Singapore Airlines has announced changes to its seatbelt policy following the death of a passenger in a turbulence incident on a flight from London to Singapore. A further 22 passengers suffered spinal damage, and six suffered skull and brain injuries. Over 100 passengers were treated for injuries.
On May 21, Flight SQ321 suddenly lost altitude, dropping 6 000ft (1 830m) in about three minutes, reported APNews.com. The captain was then forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok.
The airline said there was a need to take a “more cautious approach” to safety after the flight incident, reports Bloomberg. The new policy will prohibit inflight meal and hot drink services when the seatbelt light is switched on, requiring all crew members to return to their seats and strap themselves in.
The revision does not require passengers to wear seatbelts throughout the trip, although the airline advises passengers to do so. Singapore Airlines added that it would continue to review its processes, prioritising passenger and cabin crew safety.
On its flights between London and Singapore, the airline has now changed its routing to avoid Myanmar airspace where the incident occurred.
