Winter Safety on the Ramp and into the Cabin

Protecting our people, our passengers, and our performance in winter

Winter doesn’t just affect aircraft, it affects people. Nowhere is that more obvious than on the ramp.

Whether it’s ground crews handling baggage or cargo in sleet, or cabin crew dealing with slippery galley floors and steps, the cold season brings a unique mix of operational and human challenges: visibility drops; surfaces freeze; hands go numb; footwear tracks in slush at the gate; and, somewhere in the mix, safety margins reduce.

Let’s look at how to stay sharp and safe when winter takes hold of the apron and how cold, wet conditions can affect work on the ramp and in the cabin.

On the Ramp: Cold, Wet and Working Fast

Working on the ramp always exposes crew to various risks. Add darkness, snow and sub-zero temperatures, and things can go from tough to treacherous very quickly. 

Top risks to look out for:

• Slips, trips, and falls on icy surfaces, especially around belt loaders, steps, and containers.
• Reduced spatial awareness due to poor lighting, snow cover, or heavy hoods/hats.
• Vehicle skids or collisions, braking distances increase dramatically in the cold.
• Fatigue and physical stress, handling heavy items in bulky gear slows people down and wears them out.

Ahead of the winter season, we’ve updated our ramp risk picture, and our analyses led to the installation of new anti-slip matting and handrail zones at key positions; but, procedures only work when people follow them.

👉 Ramp leads: check lighting, grit status and safe walk paths every shift.

👉 Ground staff: speak up if you notice untreated areas or vehicle access issues.

From Ramp to Cabin: Tracking the Risk Inside

One winter-specific issue that’s often overlooked: passenger transfer of de-icing fluid and melted snow or water into the cabin.

It sounds minor, but it can cause:

• Slippery galley floors increasing injury risk to crew and passengers.

• Unpleasant odours in the cabin.

• Damage to cabin materials or electrical systems if glycol gets into vents.

What’s happening? Often, de-icing overspray lands on steps, jet bridges and/or footwear zones. Passengers walk through it and then bring it into the aircraft.

Cabin crew have flagged several cases where:

• Cabin mats became soaked with glycol.

• Trolleys slipped during service due to unseen wet spots.

• Cabin crew sustained minor injuries from slipping in door areas.

• Customers have slipped on passenger walkways/ steps and/or in galley areas.

What Can We Do?

Ramp Teams

• Control spray direction to avoid overspray, avoid excessive use of fluids and report any observed passenger walkways congested with fluid after treatment.

• Monitor fluid pooling near aircraft doors and jet bridge interfaces.

• Clear glycol puddles before boarding begins.

Cabin Crew

• Inspect entry mats and galley areas before PAX boarding.

• Use absorbent mats at entry points.

• Report any glycol smells or residues to flight crew and ground staff.

All Staff

• If you see fluid tracking into the aircraft log it, report it, fix it.

Winter Ramp & Cabin Safety - Summary

🧠 Mindset

Winter conditions demand more caution and more communication. Don’t assume the ramp is safe, verify it.

👥 People

Winter PPE slows people down and increases fatigue. Schedule rotations, add breaks and ensure all staff are trained for cold-weather ops.

⚙️ Equipment

Maintain grit spreaders, snow shovels, lighting towers, handrails and tugs. All it takes is one failed grip to cause major damage, injury or delay.

📋 Compliance

Ramp and cabin winter checklists must be followed fully - especially contamination checks, boarding door inspections and walkaround criteria.

⚠️ Risks

Biggest threats:

• Ice on walking/working surfaces.

• Reduced awareness during dark shifts.

• Wet tracking from outside to inside.

• Cabin slips leading to crew or passenger injury.

📚 Learning

Reporting of minor slips and overspray issues has led to:

• Better jet bridge alignment training.

• Revised anti-slip mat positioning.

• Updated fluid application techniques.

Occurrence Example: Slippery Situation in the Rear Galley

During a snowy morning departure at a mid-size airport, de-icing fluid pooled near the rear steps and was tracked inside by boarding passengers. The rear galley floor became slick. A cabin crew member slipped while preparing service and sustained a sprained wrist. The aircraft returned to stand due to crew unfitness and encountered a short delay.

The incident review revealed:

• No floor mats were used at the rear entry.

• The de-icing team had not directed fluid away from the steps and had not reported the pooling of fluid once the treatment was completed.
• No one performed a cabin entry check before boarding started.

Outcome:

• Mats are now provided for use at both entry doors.

• De-icing SOPs updated to include direction of spray and bridge monitoring.

• Cabin checks added to the pre-boarding checklist during winter operations.

Final Note

Winter is beautiful, but operations in winter can be brutal if not taken seriously. It tests our people and our processes. So, let’s stay sharp, support each other and keep the ramp and cabin safe; cold weather is no excuse for warm complacency.