Why cabin crew search the plane before take-off – and what they’re looking for

BEFORE every single flight takes off, members of the cabin crew will pass through the plane checking every row of seats – but what exactly are they looking for?

Former cabin crew member Patricia Green, claims the checks are done to ensure the best chances of survival, in case of an emergency.

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But rather worryingly, it’s also because vital pieces of safety equipment are sometimes stolen by passengers.

She told Simple Flying: “The very first thing cabin crew do when boarding the aircraft, is to walk through the cabin to check that all areas are safe and nothing has been left in the cabin that should not be there.

“It could be lost property or something that might cause a threat to safety.

“The cabin crew are also looking for any damage to the cabin or missing items such as seatbelts or passenger life jackets – you’d be surprised that these are sometimes stolen!”

Green also revealed that all of the other plane’s safety features are also given a once over before departure.

Some of the most important pre-flight checks take place in the toilets, where the attendants have to make sure smoke detectors are working and have not been blocked.

The passenger address system, evacuation alarm and emergency lights are all tested as well, as part of the thorough assessment. 

She explained that the cabin crew complete each of the tasks prior to every flight, unless it is a turnaround flight where the same crew are on the same plane, which they do not leave before the return journey. 

In that case they will usually only perform the checks on the outbound route.

Patricia is not the only flight attendant to have handed out safety advice with this one revealing why it can be dangerous to change seats without telling the cabin crew.

Meanwhile another attendant explained why they hate passengers who order this particular drink.

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