Search Results (6)

In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration has officially classified flight crews (FC) consisting of commercial pilots, cabin crew, or flight attendants as “radiation workers” since 1994 due to the potential for cosmic ionizing radiation (CIR) exposure at cruising altitudes originating from solar activity and galactic sources. Several epidemiological studies have documented elevated incidence and mortality for several cancers in FC, but it has not yet been possible to establish whether this is attributable to CIR. CIR and its constituents are known to cause a myriad of DNA lesions, which can lead to carcinogenesis unless DNA repair mechanisms remove them. But critical knowledge gaps exist with regard to the dosimetry of CIR, the role of other genotoxic exposures among FC, and whether possible biological mechanisms underlying higher cancer rates observed in FC exist. This review summarizes our understanding of the role of DNA damage and repair responses relevant to exposure to CIR in FC. We aimed to stimulate new research directions and provide information that will be useful for guiding regulatory, public health, and medical decision-making to protect and mitigate the risks for those who travel by air. Full article

Among airlines, the continuous increase in the transfer of cabin crews is noteworthy. This phenomenon can be attributed to the perception held by most airlines that experienced cabin attendants play a pivotal role in gaining a competitive advantage. Hence, airlines seek to transfer in experienced cabin attendants who enhance service quality, align with industry standards, and support ongoing improvement initiatives. This study aims to formulate a standardized performance assessment system for airlines to address challenges encountered by transferred cabin crews stemming from the difficulty of moving their past performance data to the receiving airlines. In this research, the triangulation technique was adopted to develop recommendations for the Turkish airline industry that can address the challenges airlines face during transfers of experienced cabin crew. Within the framework of the acquired information, a proposed performance assessment system for sustainable recruitment processes for experienced cabin attendants, termed the PAS model, is suggested. It is recommended that the proposed model undergo thorough investigation and implementation across various airlines, each adhering to different business models, through the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This would then contribute to sustainable professional career management of cabin attendants and enhance decision-making processes of managers, particularly in strategic human resources management, such as procurement and recruitment activities. Full article

Specific in-flight infection prevention and control (IPC) training was deemed an essential strategy for ensuring the implementation of appropriate measures to protect the health of passengers and crew sustainably during COVID-19 and the post-pandemic period. This study aims to identify cabin crew’s IPC duties and investigate the current status of the in-flight IPC training for cabin crew in China. The snowballing technique was employed with purposeful sampling. A total of 15 participants, including cabin crew of various positions, inspectors, and trainers from eight airlines in China were invited to attend the in-depth semi-structured interview between September and November of 2022. Cabin crew IPC duties can be classified into four phases based on a thematic analysis: before flight, passenger boarding, during flight, and after flight. The findings indicated airlines in China required their cabin crew to carry out strict IPC measures onboard throughout all stages of flight, including in-flight IPC training before flight, being aware of COVID symptoms and monitoring passengers’ conditions during boarding, the standard operating procedure (SOP) of handling suspicious carriers during flight, and so on. Meanwhile, six major themes concerning cabin crew’s in-flight IPC training were extracted: COVID-19 information, IPC Supplies and usage, IPC measures onboard, communication and explanation, information collection and report up, attitude and perceptions toward COVID-19, and IPC measures. Cabin crew were regularly trained on in-flight IPC through online learning, with face-to-face training used as reinforcement. Although training for knowledge and technical skills was deemed comprehensive, non-technical skills such as communication and explanation were viewed as a weak link. Moreover, airlines should make greater efforts to help cabin crew develop a positive attitude towards COVID-19 and overcome their internal fears. This study pointed out the shortcomings of the in-flight IPC training for cabin crew in China and can help the airlines improve the training program so that cabin crew can perform their duties correctly. Furthermore, the result can inform the development of future cabin crew training programs for the post-pandemic period. Full article

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is a life-changing event that can have a devastating impact on all aspects of a person’s functioning. Patients with ABI present several behavioral problems that have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed at investigating the role of a “Family Glass Cabin” (FGC) both in improving cognitive function and communicative abilities of people with ABI and in potentiating the mental health of their caregivers. Fifteen subjects affected by ABI and their caregivers were enrolled in this experimental study. Training was performed through the FGC and was based on either psychoeducational sessions for the caregivers or cognitive stimulations for the patients. The participants attended biweekly meetings for 12 consecutive weeks. Each participant was assessed by means of a complete psychometric and clinical battery, before (T0) and after (T1) the training. We found significant changes in all patients’ outcomes, including global cognitive function and communication abilities (p < 0.01), as well as an improvement in caregivers’ well-being. Our data suggest that the physical presence of the caregiver in the rehabilitation setting, using a safe setting such as the FGC, can be a valuable means to increase ABI patients’ functional recovery and reduce caregivers’ anxiety and emotional burden. Full article

An increasing body of research suggests job embeddedness (JE) as a motivational variable influencing employees’ attitudinal and behavioral outcomes such as quitting intentions and task performance. Personal resources have been reported to affect JE and these outcomes. However, little work has investigated the antecedents and consequences of JE among cabin attendants. There is also a dearth of empirical research regarding the mechanism linking resilience to cabin attendants’ affective and performance outcomes. Therefore, drawing on conservation of resources and JE theories, we propose a conceptual model that examines the interrelationships of resilience, JE, career satisfaction (CSAT), and creative performance (CPERF). Moreover, the model explores JE as a mediator of the impact of resilience on CSAT and CPERF. These linkages were tested via data collected from cabin attendants and their pursers. The findings from structural equation modeling reveal that resilience boosts cabin attendants’ JE, CSAT, and CPERF. As predicted, JE is a mediator between resilience and CSAT. Our paper culminates with implications for theory and practice as well as future research directions. Full article

The purposes of this study were (1) to identify MBTI (Myers–Briggs Type Indicator) personality profiles of Korean cabin crew in Middle Eastern airlines, (2) to determine whether MBTI personality affects their cross-cultural adjustment competency, occupational competency, and coping competency, and (3) to analyze the impact of these variables on their mental health and turnover intention. Furthermore, we verified (4) the moderating effect of cabin crew’s previous overseas experience on the relationship between cross-cultural adjustment competency and turnover intention. MBTI-Form M test and a survey questionnaire were distributed to 185 Korean cabin crew members in Middle Eastern airlines, and 172 valid datapoints were used for analysis. It was revealed that the cabin crew members showed significantly different levels of cross-cultural adjustment competency, occupational competency, and coping competency depending on their personality traits. Furthermore, those with higher cross-cultural adjustment competency and stress coping are more likely to have positive mental health, which also had an influence on lowering their turnover intention. Occupational competency had no significant association with mental health; however, it directly affects turnover intention. The findings will contribute not only to career plan guidelines for cabin crew aspirants, but also to airlines’ recruitment strategies as well as human resources management in aviation industry. Full article