Are the crew healthy?

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On September 14, 2024, a tragic incident occurred on ITA Airways Flight 1156 at Reggio Calabria Airport in Italy.

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Gabriella Cario, a 57-year-old flight attendant, collapsed and died suddenly just before departure on her flight to Rome.

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Feeling unwell while waiting at the boarding gate, Cario decided not to seek medical assistance as she wanted to return home to her family as soon as possible.

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Unfortunately, her condition deteriorated rapidly after boarding the plane. Despite the efforts of the paramedics, she died in front of the passengers. Gabriella Cario, a mother of three, worked for ITA Airways and her sudden death shocked her colleagues and the community.

The flight was postponed, and several other flights at the airport were also delayed as a result. A funeral was held in her hometown of Saboudia on September 17, where the mayor expressed his heartfelt condolences to her family.

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The event, which highlighted the importance of prioritizing health while traveling, was widely shared online, with many people sharing their condolences and condolences.

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As the recent examples above show, the aging of Western airline crews and the increase in older flight attendants pose a number of challenges for both employees and airlines themselves.

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1. Physical demands: Flight attendants are physically demanding, with long working hours, irregular schedules, and the need to handle luggage and lift heavy objects such as pushing carts. Older employees may be at increased risk of injury, especially in high-pressure, fast-moving environments such as airplanes.

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Physical strain can lead to more health problems such as back problems or repetitive strain injuries.

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2. Increased health risks: As we age, we are more likely to develop chronic health problems such as cardiovascular problems, diabetes, or other age-related diseases.

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In stressful and physically demanding environments such as aircraft cabins, older flight attendants may struggle more with fatigue, which can lead to potential health crises during flights, as was the case with the recent death of Gabriela Cascio.

3. Customer expectations: Some passengers have a perception that flight attendants are younger and more energetic. While these expectations do not reflect job competency, older flight attendants sometimes face discrimination or stereotypes, which can affect their job satisfaction and professional relationships.

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4. Workplace adaptation: Airlines often have to adapt their work environment to the needs of an older workforce, which can include providing better ergonomic support, adjusted schedules, and less physically demanding roles.

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However, implementing these adjustments can strain airline resources, especially as more flight attendants reach retirement age.

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5. Retirement and pension issues: Retirement ages are changing in many Western countries, and workers, including flight attendants, are working longer due to economic pressures or delayed pension benefits.

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This can create challenges for both individuals who may feel the strain of long hours of physical labor and airlines who must manage workforce planning and succession.

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Despite these challenges, older flight attendants provide valuable experience and customer service skills that benefit airlines. However, airlines must be proactive in balancing health, safety, and professional development to address the needs of an aging workforce.

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And regardless of age, all flight attendants are exposed to the following health risks:

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1. Circadian Disruption

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Long-haul flights often cross multiple time zones, disrupting sleep patterns and circadian rhythms. This can cause jet lag, which over time can increase the risk of long-term health problems such as sleep disturbances, cognitive decline, and metabolic problems such as obesity and diabetes.

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2. Musculoskeletal Problems

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Frequent lifting, carrying heavy loads, or pushing carts can lead to repetitive strain injuries. The confined spaces of aircraft also increase the likelihood of injuries from sudden turbulence or awkward movements during service.

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3. Dehydration and Poor Air

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The air inside an aircraft is recirculated and has low humidity levels (typically around 10-20%). This can lead to dehydration, dry skin, and respiratory problems. Lower oxygen levels at high altitudes can contribute to hypoxia, which can cause fatigue and poor concentration, especially over long periods of time.

4. Increased risk of infectious diseases

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Flight attendants are exposed to infectious diseases such as the flu, colds, and more recently COVID-19, due to their regular close contact with passengers.

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The enclosed nature of aircraft cabins makes it easy for airborne pathogens to spread.

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5. Mental health issues

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Irregular work hours, periods away from home, and the stress of dealing with difficult passengers can contribute to burnout, anxiety, and depression. The demanding nature of this job can negatively impact personal relationships and mental well-being.

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6. Stratosphere radiation exposure

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Crew members on long-haul international flights, particularly those cruising in the stratosphere (over 30,000 feet), are exposed to higher levels of cosmic radiation. The Earth’s atmosphere provides a natural shield from cosmic rays, but this protection decreases at high altitudes.

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Studies have shown that frequent flyers, including flight attendants, are exposed to higher levels of ionizing radiation than the general population. This exposure increases the risk of certain types of cancer, especially skin cancer and breast cancer, due to chronic exposure to spacecraft. Although the radiation exposure levels are still relatively low, they accumulate over time.

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The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) classifies flight attendants as “radiation workers” due to this exposure.

