- Southwest Airlines has become the first US carrier to debut a new retractable security barrier on a Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.
- The secondary barrier, which made its inaugural flight last Friday from Phoenix to Denver, is deployed by flight attendants to secure the cockpit when pilots take breaks.
- Currently, beverage carts are used as barriers, with crew also physically blocking the aisles.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has mandated the installation of these physical secondary barriers on all new aircraft, with airlines having until August 2026 to comply.
- Southwest anticipates having 26 planes in its fleet equipped with these barriers by the end of the year, a move strongly supported by the Air Line Pilots Association International.
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