Flight attendant fell from a plane when steps were pushed away

A TUI flight attendant was seriously injured in a fall from a plane at East Midlands Airport (EMA).

- By RUCSANDRA MOLDOVEANU

The senior crew member, who had over 36 years of experience, was closing the aircraft's front door when she put her left foot on the steps.

These were then pushed away from the plane and, despite efforts to hang on to the door, the woman fell through the gap and onto the ground.

She broke multiple bones and needed a significant time to recover, a report published by the government's Air Accident Investigations Branch (AAIB) revealed.

The incident occurred on December 16, 2024, with the delayed flight bound for Lanzarote.

The AAIB investigation found that the step removal occurred despite the aircraft door being open.

The primary dispatcher was also still at the top of the stairs to pass paperwork to the flight crew, but was able to hang onto the side rail to prevent himself from falling.

A total of three dispatchers, who are responsible for coordinating the aircraft on the ground, were present, along with four ramp staff members, also in charge of ground handling.

The AAIB stated that "it was not clear who had responsibility for checking that the aircraft door was closed and steps were clear."

One of the dispatchers was already at the bottom of the steps, while a second had just come off them when the ramp staff assumed the door closure was complete and the steps could be moved away from the aircraft.

The dispatcher, already at the bottom of the steps, began retracting the stabiliser legs from the front steps to prepare them for removal.