If the captain is incapacitated, who should perform the emergency PA to the cabin crew?

• A. Captain
• B. Purser
• C. First Officer
• D. Flight Attendant

Answer: (C)

When the captain cannot perform duties, someone with command authority must take over and issue clear instructions to the crew. The person best suited to do this on board is the First Officer, who is the acting commander in that situation. They have the training and authority to assume control of the aircraft and to communicate essential directives to the cabin crew to manage the emergency, coordinate actions, and keep everyone informed.

The purser leads the cabin crew in normal operations and handles cabin communications, but they do not assume flight deck command or take over cockpit communications in place of the captain. Flight attendants respond to cockpit and senior crew directions, but they do not hold the authority to direct the flight or issue cockpit-to-crew emergency briefings. So, the First Officer is the responsible choice to perform the emergency PA to the cabin crew, ensuring unified, authoritative guidance during the incident.