TAMPA, Fla. (NewsNation) — Southwest Airlines has taken its next steps in safety measures for its aircraft.
The airline has introduced a fold-away barrier that can prevent fliers from entering the front galley adjoining the flight deck if a pilot needs to open the cockpit. Flight attendants will be required to deploy the barrier when a pilot exits the cockpit for bathroom use or other matters.
The company completed its first flight with the secondary barrier Aug. 29.
“This requirement actually goes all the way back to Sept. 11. Following that event, it was always looking for a path to make the flight deck more secure," said Justin Jones, Southwest Airlines' executive vice president of operations.
Southwest Airlines acknowledged that it is one of the first U.S. carriers to implement the