A little while ago a Virgin a330 returned from airborne in LGW with a cargo smoke indication in the rear hold. On return a full evac was initiated, without a hitch I might add. A superb demonstration of a well trained crew performing their most important role on the aircraft in a timely well trained manner.
The pax on board had a heads up. They received a PA from the flight deck, and no doubt the cabin crew prepared the cabin for a possible evac on the runway. This took several minutes and passengers naturally would have co-operated and prepared, albeit whilst rather nervous of what was unfolding.
Now a different scenario. You are on board my 737 with 3 cabin crew and a reasonable load of some 100 pax. some muttering and rolling of eyes have occurred whilst the cabin crew have ensured that the legal mandate of the CAA has been complied with ( electric devices off). One of the cabin crew has made a sarcastic comment to one of the suited middle aged business men who huffed and puffed about being deprived of their iPad for 10 minutes, remarking that the two 11 year old children only 2 rows ahead, behaved and responded impeccably when politely asked to switch of their Nintendo DS devices. Business man tries to look at name badge, feeling disgruntled and determined to write in and complain as he is a blue frequent flyer member and thus too important to be spoken to in that manner.
3 chimes sound as the aircraft enters the runway. Being a frequent flyer, he knows the crew are in their seats and unable to see him slip his ear phones back in, and continue to watch the family guy episode he missed last week. He feel she thrust push him back into his seat, but as soon as the sensation begins, He feels it ease off. Not to worry he thinks, they were obviously just lining p in a hurry. All of a sudden there are people getting out of their seats and yelling at him to open that overwinter exit he is sat next to ( he always selects this seat when open during OLCI ) he is baffled and startled by these deranged idiots trying to climb over him. He looks around and glimpses out of the corner of his eye people climbing over their seats trying to get at him! What the F is going on? All he can hear is Stewy Griffin in his ears. Next he starts to smell smoke, then sees it coming out of the vents in the ceiling.
By now he is being trodden on, like some peace of meat being run over in the road.........what this expert flyer did not hear was the faint evac command given by the captain over a quieter than normal PA system, due to a loss of all but one DC bus, that is struggling to cope, opts shut down drill.
Whether or not an instruction makes sense is down to personal perception, knowledge and values. It will not alter the course of your life by switching off the iPad or kindle,but it sure enhances your chances of not being distracted when that all important instruction comes. Cabin crew conduct a t review when on the runway, it helps avoid panic due to adrenalin, and focussed attention on what to do should the worse occur. And if it doesn't? Well what harm did it do to prepare? None!
Opinions are like arse holes.......everyones got one ExXB.
The above happened to a colleague of mine some years ago now. It was a new fandangled iPod that caused the distraction. When the idiot concerned took the airline to court over his injuries, he lacked a leg to stand on ( no pun intended) when he admitted what he was up to. Sadly For him the airline had picked up some witnesses as to who this man was that delayed the evacuation, and what he was up to at the time.
At the end of the day it is a very simple request. A child can obey, why act like a baby?