Concerns over safety standards at Jetstar have been raised by the airline’s training captain and former air-accident investigator at the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Geoff Klouth, in a submission to a Senate inquiry into aviation training and standards, says some cabin crew are not properly trained for emergencies and its safety department is not adequately resourced.
''They have been unable to 'arm' doors. Arming the doors is necessary to allow for the automatic deployment of the emergency escape slide if the aircraft has to be evacuated,'' he said in his submission.
Klouth said captains had stood down some flight attendants because of their lack of safety training for the A321s, which was a ''symptom of the reduction [by Jetstar] in resources and training''.
Jetstar spokesman, Simon Westaway, said the airline demanded its flight attendants meet the highest of safety standards and this had been the case since it was launched in 2003.
The Senate inquiry will begin hearings in Sydney on December 1.