On any given flight, the cabin crew are the go-to people for passenger needs, from snacks to air sickness bags. But have you ever wondered how many flight attendants are on board to take care of you? Allow me to share you the regulations governing the number of flight attendants required on each flight and the factors that determine their numbers.
50:1 Ratio
The FAA mandates that one flight attendant is required for every 50 passengers on a flight. This means that jumbo airliners carrying 400 passengers need at least eight cabin crew. However, the number of flight attendants required also depends on the length of the flight and the size of the aircraft. Short-haul flights typically require fewer flight attendants, while long-haul flights require more, as cabin crew must take mandatory breaks and cannot spend more than 12-14 consecutive hours on board.
Although most airlines have larger crews than the minimum required by the FAA, some airlines are downsizing their crews due to staffing shortages. Cabin Crew and their unions are against these changes as they increase the workload of individual attendants, potentially impacting the customer experience.
In the Philippines, airlines adhere to the FAA mandate of one cabin crew for every 50 passengers on board. For instance, a Cebu Pacific A321neo regional flight that carries 236 passengers will have five flight attendants. Philippine Airlines also follows this rule, assigning at least one flight attendant for every 50 passengers.
Other governing bodies such as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the International Civil Aviation Organization also establish regulations for the minimum number of cabin crew members required on each flight. Generally, their guidelines are similar to those of the FAA.
For Safety Reasons
The reason for the strict regulations is not just to ensure passengers receive snacks and drinks on time. Cabin crew perform critical duties for passenger safety, such as guiding passengers through emergency evacuations. To do this effectively, flight attendants must not be overwhelmed by the number of passengers they are responsible for.
Although airlines can have fewer than the required number of flight attendants under certain circumstances, such as a staffing shortage or an ill flight attendant, they cannot operate flights with fewer than the required number of flight attendants when flying out of their base.
The number of cabin crew required on each flight is governed by strict regulations established by various governing bodies around the world. The length of the flight, size of the aircraft, and number of passengers are all factors that determine the number of cabin crew required. While most airlines have larger crews than the minimum required, downsizing of crews due to staffing shortages can have an impact on the customer experience.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
