Cabin Temperature: Air India Sets New Requirement For Flight Attendants Following Multi-Hour Delay Incidents

Air India has implemented a revised standard operating procedure (SOP) for managing cabin temperatures, prompted by recent incidents of passenger discomfort on delayed flights. This change comes after reports of passengers fainting due to high temperatures during prolonged delays, particularly on flights to San Francisco.

New Guidelines

Following significant delays and air conditioning failures, Air India now mandates that cabin crew ensure the cabin temperature is reduced to 22 degrees Celsius (71.6 degrees Fahrenheit) before passengers are allowed to board. This directive aims to prevent a recurrence of the issues that led to severe discomfort for passengers.

The new SOP includes several key instructions for cabin crew:

1. Immediate Temperature Check: Cabin crew must check the cabin temperature immediately after boarding the aircraft.
2. Temperature Setting: The cabin temperature must be set at 22 degrees Celsius (71.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
3. Boarding Clearance: Boarding can only proceed if the temperature in all zones is 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) or below.
4. Notification Protocol: If the temperature cannot be reduced to the prescribed levels, the pilot in command and the assigned engineer must be notified. The commander has the authority to give boarding clearance in such cases.
5. Delay Classification: Any delays caused under these circumstances should be filed under 'Miscellaneous.'
6. Service Door Management: Service doors must remain closed if catering-related activities are not in progress.
7. Air Vent Management: All air vents must be opened before passenger boarding begins.

The Incident Leading to These Changes

The revised SOP was introduced after two ultra-long-haul flights to San Francisco experienced massive delays. The first incident involved flight 179 from Mumbai to San Francisco, where issues ranged from unloading bags of passengers who did not want to travel to a passenger falling ill. The second, more severe incident involved flight 183 from New Delhi to San Francisco, which was delayed by over 30 hours. During this delay, the replacement aircraft reportedly had non-functional air conditioning, causing extreme discomfort for over 200 passengers, including the elderly and children. Some passengers fainted, and they had to wait on the jetway for nearly an hour before being allowed to enter the airport.

These incidents, coupled with the ongoing severe heatwave in India, have led Air India to take stringent measures to ensure passenger comfort and safety during boarding.