What does it mean when flight attendants say doors cross checked?

Answer 1

Before departure from the gate, the emergency escape slide deployment mechanism is "engaged" for use should an incident arise. The lead Flight Attendant typically makes an announcement over the PA to the other flight attendants (each is typically assigned a door) to "prepare doors for departure and cross check" . This is merely a reminder (although it is very rare for a flight attendant to forget) to engage the slide mechanism of her door and look across the galley or cabin at the opposite door to make sure that the other flight attendant remembered to engage her door also. When the aircraft arrives at the gate of its destination, the reverse procedure is performed so as not to inflate a slide and cause a possible injury/death to workers on the ramp.

Answer 2

The lead flight attendant is on the p.a. to direct the flight attendants at all exits to arm the floor level emergency exit doors by moving the emergency slide's bar into brackets on the floor.They are to check their exit and possibly the exit on the other side of the aircraft if they are at a position where there are two doors.

On some airlines, the flight attendants then respond on the p.a. "cross check complete" to the lead flight attendant as an assurance that this has been done.

It is the flight attendants' responsibility on approach to the gate to remove the bar from the brackets without prompting from the lead f/a (before the passengers depart through the main cabin door, or other doors are opened for catering, so that a slide isn't accidentally blown inside the cabin). A flight attendant or passenger can be injured at worst, and it is embarrassing to the flight attendant and the airline at best.

Answer 3

In emergency operation, opening a door will deploy an escape slide. At takeoff, this feature must be enabled, and disabled after landing so that the escape slide does not deploy when the door is opened for normal egress. The cross-checking is to verify that the deployment is enabled or disabled as required.

Answer 4

You'll also hear on some airlines a flight deck announcement "cabin attendants please disarm doors". This occurs as the aircraft approaches the pier and is the cue for the attendants to disarm the slides.

Answer 5

The cross is the shape of the locking devices on the planes doors when they are in a locked position.