Silverspoonaviator
4th Dec 2006, 07:55
I know each airline has its own policy, but why do American Airlines (AA), for example, keep the seat belt sign on until cruise level, and very very often on the atlantic sectors, leave it on all the time.
The purpose of the sign is to protect the passengers when there is turbulance or unusual circumstances.
The continuous illumination is not necessary, (perhaps they dont wish the chimes to upset pax), and only causes initial resentmant, and then disobedience.
I suppose it provides the legal cover in the event of injury, but I do suspect a court would ignore a warning if it was not a timely warning.
On a UK carrier last week, the sign was turned off at about 20k, and was put on for very very minor turbulance at TOC, and left on for 1hr, several pax went to toilet, cabin crew constantly remined them to remain in their seats.
Then I needed to go to toilet, and asked the hostess, if the seat belt sign was faulty, as it had been on for over one hour, and not one twitch....she sais the captian knows best....she skutttled up the aisle, vanished and 10 secs later the sign was OFF....
My question is: what is the liability, shold the AA have had an incident, and as the "seat belt sign" is an instruction by the crew and is it actually lawfull, under these circumstances.
The purpose of the sign is to protect the passengers when there is turbulance or unusual circumstances.
The continuous illumination is not necessary, (perhaps they dont wish the chimes to upset pax), and only causes initial resentmant, and then disobedience.
I suppose it provides the legal cover in the event of injury, but I do suspect a court would ignore a warning if it was not a timely warning.
On a UK carrier last week, the sign was turned off at about 20k, and was put on for very very minor turbulance at TOC, and left on for 1hr, several pax went to toilet, cabin crew constantly remined them to remain in their seats.
Then I needed to go to toilet, and asked the hostess, if the seat belt sign was faulty, as it had been on for over one hour, and not one twitch....she sais the captian knows best....she skutttled up the aisle, vanished and 10 secs later the sign was OFF....
My question is: what is the liability, shold the AA have had an incident, and as the "seat belt sign" is an instruction by the crew and is it actually lawfull, under these circumstances.