Australia’s CASA Upholds Reduced Crew-Passenger Ratio

Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has upheld its decision to reduce the number of crew on aircraft and said it would not compromise safety.

The change in ratio from the existing 1:36 to 1:50 has come under criticism regarding passenger safety in emergency situations.

CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said the change would bring Australian regulations in line with other countries such as the US, the UK and New Zealand, according to ABC News

“Cabin crew are obviously essential for emergency situations such as evacuations,” he said. “The point here is that manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus test their aircraft so they can be evacuated in the minimum time required, with a ratio of 1:50.”