Flew from JFK last night to ZRH on AA064. The seat belt sign wasn't turned off for the entire flight. Despite a couple of bumps along the way, the flight was smooth. We still got up and used the bathrooms etc. I asked at one point and the crew member was surprised it was on but said "just be careful".
Would there have been any reason for it to have been on the entire flight? As soon as we landed it was turned off.
Thought it was a bit odd and my curiousity has got the better of me.
Location: Either the back of a sim, or wherever Crewing send me.
Posts: 289
Guessing, perhaps the litigation culture in the USA. If you're up and about and the seat-belt sign is on, and you get injured due to an unexpected turbulence encounter then it's your fault, if the seat belt sign is off then it's not.
This subject does the rounds now and again. A few weeks ago I flew DELTA (not by choice but due to the Air France industrial action). Although the belt sign didn't stay on it certainly came on and off like a yo-yo at the slightest little bump, with of course the accompanying PA announcement to wake everyone up! In contrast, returning with KLM they remained off during the entire cruise. Although the turbulence we encountered was light, most of it was a lot more bumpier than anything we encountered on the Delta flight. The answer is indeed as JFP suggests: paranoia induced by the litigation culture in the USA.
The litigation culture in the USA would make sense and it had crossed my mind. I do a lot of medium to long-haul flying and this was the first time I have ever been on a flight where the seat belt sign wasn't turned off for the whole flight. I just found it a little odd.
Could also have been a tech fault however if it was I'm sure the cabin crew would have been made aware of it. Believe it or not, pilots sometimes do forget they've left it on (particularly if coming/going on breaks and changing over)
Often a call asking how long they expect until it's clear will contain the background noise of the s/b sign switch being toggled to 'off'...
. If you're up and about and the seat-belt sign is on, and you get injured due to an unexpected turbulence encounter then it's your fault, if the seat belt sign is off then it's not.
