines' successful evacuation highlights flight attendants' safety roles

04.01.2024 - 13:53 / thepointsguy.com / Sara Nelson / Airlines

As photos and video from the collision between two aircraft at Tokyo's Haneda Airport (HND) began circulating on Tuesday, it was immediately clear that a rare but catastrophic disaster had occurred.

Almost simultaneously, as news spread that all of the 376 passengers and crew aboard Japan Airlines (JAL) flight 516 had survived — with only a dozen or so minor injuries reported, things like sprains and bumps — it became clear that something akin to a miracle had taken place.

Five Japanese service members aboard the other aircraft involved in the runway crash, a Japanese Coast Guard DHC Dash 8 en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims on Japan's northwest coast, were killed, while a sixth crew member was reportedly in critical condition.

Nevertheless, the lack of fatalities or serious injuries among those on the larger commercial aircraft, an Airbus A350-900 that went up in flames following the crash, was reflective of decades of advancements in safety design and procedures.

It also highlighted the primary role of flight attendants: ensuring passengers' safety during emergencies.

"Flight attendants around the world are super proud of the JAL crew," Sara Nelson, head of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA union, told TPG on Wednesday. "Flight attendants are walking a little taller today."

Although a typical part of the inflight safety briefing reminds passengers that flight attendants are primarily on board for safety, cabin crew members often find themselves working against the perception that their main job is to provide inflight service, Nelson said, which is actually the secondary role.

"Traditionally, the role has been defined as something else," Nelson said. "But this is literally why flight attendants are on the plane."

"If you want to talk about the value of a flight attendant, just look at this incident," she added.

The Federal Aviation Administration adopts stringent flight attendant staffing requirements to make sure that there are enough cabin crew members to assist passengers during an emergency, which are mirrored by most certifying aviation regulators. At least one flight attendant is required on flights with between 19 and 50 passenger seats, with an additional flight attendant required for every 50 seats.

"Flight attendant minimum staffing is based on evacuation standards only," Nelson said. "That's the only regulated reason that we're on board, though we, of course, have other duties."

As the JAL flight careened to a stop on the runway, fire was spreading across the outside of the plane, and smoke was starting to fill the cabin, according to various reports from passengers, along with videos and photos taken inside the plane during the initial moments of the crash and posted