Will AI Replace Flight Attendants?

Verify that first aid kits and other emergency equipment, including fire extinguishers and oxygen bottles, are in working order.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Announce and demonstrate safety and emergency procedures, such as the use of oxygen masks, seat belts, and life jackets.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Monitor passenger behavior to identify threats to the safety of the crew and other passengers.

Semi-structured cognitive task involving analysis, inspection, or monitoring.

Walk aisles of planes to verify that passengers have complied with federal regulations prior to takeoffs and landings.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Direct and assist passengers in emergency procedures, such as evacuating a plane following an emergency landing.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Prepare passengers and aircraft for landing, following procedures.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Administer first aid to passengers in distress.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Determine special assistance needs of passengers, such as small children, the elderly, or persons with disabilities.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Attend preflight briefings concerning weather, altitudes, routes, emergency procedures, crew coordination, lengths of flights, food and beverage services offered, and numbers of passengers.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Reassure passengers when situations, such as turbulence, are encountered.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Check to ensure that food, beverages, blankets, reading material, emergency equipment, and other supplies are aboard and are in adequate supply.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Prepare reports showing places of departure and destination, passenger ticket numbers, meal and beverage inventories, the conditions of cabin equipment, and any problems encountered by passengers.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Announce flight delays and descent preparations.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Greet passengers boarding aircraft and direct them to assigned seats.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Assist passengers entering or disembarking the aircraft.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Conduct periodic trips through the cabin to ensure passenger comfort and to distribute reading material, headphones, pillows, playing cards, and blankets.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Inspect and clean cabins, checking for any problems and making sure that cabins are in order.

Semi-structured cognitive task involving analysis, inspection, or monitoring.

Operate audio and video systems.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Answer passengers' questions about flights, aircraft, weather, travel routes and services, arrival times, or schedules.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Collect money for meals and beverages.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Heat and serve prepared foods.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Inspect passenger tickets to verify information and to obtain destination information.

Semi-structured cognitive task involving analysis, inspection, or monitoring.

Assist passengers in placing carry-on luggage in overhead, garment, or under-seat storage.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Take inventory of headsets, alcoholic beverages, and money collected.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Sell alcoholic beverages to passengers.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.