What is the protocol for responding to cabin depressurization?

In situations of cabin depressurization, the standard protocol mandates that the crew must don oxygen masks and initiate an emergency descent. This procedure is critical because depressurization can lead to a rapid loss of cabin pressure, which can compromise the safety and well-being of both crew members and passengers due to the potential for hypoxia, reduced oxygen availability in the atmosphere at high altitudes.

By donning oxygen masks, the crew ensures that they maintain their own cognitive function and physical ability to operate the aircraft effectively while addressing the emergency. The emergency descent serves to bring the aircraft to a safer altitude where cabin pressure is more conducive to human physiology, typically below 10,000 feet, where supplemental oxygen is not usually necessary.

Other responses, such as increasing altitude or resetting cabin pressure, are not appropriate because in the case of a depressurization event, the altitude should be decreased rather than increased. Similarly, merely informing passengers and continuing with the flight fails to address the immediate dangers posed by the loss of cabin pressure and does not provide a practical solution for ensuring passenger safety. Immediate diversion may be part of the larger response as the situation is assessed, but it is not the initial step; safety must be prioritized through the use of oxygen and descent first.