Singapore Airlines changes seatbelt rules after turbulence

The interior of Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 is pictured after an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday. (Photo: Handout via Reuters)
The interior of Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 is pictured after an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday. (Photo: Handout via Reuters)

Singapore Airlines has tightened cabin-service rules when planes hit turbulence after one passenger died and many were injured on a flight from London earlier this week.

The airline said on Friday it’s taking a “more cautious approach” to managing turbulence after Flight SQ321 suddenly lost altitude on Tuesday and was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok. One man died and dozens of passengers remain in Thai hospitals.

In-flight meal and hot drink service will be halted when the seatbelt sign is switched on, the airline said. Crew members will also return to their seats and strap themselves in.

The rule change does not require all passengers to wear seatbelts throughout the trip. Airlines typically advise travellers to do this, and only instruct them to sit down and wear a seatbelt during bad weather.

The injuries sustained by passengers show the dangers for anyone who isn’t strapped in when an aircraft suddenly drops. On Flight SQ321, people were thrown into the cabin roof and personal belongings and items from the breakfast service were hurled around the aircraft.

Turbulence can happen when a plane hits a strong air current and can be caused by pockets of hot air or powerful weather systems.

Vocabulary

  • advise: to tell somebody what you think they should do in a particular situation - แนะนำ, แจ้ง
  • altitude: height above sea level - ความสูงเหนือระดับน้ำทะเล
  • cautious: careful to avoid danger - ระมัดระวังไม่ให้เกิดขึ้น
  • crew (noun): a group of people who work together to do a job - กลุ่มคนที่ทำงานร่วมกัน
  • halt: a stop - หยุดนิ่ง
  • hurled: thrown with great force - กระเด็นลงมา
  • require: to make somebody do or have something, especially because it is necessary according to a particular law or set of rules - บังคับใช้ (กฎหมาย) กำหนด
  • seatbelt: a safety belt used in a car or plane to hold you in your seat in case of an accident - เข็มขัดนิรภัย
  • strap: to hold or keep someone or something in position by tying a strap around them - รัดด้วยสายหนัง
  • tighten (verb): to make something tighter, more fixed and secure or stricter - ทำให้แน่น, ทำให้เข้มงวดยิ่งขึ้น, ทำให้แน่นหรือตึงขึ้น, ผูกให้แน่น,
  • turbulence: strong sudden movements within air or water - การเคลื่อนไหวผิดปกติของบรรยากาศ
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