Cut-price airlines 'may be shortcut to disaster'

Airline passengers have been cautioned against cheap flights because there is a greater risk of accidents with cut-price airlines. The warning came at a conference organised by the Preventive Medicine Department as part of its medical education programme.

Dr Hussain Pervaiz, a specialist in aerospace medicine in Ohio, said civil aviation in the region had developed by leaps and bounds, and the number of airlines and passengers was growing rapidly. But consequently some airlines were offering low-cost fares and using older aircraft.

Pervaiz warned that although the cheapest tickets might be a financial bargain, they could prove costly in human terms. He said the best advice he could give passengers was to select good airlines because although they might cost more, they are safer.

Pervaiz criticised airlines and aircraft manufacturers for not paying enough attention to passenger safety. "In the aviation industry, everybody knows what has to be done, but they are not prepared to make the necessary changes. It took the industry a long time to use fireproof materials in aircraft and then only after some major fires had taken place on aircraft."

Pervaiz said it was very important to educate passengers on aircraft safety and what to do and what not to do in an emergency. He advised passengers to read the safety leaflets very carefully every time they travel.

"Pay very close attention when cabin attendants are giving the safety briefing and never hesitate to ask questions. "Once seated, locate the emergency exits and count how many rows you are sitting away from them. If there is smoke, you will not be able to see the exits, and if you are seated next to an emergency exit, make sure you know how to open it."

Pervaiz stressed that handicapped people should be paid special attention during times of crisis. "During emergency situations, handicapped people, pregnant women and overweight passengers must be helped. But they also need to know what to anticipate and how to deal with it. "People with special needs must inform the cabin crew about their condition."

Dr Mohamed Khalili, head of the Occupational Health Section at the Preventive Medicine Department in Abu Dhabi, said in the past few decades, there had been sustainable growth in the number of people flying.

"These changes were accompanied, though to a lesser extent, by an increase in the number of air emergencies." Khalili said he believed more could be done to ensure the number of emergencies and the incidence of injury during evacuations of aircraft was minimised.

"The action that needs to be taken is in the hands of the people involved in the aviation and transportation industries, including the aircraft designers and manufacturers, safety engineers, occupational health specialists, ergonomists, aviation medicine personnel, administrators and managers."