exit row rules

[jimd-f]

i fly regularly from bournemouth and gatwick to gerona, and usually sit in seat 1A or 1C.
i am aware that i should not use my walkman until the seat belt sign is out, and also that i should pay attention to the safety demo, but last week i was also asked to put my book in the overhead locker for take off!
now, i am curious as to whether this is a requirement or whether it was just cc being officious.
i put my book in the side pocket for take off -as i never argue with cc - but on landing i was still reading and nothing was said.

i have also noticed, when i have been sat further back in the plane, that the cc never seem to bother too much about mp3's being used on landing but they are on the ball for take-off. is this normal?
thanks.

[VS-LHRCSA]

I once flew for an airline that did not allows books at the exit row. The reasoning behind this was that if a situation was to occur (eg rejected take-off) the passenger would not be able to keep hold of the book. The book it self would become a projectile.

As for mp3s on landing, while I can't speak for all crews and airlines, it sounds to me like the crew have simply missed you with your mp3. At every airline I've flown for the same standards are required for landing AND take-off. Funny enough, at the airline I mentioned above, a senior cabin crew member would follow the cabin crew to double check their cabin secures. Any discrepancies would be mentioned in the de-briefing.

[lowcostdolly]

jimd-f

It is the policy of most if not all airlines that the emergency exit rows are kept clear of all luggage/obstructions and loose articles on take off and landing. Furthermore in order to occupy these seats you have to meet certain criteria laid down by the CAA/airline. This is because most incidents occur during these phases of flights.

You should also find that in all these airlines these procedures are watertight.

However I have to say that as an SCCM who does check the cabin secure procedures of my more inexperienced colleagues I would not have a problem with a book/newspaper as long as you were physically holding it to read. If it were on the floor or loose on the seat next to you that would be different. Should you have to evacuate you wouldn't want to be slipping on books/newspapers in conditions of poor visibilty.

The airline that VS-LHRCSA quoted must have a different policy or interpretation re books at the exit rows however I would question their rationale on this. If they see books as projectile then that would apply to all seats not just the exit rows. In this event nobody should be reading on take off/landing.

I suspect that what you experienced here was an overzealous junior CC who had the best intentions at the time. The fact you experienced inconsistency at the end of the flight supports this. You also find sometimes that the Purser/SCCM have their own discretions on company policy as well. Not saying that is right it's just how it is. Basically as long as the exits and aisles are clear on take off landing that is what matters.

With regard to MP3 players and indeed any other electronic device they must be off for both take off and landing. There is a school of thourght that they interfere with the aircraft navigational and communication systems at this time. What is definite is that when pax are plugged into these devices they do not even hear the instruction from the CC on descent to turn them off......also demonstrated in your post. If they can't hear this then they wouldn't hear instructions if an emergency were to occur.

Normally you have to visit these people on descent to tell them to remove their 'phones. A lot of them are not happy at being told and even less happy with the rationale because after all an emergency always happens to someone else if at all....doesn't it?

CC are usually quite rushed on descent and the inexperienced can either miss this altogether or they might be wary of the attitude of some pax on this subject. I'm not making excuses here because all electronic devices must be off for landing regardless. Just trying to tell you why you may have seen what you have.

Hope this helps :)

[VS-LHRCSA]

LCD

This was Air2000 back in the day. I'm not sure if their policies have changed since the merger with Thomson.

I think it's a perfectly valid theory that a book (a heavy, hardback book) could be a projectile at an exit row with no bulkhead. At ordinary seats there is the seat in front to block it's path. There is not much except the crew members face opposite to block a flying book at an exit. After that, what happens to the book. It's sliding on the floor in everyone's way.

The other consideration is bracing. What do you do with the book if you have to adopt the brace position. How many valuable seconds are wasted trying to find a secure place for it? Where will the book end up?

I'm also SCCM (currently on unpaid leave) and have spent time in SEP training and recruitment. I've flown for 7 airlines plus 5 'host carriers' - under 4 aviation authorities. All have differing standards of SEP and different standards in the everyday onboard situation. Air2000 is the only airline I have flown with that is this strict and have complusory debriefings after every flight where SEP infractions are addressed.

[lowcostdolly]

Actually VS-LHRCSA that's a very valid point about the book at exits with no bulkheads. I assumed when trying to answer the question there was one as the poster did not say and I didn't think otherwise.

No company that I have ever flown with (only 3 so not nearly as many as you) has a policy of no books at exit rows be they self help at the overwings or exits manned by the CC. However having sat in a CC seat with no bulkhead between me and the pax I wouldn't want a hard copy of Air Babylon flying in my direction either now that you mention it :ouch: !

Good point about the brace position as well although I only have ever flown on planes that do have seatpockets at these rows either in front or at the side.....the poster states he put his book in there. I think if we were going to ban books due to the brace position then we would have to do that in all seats. I think that would go down like a ton of bricks with the pax and would be very difficult to enforce on the cabin secure. As soon as our backs are turned they would just be picked up again.

I believe FR do not have seat pockets but only heard that through Galley FM. If that is right it would be interesting to hear how they manage this. Maybe this was FR as the pax does not state the carrier.

We actually have a compulsory debrief at the end of our duty. Most of the time this is along the lines of thanks for all your hard work and targets met etc. However if there are SEP issues these are always addressed.

I hope your unpaid leave is through choice? In the present climate so many crew are being "persuaded" to take it.

[VS-LHRCSA]

Yeah, I'm on leave completely by choice. Using the time off to get my masters and see a bit of Australia. I shudder to think what I'll be coming back to at BA though.

I can confirm that FR do not have seat pockets. This is to speed up the turnarounds. Clever idea although as a passenger I did miss having one. I think the original post was FR - Bournemouth to Gerona. Sounds like FR, unless Palmair do it.

Debriefs are a good idea because they can clear up any inconsistencies before they turn into bad habits. I'm glad to see other airlines do them after each flight and not just when things go wrong. Correctly handled, they motivate crew into doing the right thing ALL the time, not just during line checks.

[jimd-f]

many thanks for your replies.
yes it was FR, and although they don't have pockets on the back of seats there is still a pocket next to seat 1A where i put my book for take off.
this seat is directly in front of the cc.
LCD
i think you may be right about it being newish cc member, maybe a trainee as there did seem to be more cc than usual on the flight.

[bunkrest]

As mentioned above SEP does vary from carrier to carrier and in addition there can be a little personal interpretation.

If I was seated knee to knee with a pax and they were reading one of those hefty multi suppliment sunday newspapers then I would politely ask to pop it in the overhead locker and then return after take off. Small paperback books on the other hand I wouldn't be too worried about.

Having said that I always remember coming in to LHR on a PAN call after a hydraulic problem (the passengers were not aware until they spotted the fire service racing up the runway behind us) and I had been, as you would expect, quite scrupulous in clearing the door area as there was a slim possibility of evacuation. I'd asked politley if the pax directly infront of me could put all books and papers in the bins and I have to say they weren't particularly co-operative, in spite of my best efforts. It was only afterwards as they watched Heathrow's fire dept scuttling about, all light blazing that the penny dropped.

It was the Capts call for us not to go into the full drill, but I would say you never know what might be behind an unusual or seemingly petty request.

I think in this case though it might just have been an overzealous newby!

:)