pax announcements
An observation and a question - not a gripe. Two weeks ago, in a BA744, LHR to JFK, the head concho broke into the film to say seatbelt signs were going on as a/c ahead had advised turbulence - everyone told politely to get seated and belt up. The bumpy bit duly arrived, and after a couple of minutes the Captain came back on to say, extremely bluntly, that he had been told some pax were still wandering about and that (and I quote) 'I didn't put the seat belt sign on to give me something to do. This is a routine safety issue so please get back in your seats.' All around me agreed that he was totally in order. A few days ago, on a UK domestic in the cruise, we hit a horrid patch of turbulence that lasted a good 6 or 7 minutes. Throughout, not a peep from up front, which left the two old dears sat next to me in sheer panic. They were genuinely terrified, and then angry and upset when we arrived in clearer air to at last hear a voice from up front announce 'Sorry about that, folks, but we had a bit of jetstream cross our path and that's what caused the discomfort.' Stable door and horses spring to mind, so the question is: 'What's the policy on telling the back seat passengers what's going on when the ride gets to the point where those of us who don't fly for a living think the wings are going to fall off?'