Kathleen Lord-Jones Aviation Cabin Safety Expert

Over 24 years of employment with a legacy airline as a Flight Attendant and is a known professional in the aviation community. Knowledgeable in aspects surrounding aircraft cabin safety and survivability, including accident investigation, security procedures and training and qualification requirements for cabin crews.

Professional Experience

Provide technical investigations, analysis, reports, and testimony toward the resolution of commercial and personal injury litigation involving aviation cabin safety and security issues.

Instructor for the following subject: Cabin Accident Investigation (CAI), course location in Reykjavik, Iceland, March 27-31, 2017

• Aviation Safety Consultant specializing in cabin safety, survivability and security; aircraft accident investigation, preparedness and crisis management; design, develop and audit cabin crew safety and security training programs for general, corporate and commercial aviation.
• Served as an advisor and technical support staff to the National Aeronautical and Space Association (NASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); provided guidance, technical support and expertise to an ongoing study to analyze and establish the estimated time required to configure a commercial aircraft cabin for safe transit during atmospheric turbulence.
• Contract Aviation Cabin Safety Consultant to the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) community; conducted informational training events designed to enhance the first responder’s knowledge and expectations of an onboard security or safety event; provided directional guidance in response planning of the department’s operation.

• Over 10 years of experience directing the National Safety Department as the National Safety Coordinator for the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, providing representation, training standards and legislative work for the flight attendant community.
• Responded to numerous major airline events including, but not limited to: American Airlines flight 1420, Little Rock, AR, 1999; American Airlines flight 1291, Miami, FL., 2000; and American Airline flights 587, and Belle Harbor, NY. 2001. Served as Party Coordinator and Go-Team member in the events and provided expertise to the NTSB.
• Appointed to the Contract Negotiating Team to ensure federal guidelines and established safety practices for flight attendants were upheld in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Flight Attendant 1987-2011
Purser Flight Attendant 1991-2011

• Certified domestic and international line flight attendant qualified on six different aircraft types. Ensured that the cabin crew worked in a safe and efficient manner and provided a high standard of care and customer service to the flying public.

American Airlines Flight Service Manager-O’Hare International Airport 1991

• Managed approximately 30 line-qualified flight attendants. Ensured company policies and procedures were followed and that the Collective Bargaining Agreement was abided by. Provided direction, support and guidance to new hire flight attendants.

Training and Qualifications

• Over 24 years of employment as a line-qualified flight attendant for a major Part 121 operator.
• Extensive experience in aviation accident and incident investigations; providing expertise in the areas of survivability, cabin crew procedures and cabin safety.
• Assisted in the development of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators’ Cabin Safety Investigation Guidelines; a document designed to assist investigators during an event.
• Assisted in the development of the Cabin Safety Compendium; a document designed to share the Aviation Industry’s “Best Practices” in Cabin Safety through the Global Aviation Information Network (GAIN).
• Extensive working knowledge of the Federal Aviation Regulations: Part 25, Part 91, Part 121, Part 135, pertaining to flight attendants and cabin crew and aircraft certification standards; Part 139, Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) standards and operations. Participated in Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC), tasked to develop and revise current regulations standards for Parts 25, 91, 121 and 139.
• Assisted in the development of an Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) for Flight Attendants at a major Part 121 legacy carrier.
• Have working experience with the Air Transportation Oversight System (ATOS), an auditing program developed by the FAA and “Just Culture”. These programs are based on Systems-Safety-Analysis and encompass best practices and the overall corporate culture of the organization.

Education

B.S., University of Colorado at Boulder in Kinesiology, 1983-1987
American Airlines Flight Attendant Academy, 1987

Continuing Education and Training

• Graduate work in Counseling Psychology, Illinois Benedictine College, 1993-1994
• Dispute Resolution Training, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, 1994
• Accident Investigation Training, NTSB, Washington, D.C., 1998 B
• Blood Borne Pathogen Training, American Airlines, 2000, 2001, 2002

Awards and Honors

• 2010 Jose Chu’ Award- Association of Professional Flight Attendants
  • Awarded for excellence in Cabin Safety
• American Eagle Award – American Airlines
  • Awarded for outstanding achievement in Cabin Safety
• 1999 Heart Award –American Airlines
  • Awarded for assisting fellow Flight Attendants
• 1990, 2002 Professional Flight Attendant Award - American Airlines
  • Awarded for excellence in Customer Service

Publications

• ARFF News- On Board Medical Emergencies, March/April 2003
• ARFF News – On Board Security, Two Years Later, September/October 2003

Professional Memberships

• Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA)
• International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI)

Invited Talks

• ARFF Recurrent Training – Cabin Safety and Firefighting Louis Armstrong International Airport, New Orleans, March 2003
• Security Training for Massport First Responders - The New Common Strategy Logan International Airport, Boston, MA, January 2002

v. 05/1/17