Worrying Safety and Emergency Procedures on the A321 Vietnam Airlines
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Worrying Safety and Emergency Procedures on the A321 Vietnam Airlines
I flew VN from HAN to DAG recently and was very surprised by what I saw.
Both flight were full and on the A321.
I noticed on both sectors as I was boarding that L2 R2 and L3 R3 doors (second and third set of doors) were armed permanently with no one to man them while on the ground. I have never seen these doors permanently armed on the ground with any other airline.
There were 4 cabin crew members outbound and 5 inbound.
I was SIMPLY HORRIFIED to see that no cabin crew were sitting by "2" doors and "3" doors for take off and landing on the outbound sector! The 4 cabin crew were 2 at the front facing backwards and 2 at the back, one facing backward and 1 forward. That means no cabin crew in a cabin of 33 rows of seats.
The only cabin crew able to see what is going on in the cabin during take off and landing are one crew member by the front door inboard through a small window ( the cabin crew seated adjacent to L1 door faces a wall so can't monitor the cabin) and 1 crew member seating forward by the rear toilets.
The safety video malfunctioned on the O/B sector so the Cabin Manager reverted to manual safety demonstration. For this only 2 cabin crew did the demonstration , one by row 1 and one by row 20 leaving 19 rows of passenger to rely on good eyes to see what was demonstrated.( the same set up happened on the way back with 5 cabin crew, only 2 did the demonstration of the doors)
I also need to talk about the cabin jump seats at "2" doors and "3" doors. As you know they differ from PAX seats and have very high headrests. VN had the good idea to place these 2 forward facing seat in the "D" seat row. First forward facing does not allow to see so well what is going on in the cabin when a cabin crew is seated in them ( for instance you can't see small children standing up on a seat). Second as I was seated in 32E on one of the sectors, I DID NOT SEE A THING of the safety demo.
I am a ex flyer and flew the A321 for over 10 years. We always had 5 crew members. In exeptional circumpstances we had 4. All doors were always manned, they was a crew member at each set of doors for T/O and landing either with 4 or 5 crew.
There were 5 cabin crew on the return sector. The fifth crew was seated by "2" doors facing forward. When you look at the configuration of the VN A321s you see that there are 4 rows of business class seats (16 pax) and 4 of economy (24 pax) . That means that 3 cabin crew members concentrate their attention to 40 pax on a plane of 195 seats!.... not good!
Both sectors were full, the O/B sector was full of totally unruly parents and children. As soon as the cabin was checked the kids were standing up....There was a family seated in front of me. The dad seated in the middle seat decided in front of me decided to seat by the window for take off. So he took his son on his lap. The cabin member came to check. He negociated.....She was fine for both of them to seat together with the seat belt around both ot them!!!!! Thankfully the purser (yellow uniform) came through the cabin (infact on both sectors they did it but not for landing) and spotted the error. So she asked the crew member to use an seat belt extension.
But to my surprise the crew member did not know how to use it so the purser had to show her.
I noticed on both sectors kids not strapped for the 2 critical phases of the flight. Had the cabin crew be seated in the cabin, facing pax the control of the cabin could have been more efficient . I drew the attention to the lady seated next to me in the "C" seat that her 2 kids in the " B and C" seats were standing up 1 minute before touch down.
Finally I noticed on the 4 sectors I used VN that their cabin crew level of english was poor for most of them....the SOP are in english. What would happen if a captain had to do an emergency briefing, would they understand?....
Both flight were full and on the A321.
I noticed on both sectors as I was boarding that L2 R2 and L3 R3 doors (second and third set of doors) were armed permanently with no one to man them while on the ground. I have never seen these doors permanently armed on the ground with any other airline.
There were 4 cabin crew members outbound and 5 inbound.
I was SIMPLY HORRIFIED to see that no cabin crew were sitting by "2" doors and "3" doors for take off and landing on the outbound sector! The 4 cabin crew were 2 at the front facing backwards and 2 at the back, one facing backward and 1 forward. That means no cabin crew in a cabin of 33 rows of seats.
The only cabin crew able to see what is going on in the cabin during take off and landing are one crew member by the front door inboard through a small window ( the cabin crew seated adjacent to L1 door faces a wall so can't monitor the cabin) and 1 crew member seating forward by the rear toilets.
The safety video malfunctioned on the O/B sector so the Cabin Manager reverted to manual safety demonstration. For this only 2 cabin crew did the demonstration , one by row 1 and one by row 20 leaving 19 rows of passenger to rely on good eyes to see what was demonstrated.( the same set up happened on the way back with 5 cabin crew, only 2 did the demonstration of the doors)
I also need to talk about the cabin jump seats at "2" doors and "3" doors. As you know they differ from PAX seats and have very high headrests. VN had the good idea to place these 2 forward facing seat in the "D" seat row. First forward facing does not allow to see so well what is going on in the cabin when a cabin crew is seated in them ( for instance you can't see small children standing up on a seat). Second as I was seated in 32E on one of the sectors, I DID NOT SEE A THING of the safety demo.
I am a ex flyer and flew the A321 for over 10 years. We always had 5 crew members. In exeptional circumpstances we had 4. All doors were always manned, they was a crew member at each set of doors for T/O and landing either with 4 or 5 crew.
There were 5 cabin crew on the return sector. The fifth crew was seated by "2" doors facing forward. When you look at the configuration of the VN A321s you see that there are 4 rows of business class seats (16 pax) and 4 of economy (24 pax) . That means that 3 cabin crew members concentrate their attention to 40 pax on a plane of 195 seats!.... not good!
Both sectors were full, the O/B sector was full of totally unruly parents and children. As soon as the cabin was checked the kids were standing up....There was a family seated in front of me. The dad seated in the middle seat decided in front of me decided to seat by the window for take off. So he took his son on his lap. The cabin member came to check. He negociated.....She was fine for both of them to seat together with the seat belt around both ot them!!!!! Thankfully the purser (yellow uniform) came through the cabin (infact on both sectors they did it but not for landing) and spotted the error. So she asked the crew member to use an seat belt extension.
But to my surprise the crew member did not know how to use it so the purser had to show her.
I noticed on both sectors kids not strapped for the 2 critical phases of the flight. Had the cabin crew be seated in the cabin, facing pax the control of the cabin could have been more efficient . I drew the attention to the lady seated next to me in the "C" seat that her 2 kids in the " B and C" seats were standing up 1 minute before touch down.
Finally I noticed on the 4 sectors I used VN that their cabin crew level of english was poor for most of them....the SOP are in english. What would happen if a captain had to do an emergency briefing, would they understand?....
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Hi don't bother contacting VNA.
I suggest writing directly with your very valid observations to Skyteam at.
SkyTeam Airline Alliance Management
Schiphol Boulevard 367
Tower B, 8th Floor
1118 BJ Schiphol
The Netherlands
Also copy to: [email protected]
iosa carry out the safety audits but will never audit a VNA 321 with 4 crew.
Good luck.
I suggest writing directly with your very valid observations to Skyteam at.
SkyTeam Airline Alliance Management
Schiphol Boulevard 367
Tower B, 8th Floor
1118 BJ Schiphol
The Netherlands
Also copy to: [email protected]
iosa carry out the safety audits but will never audit a VNA 321 with 4 crew.
Good luck.
