On April 21, CAAC issued the Operation Safety Bulletin on transport of cargo in the passenger cabin (hereinafter referred to as the Bulletin) to assess the risk of transporting cargo in the passenger cabin from the aspects of cargo, ground handling and operation and put forward specific recommended measures. The Bulletin serves to provide guidance for air carriers on the conduct of a full assessment before carrying cargo in the cabin so as to ensure that such operations are conducted in accordance with the laws and regulations at the highest level of safety and in the public interest.

The Bulletin highlights that modern passenger aircraft are designed without taking into account the scenario where the passenger cabin is used for carrying large quantities of cargo. The cabin of passenger aircraft is distinctive from the belly hold of such aircraft or the main hold of cargo aircraft in that it is not designed with smoke/fire detection system or automatic fire extinguishing system and its operational risks remain to be explored and understood. Therefore, carriers shall address the actual operational conditions that are not taken into account in the period of aircraft designing through comprehensive and detailed risk assessment and mitigation measures, and continuously pay attention to and record risk sources newly identified in operations and then take mitigation measures in time. Consequently, before carrying out transport of cargo in the passenger cabin, carriers shall make a thorough assessment. In particular, with regard to the practice of removing the seats in the passenger cabin to load cargo on the cabin floor, carriers shall proceed with caution when deciding whether to adopt such a practice. In addition, before carrying cargo in the cabin, carriers shall conduct a detailed safety risk assessment to identify hazards, make assessment and take mitigation measures.

The Bulletin also puts forward detailed recommended practices for this kind of operation from the aspects of dangerous goods, cargo preparation, loading location, weight and balance, cargo loading and unloading, restraint of cargo, composition of operation personnel, operation training, and so on.