Whenever you board a commercial flight, there’s a good chance that one of the first things you’ll see is a smiling flight attendant welcoming you on board. As you walk down the aisle, you’ll likely notice several flight crew members helping passengers stow their bags in overhead bins or glancing at boarding passes to direct people to the right seat. It may appear that the flight crew members are focused on whatever task they are currently engaged in, but they are also silently observing each person.
There are a lot of things flight attendants notice about you when you board a plane. As a former flight attendant, I was trained to watch for certain characteristics and behaviors as passengers boarded aircraft. One thing we were taught to watch out for was “able-bodied passengers” who we often called ABP.
Identifying able-bodied passengers was an important part of our work because if there was an emergency or safety issue during the flight, they would be the people on board we would ask to help us if necessary. Flight attendants are trained to deal with all types of emergencies, but in certain situations ABP may be called upon to help us ensure the safety of everyone on board.
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What flight attendants look for when looking for ABP during boarding
flight attendant talks to passenger – Anchiy/Getty Images
Flight attendants often greet passengers with a friendly “hello” or “welcome aboard” as soon as they enter the aircraft, all the while keeping an eye out for potential ABPs. While they genuinely offer a friendly greeting, it’s also part of their job to observe passengers and pay attention to essential information. Greeting each person boarding can help reveal if someone is a safety threat or, alternatively, could help if a safety threat occurs.
In aviation, an “able-bodied” person is more than a person without a physical disability. They are people who are able and willing to help during an emergency. The International Civil Aviation Organization simply defines ABPs as “passengers selected by crew members to assist in emergency management if and as required.”
An ideal able-bodied passenger is someone who has experience handling emergency situations. The best people to choose are off-duty flight crew members, firefighters, police officers or military personnel. People with medical backgrounds—such as EMTs, doctors, and nurses—are also good choices. Flight attendants are looking for physically strong looking individuals or anyone who may be wearing clothing or accessories that indicate they fulfill one of the above roles. During my time as a flight attendant, potential ABPs would often introduce themselves to crew members during boarding, let us know they were willing to help if needed, and provide us with some background information about their abilities, which was extremely helpful and much appreciated.
How ABPs can help during an emergency
flight attendant gives a safety demonstration – MNBB Studio/Shutterstock
Anyone booking an exit row seat for the flight will usually be briefed on how to operate before take-off. However, if there is a situation requiring an emergency landing, flight attendants may move certain able-bodied passengers to emergency exit row seats if there is time to prepare. That way, they can make sure those passengers are able to stay calm in an emergency, open the exit, and assist other passengers.
In the event of an emergency or evacuation, ABPs may be assigned certain duties in advance. They can be briefed on what to do if a flight attendant is incapacitated, how to open the door and how to deploy the emergency escape chute. They may be asked to help other passengers off the plane or call them away from the plane to a specific meeting place once they are safely off the plane.
In addition, it is important that flight attendants know who to ask for help if an in-flight situation arises. Unruly passengers pose a serious threat to the safety of crew members and passengers alike. If someone starts to be physically aggressive, it could be critical to have trained professionals to help and de-escalate the situation. Flight attendants are trained to handle these situations themselves, but it never hurts to know who to call for help. In the event of a serious problem, such as hijacking, ABPs may be called upon to assist flight attendants in responding and apprehending the dangerous perpetrator. During my seven-year career as a flight attendant, I have never had to call an ABP. However, it always brought me comfort to identify a few passengers who might be able and willing to help during an emergency.
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Read the original article on Explore.