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Overall, long-haul flight attendants should look to airlines and healthcare providers to find ways to improve work-life balance, ergonomics, and long-term health.

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While several airlines have come up with various measures to address the health of their flight attendants and crew members, global airline Qatar Airways is taking a particularly proactive approach to the mental health of its crew members.

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Qatar Airways is one of the airlines that prioritizes the well-being and health of its crew members, and operates a psychological counseling program specifically to manage the mental health of its crew members.

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Since flight attendants perform jobs that require a high level of concentration, physical strength, and emotional control, the stress and pressure from their work is considerable.

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Due to this, the flight attendants are at a high risk of suffering from psychological problems as well as physical fatigue, so Qatar Airways provides systematic support for their mental health management.

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1. Purpose of the program

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The main purpose of the psychological counseling program provided by Qatar Airways is to help flight attendants effectively overcome psychological difficulties that may arise in their work and personal lives.

Flight attendants experience significant stress due to long-distance flights, jet lag, irregular sleep patterns, high-altitude work environments, and dealing with a variety of passengers.

If these situations are repeated, it can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and burnout.

Therefore, this program aims to help flight attendants reduce mental fatigue and manage their emotions better.

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2. Structure of the program

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Qatar Airways’ psychological counseling program consists of several important elements:

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a. Support from professional counselors

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Qatar Airways has a team of professional counselors who can be accessed by flight attendants at any time to provide counseling for psychological problems. Counselors are professionals with mental health qualifications who analyze flight attendants’ personal and professional stress and suggest solutions through individual counseling.

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Counseling is confidential and the results of counseling do not affect the flight attendant’s career. This allows the flight attendants to freely discuss their issues and receive help.

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b. Online and offline counseling services

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Qatar Airways also provides online counseling services to minimize time and location constraints. If flight attendants have difficulty receiving offline counseling due to flight schedules or personal circumstances, they can receive professional counseling and conversations anytime, anywhere through the online platform. This service is especially useful for flight attendants working internationally, and prevents cases where they cannot receive counseling due to time differences or physical distances.

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c. Group counseling and workshops

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In addition to individual counseling, Qatar Airways also conducts group counseling and workshops periodically. These workshops cover a variety of topics such as stress management, emotional regulation, improving interpersonal relationships, and promoting teamwork. Group counseling provides an opportunity for flight attendants to share their experiences and receive psychological support.

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In addition, since teamwork is important for the nature of flight attendant work, group workshops also have a positive effect on strengthening the bond between colleagues.

3. Raising Mental Health Awareness

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Qatar Airways also conducts various campaigns to raise awareness of the mental health of flight attendants. This campaign conveys the message that mental health is as important as physical health, and encourages cabin crew to be aware of their mental health status and seek appropriate support when needed.

Qatar Airways emphasizes that managing mental health is not something to be ashamed of, but rather essential for a healthy life and better work performance.

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4. Linking fatigue management and psychological support

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Due to long flights and irregular work patterns, cabin crews are prone to accumulating physical fatigue and mental stress at the same time. Qatar Airways operates a fatigue management program and a psychological counseling program in conjunction to help cabin crews effectively manage this fatigue.

Since fatigue management is closely related to mental health, the two programs are provided in an integrated manner, and cabin crews learn various ways to manage fatigue and stress before they develop into psychological problems.

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5. Psychological support in emergency situations

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Qatar Airways has established a system to ensure that cabin crews can receive prompt psychological support in case of emergency situations during flights or overseas.

Accidents and emergency situations can have a great psychological impact on cabin crews.

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6. Considering Cultural Diversity

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Qatar Airways is a global airline with crews of various nationalities and cultural backgrounds. Accordingly, the psychological counseling program also provides customized counseling that takes into account cultural backgrounds and languages.

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Crews can participate in counseling more comfortably through counseling tailored to their language or culture, which is said to contribute to maximizing the effectiveness of counseling.

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7. Improving Long-Term Welfare

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Qatar Airways’ psychological counseling program focuses on managing the long-term mental health of crew members, rather than simply providing one-time support.

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Through the counseling program, crew members are able to continuously monitor their mental health and provide an environment where they can receive help whenever needed, thereby creating a healthier working environment in the long term.

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An important welfare policy, such as Qatar Airways’ psychological counseling program, is always needed to effectively resolve various psychological issues that crew members experience on the job and help them maintain their mental health in the long term.

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This program is provided in various ways, such as support from professional counselors, online and offline counseling services, and group workshops, and focuses on helping crew members manage and improve their mental health.

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All airlines prioritize the health and well-being of their crews and are continuously striving to provide a better working environment and quality of service.