Some high profile almost missed and minor crashes on the ground over the past few months have made improving safety a top priority for national airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration. ONEn airline employees died recently on the runway at an airport is one of the latest examples of why that is necessary.
In case you lost it:
Austin Americans reported that an American Airlines employee was killed in an incident Thursday at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. According to the Austin Police Department, the officer was operating a ground service vehicle and crashed into a jet bridge near Gate 24. Austin-Travis County EMS was dispatched to the scene around 2 p.m. local time. , and the doctor declared the employee dead at scene. ATCEMS declared death due to trauma, although the agency did not Go into more detail about how the employee was injured. Police are investigating the incident as an accidental death.
American Airlines released a statement about the death:
“We are devastated by an accident involving a team member at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Our thoughts and prayers are with our family and local team members. We are focused on ensuring that everyone involved receives the support they need during this difficult time.”
This is not the only workplace death in the airline industry in recent months. ABOVE New Year’s Eve, a Piedmont Airlines ramp employee was sucked into the Embraer 170 . jet engine at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama. Piedmont is a regional airline that operates American Eagle flights and is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines.
