Comment from SkyWest Airlines Flight Attendant
SkyWest Airlines Flight AttendantOpposeIndividual
Summary: Cydney Marshall Bracken, a flight attendant at SkyWest airlines, opposes the implementation of the new security barrier on the ERJ 700 aircraft. She argues that the current device is inefficient, poses safety risks during medical emergencies or turbulence, and requests an extension for Embraer to develop a more functional version.
As a regional airline flight attendant for 32 yrs with SkyWest airlines I am voicing my concerns about this new security barrier on the ERJ 700. My name is Cydney Marshall Bracken. I am asking to please really take a look at these issues since we are the ones actually working these planes. And please extend our time while Embraer finalizes a more efficient device. I have seen the airbus version and they can open and close in 6 secs and the majors have many FAs to be in the plane if there was an emergency with a passenger…this contraption we have to build and take down and store is several mins. Which can be alot of time in the air. We would have both FAs locked behind the barrier, if there was a medical emergency, fire, turbulence etc. and we would not be able to get to the passenger in seconds…also if there is turbulence and the barrier is up, we only have 1 jumpseat the other FA has to sit on the floor and that is not safe either. (The jumpseat saved a FAs life just recently when she was ejected). You will also have passengers videoing us trying to put this barrier up and take it down I’m sure it will be pretty amusing, and then that could put up a red flag to someone that wants to do harm that they would have full range of the cabin, and we would be sitting ducks behind the barrier ! And it takes both FAs to set this barrier up and some of our FAs can’t reach the ceiling. If someone is having a heart attack we won’t be able to get to them fast and we are supposed to bring them up to the galley to start CPR and the contraption would still be up. It’s not a 6 sec deal. I have had a passenger pass away between 13 mins when I spoke with him and 9 mins when I tried to speak to him again. Things happen really fast in airplanes and we need to be on our toes and ready for any situation at a seconds notice. This barrier is not the solution. Yes i understand you want security.. but since we have put in the strong doors there has not been a breach of the flight deck since 9/11. But as far as the regional planes please give us the extension to get this done right and not put us and our passengers in harms way by making us use the barrier that is not easy by any means. We have a huge duty already to keep our passengers safe and comfortable and 6 extra mins or more, so a pilot can go to the bathroom is asking a lot of us and our passengers. Please give us the extension and let Embraer get this barrier done right. And not force us to use this 18 lb, build a barrier for the pilots to go to the bathroom because if someone is going to try to breach our flight deck we definitely don’t have time to build the barrier. We would have to say “can you please stand back so we can build our barrier so you can try to breach it”! Lets get it right! Let’s build it so it’s efficient, safe, and fast and where we as FAs are safe, our passengers are safe and our pilots are safe! Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Cydney