Redefining Safety in the Sky: A Call to Action for Corporate Aviation

Consider this: a potential safety issue unfolds mid-flight. In that crucial moment, who do we look to for maintaining calm, communicating vital information, and preparing everyone for a potential emergency? The answer is simple: the cabin crew.

My name is Bethan Williams, and for more than 25 years, I’ve had the privilege of being part of this vital safety network in the skies.

My journey began in commercial aviation with giants like British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, before joining Bombardier in 2012. Today, as Chief of Cabin Experience and Lead Flight Attendant for Bombardier’s Demo team, I lead efforts to elevate our training standards, a passion that culminated in creating a detailed Flight Attendant Safety Manual specifically for our department.

For me, safety is always the unwavering priority. It’s imperative to re-examine and reinforce the critical importance of safety and standardised training, especially within the often-overlooked realm of corporate aviation.

The start of 2025 has delivered sobering reminders of aviation’s unpredictable nature. The world watched in horror as a Japan Airlines A350 became a raging inferno after a runway collision in Tokyo, followed by the stark image of a Delta Air Lines jet flipped upside down on a Toronto runway. These events underscore a fundamental truth: safety is not a given. It demands constant vigilance, rigorous preparedness, and flawless execution by every member of the aviation team.

After all these years, what does safety truly mean to me? My commercial aviation career, which began in 1997, ingrained in me the non-negotiable value of intensive safety training – four weeks dedicated solely to safety, crew resource management, emergency procedures, and aviation medicine. This foundational commitment is still a hallmark of most commercial operations. However, when I joined corporate aviation seven years ago, I encountered a different landscape. Service often seemed to take precedence, with many North American OEMs not even requiring their ‘Cabin Servers’ to hold formal cabin safety certification. This disparity deeply concerns me.

The devastating consequences of this difference were tragically illustrated by the Platinum Jet Challenger 600 accident in 2005. The NTSB report documented that the cabin aide's training did not adequately prepare her to perform the duties with which she was tasked. According to the report, she did not perform a seatbelt compliance check before the flight (which resulted in two passengers being unrestrained during a violent impact), did not have a good understanding of how to open the main cabin door in an emergency, left the aircraft ahead of passengers and crew, and “ran away from the airplane”, eventually getting picked up by a passerby in a car, leaving the scene. This incident starkly demonstrates the catastrophic outcome of a lack of proper emergency procedure training.

Contrast this with the HOP A JET Challenger 604 accident in February 2024. Amidst a dual-engine failure forcing an emergency landing onto a busy Florida interstate, the swift thinking and heroic actions of a trained Flight Attendant were a lifeline. According to the preliminary report published by the NTSB, “the cabin attendant stated that she identified that the cabin and emergency exits were blocked by fire and coordinated the successful egress of her passengers and herself through the baggage compartment door in the tail section of the airplane.”  This flight attendant applied the training she had proactively sought out throughout her career, calmly and effectively leading the passengers to safety. This is a powerful testament to the life-saving difference dedicated cabin crew safety training can make.

These accidents underscore that maintaining the highest levels of aviation safety requires collective effort and an unwavering commitment to continuous learning. We must never become complacent. This responsibility rests on everyone: air traffic controllers, maintenance crews, skilled pilots, and crucially, highly trained cabin crew. Safety must be paramount, even while service remains an important aspect of corporate aviation, specific training programs, comprehensive safety manuals, and a deeply ingrained safety culture are vital. Remember: no one is ever going to be saved in a real in-flight emergency by a nicely folded napkin! We need trained professionals ready to act.

It’s time for candid reflection. Corporate aviation often lags behind our commercial counterparts in standardised, rigorous safety, particularly concerning cabin crew training. Our commercial colleagues would never dream of allowing an unqualified individual to be responsible for passenger safety in the cabin. Why should we accept anything less in corporate aviation?

In 2022, I was honoured to be selected for the Safety Standdown Advisory council. For 28 years, Bombardier’s Safety Standdown has united aviation professionals by the fundamental principle of safety. Out of these powerful discussions emerged a clear vision: an event specifically for the flight attendant community. I am immensely proud to announce we are now actively planning the third annual Bombardier Flight Attendant Safety Summit, in close collaboration with Safety Standdown. This free, four-day event brings our global flight attendant community together to share experiences, discuss innovative ideas, and learn and grow in our collective pursuit of enhanced safety.

So, what does a true culture of safety mean within corporate aviation? It’s more than equipment or accident reports. It’s the approach one should take to do our jobs every day, the mindset we bring to every flight. It’s the safety of the aircraft, our passengers, and ourselves. If we, as crew members, are not adequately rested, how can we be fully prepared? We’re entrusted with critical responsibility: carrying out safe procedures, diligently following processes, and ensuring the overall safety of our pilots, passengers, and sophisticated aircraft. We must attend to our pilots’ well-being with the same care we provide to passengers. And we, as cabin crew, must be constantly vigilant. Anything you deem unusual, no matter how small, must be reported immediately. Your instincts are a crucial safety tool.

While anxiety around flying can be elevated, is there genuine cause for alarm? The aviation industry remains the safest mode of transportation. However, we can never afford complacency. The accidents we've discussed serve as powerful reminders that vigilance and a strong safety culture are paramount.

Let us all commit to continuously improving the culture of safety within corporate aviation. By prioritising comprehensive safety training, investing in robust safety protocols, and creating a culture of vigilance, we can make significant strides in ensuring the well-being of every passenger and crew member. Safety is not a passive concept; it is an active and shared responsibility. Every single individual plays a vital and interconnected role. I strongly encourage you to attend safety conferences, participate in training programs and engage in open dialogue about safety within your organisations. Your contributions will help drive positive change and ensure the continued advancement of critical safety measures. Together, we can, and we will, create a more informed, engaged, and ultimately, safer aviation sector that deeply values safety above all else.

Bombardier Safety Standdown  is an annual event that promotes knowledge-based aviation safety training, personal discipline, and responsibility as essential elements of aviation safety and professionalism.

The aviation safety program is free of charge, and the information is targeted at pilots, crewmembers, maintenance technicians, and managers regardless of what aircraft they operate.