Cabin secure
The crew's confirmation to the flight deck that the cabin is ready for take-off or landing: seatbelts, galleys, exits and crew seated.
Definition
Cabin secure is the report the senior cabin crew member passes to the flight deck confirming that the cabin is ready for take-off or landing. It means every passenger is seated with a seatbelt fastened, seat backs and tray tables upright, cabin bags stowed, galleys locked and trolleys secured, lavatories empty, exits clear and crew at their stations. The aircraft does not take off or land without it.
What it means for you
The cabin-secure check is the most repeated safety action you will perform — twice every sector for an entire career — and the one most often rushed. A late report delays the push-back; a false one means an unlatched trolley or a standing passenger during a go-around. Airlines specify exactly what to check and in what order, and a missed item is a debrief topic.
In practice
Ten minutes before landing at Antalya, the four crew on a SunExpress 737 walk their zones, close the galleys and the number one reports "cabin secure" on the interphone as the seatbelt sign chimes for the final descent.
Related terms
4 terms- Seatbelt signSafety & trainingThe illuminated sign controlled by the pilots that obliges passengers to sit and belt up — and tells crew what service is allowed.
- Cabin checkSafety & trainingThe crew's inspections of the cabin: equipment and security before boarding, walk-throughs in flight, a sweep after landing.
- Push-backFlight operationsThe moment a tug pushes the aircraft off the stand — doors closed and armed, cabin secure, and the clock on block time starts.
- Cross-checkSafety & trainingA colleague verifying that the door opposite yours is armed or disarmed as commanded — the double-check that prevents slide deployments.