Londonclubguy Thank you for starting this thread as I was considering starting one myself re pax perceptions of turbulence as I have some interesting takes on this onboard recently. For the record I work for a UK registered carrier and regs can differ worldwide.
Firstly to reassure you again severe CAT turbulence is rare and modern passenger aircraft are built to withstand this however it may feel at the time in the cabin. Yes you can at times get a sensation of "dropping" even in moderate turbulence and that can be disconcerting especially if it comes out of the blue.....rest assured the pilots will have control
I have been injured in moderate turbulence that came out of the blue. It was because I was unsecured and moving around the cabin trying to ensure the pax were strapped in......it has happened to quite a few CC and some airlines have now changed their procedures in recognition of this. If you ever hear the PA "cabin crew take your seats now" or simular from the flight deck during flight.....get in yours or the nearest one quickly!!
What amazes me sometimes is just how oblivious some pax can be to turbulence and it's possible impact on their safety in the cabin. Aircrafts are a lot more robust than humans and can withstand being chucked around.....humans can be hurt if they do not take a few simple precautions or heed the advice of crew.
The Capt switches on the seatbelt sign for either expected turbulence which at that point the pax may not feel or because we have hit CAT unexpectedly. That is a
command instruction to ensure the pax safety....gone are the days when they will switch it on to accomodate the smooth running of the service!!
It never ceases to amaze me that I can then have pax standing in front of me holding onto seats whilst I'm making a PA to return to the seat and telling the lockers/toilets are out of use etc and then want to know why they cannot use the loo's...there are no seatbelts in the loo!!
I can then walk through the cabin and find parents securely strapped in with their sleeping baby with no belt......sorry but they must be strapped in parents even if they do get cranky on being disturbed.
The toilets/lockers are out of use means just that not only for your own but the safety of others sitting under your bags.....don't open them because you never know what might have moved and could fall out. When you are walking to the loo whilst being told not too and hit a bump you could fall on top of the nearest pax who has strapped in and injure them......
"Keep your seatbelts loosely fastened during flight" is advice given from the Pilots/CC. Do it because assuming you have listened to the safety brief you will know how to adjust it quickly in turbulence. It beats having to find the two ends under the seat when you are bobbing up and down and may have had a bevvy or two!!
Lastly yes the CC do at times walk up and down when the pax have been told to strap in......that is to ensure pax safety. Some may even continue the service because most airlines recognise pax expectations of this during flight and the Captain has given permission for a compromised service.....no hot drinks which could scald if spilt. If you ever fly on a plane where the CC are not bound by this policy then my advice would be don't again. Also you may not know but the CC can discontinue a service if they feel it is unsafe despite the F/D instructions......pilots do not always feel what is happening in the back/beyond the F/D door. We cannot however continue if they have told us not too.
LCG this reply was not aimed at you specifically but at all pax during turbulence......heed any instruction from the crew. We also give instructions as a precaution, it is your choice whether you follow them.