Security behind Southwest Airlines is moving to end in-flight service earlier

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Southwest Airlines is ending service earlier than previously in an effort to reduce the risk of injury to its cabin crew. File photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

1 of 4 | Southwest Airlines is ending service earlier than previously in an effort to reduce the risk of injury to its cabin crew. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License photo

Nov. 30 (UPI) — Southwest Airlines is ending service earlier than previously in an effort to reduce the risk of injury to its cabin crew.

The low-cost carrier based in Dallas confirmed the news this weekthat its cabin crew will end service and begin preparation for landing when flights reach an altitude of 18,000 feet.

The rule change is expected to take effect on Wednesday.

Southwest flight crews had earlier begun preparing to land at 10,000 feet.

The change is intended to make things safer for airline cabin crew and reduce the risk of turbulence-related injuries, meaning seats must be in the upright position, tray tables locked and luggage stowed earlier.

“The change in procedures is designed to reduce the risk of in-flight turbulence injury to our crew members and customers. It is the result of the airline’s close collaboration with its working partners and a robust approach to safety management,” Southwest said in a statement to USA TODAY.

“Nothing is more important to Southwest Airlines than the safety of our customers and employees.”

The 53-year-old airline operates more than 800 aircraft, exclusively consists of of different variants of the Boeing 737, making it the world’s fourth largest commercial fleet.

Turbulence on board flights has attracted considerable public attention, although the airline did not say it made the change in response to a specific incident.

“The evaluation of thousands of data points from flight attendant and pilot reports paired with information from the Flight Data Analysis Program confirmed that seating our flight attendants earlier should reduce flight attendant injuries by at least 20%,” Southwest said in an internal memo to employees. obtained by View From The Wing.

“Inflight and Flight Ops will validate the effectiveness of these new procedures, and if we do not achieve the desired result, we will continue to find solutions. We are also committed to sharing updates on these results on a regular basis.”

In July, “strong” turbulence injured several passengers aboard an Air Europa flight from Spain to Uruguay.

The following month, a United Airlines flight had to divert and make an emergency landing in Tennessee after seven people were injured when turbulence hit Louisiana.