Seat Belts

[strake]

OK...when the light comes on (often for what seems an interminable amount of time when you've had a few tinctures) and we all strap in even tighter for safety, by what magic will the Cabin Crew be protected from being hurled around the cabin?

[Tiger]

To make sure you have done your seat belt up! The cabin crew have to check to make sure those who don`t listen or plain darf have done what the capt has asked. Its to make sure you don`t get hurt. I take it you are asking about turbulents?

Its because we are magic...we are super heroes! I cannot believe you haven`t seen me wearing my Y-fronts overs my trousers!

[strake]

Well, I understand the safety bit and, as good passengers, we always wear our seat belts when seated...just like the Captain does...

My question is more aimed at the Uberfraus who jump on innocent little weak-bladdered ladies who have sat patiently for twenty minutes in the calmest of skies until they just have to go to the restroom. This poor souls are sent scuttling back to their seats with dire threats of smashed skulls and broken bones. The harbingers of these tidings however seem to happily use the toilet and carry on walking around regardless. They are obviously wearing gravity boots.....?

[cabinkitten]

....personally I'd much rather be strapped in than bouncing around the fuselage. Unfortunately our job requires us to take more risks than the general public. The first words we say on evacuation is not, unfortunately, "follow me...."

[strake]

cabinkitten

I am sure you will be there to guide us out when the worst happens....
Are you saying that legally you are required to stay "unbelted" in turbulence while pax are "belted"?

[cabinkitten]

...Yep....

[strake]

Hmmm... I think you might find that's a command decision...

I'm just interested in the CAA view 'coz each airline seems to have different procedures.

[cabinkitten]

Sorry for being slightly flip there. Ofcourse we are not REQUIRED
to be up and about while all hell is breaking loose. To the point where the Captain asks the crew to take their seats it really is a matter of personal judgement.

[strake]

When flying in the USA, after take-off, the signs stay lit until top of climb...normally about 30,000ft+. Pax and crew stay firmly in their seats turbulence or not...That certainly does not happen in UK. Just interested in to find out if there's a particular reason....

It's either dangerous or not...we're all made of the same bits...!:)

[cabinkitten]

On longhaul (where time is not a problem) crew will usually stay seated until the seat belt signs are switched off. Unfortunately on very short sectors (where every second counts if the service is to be completed) crew will be out of there seats and skidding down the cabin not long after the gear is retracted.

As far as legality is concerned crew are insured to move around the aircraft when passengers are not (even when that means picking up some bruises.) I have to add though I'm not some whip cracking harpie who insists that every one (including the silver haired octaganarian with the bladder control issues) buckles up on command. If there is a pax in dire need and wer'e not 100ft off the ground/ inverted I'll warn them of the dangers and let them go. I try to be nice ! :)

[INLAK]

I am consistently amazed, every time I fly as a pax, with the disregard for the seat belt sign. Specifically when the aircraft has landed and is taxiing to the gate. Several times the aircraft has stopped at an intermediate point on the apron, and straightaway there is always the few who jump up and start opening the overhead bins. Why can`t they understand the meaning of "stay in your seats until the seat belt sign is turned off"?
When I am taxiing, I know make a point of keeping moving slowly, rather than stopping if possible.
Any SLF out there want to explain their rush?

[SLF]

INLAK - well, firstly there's the need to stake your claim to a piece of aisle, in order that you can put your jacket on/retrieve your luggage/shuffle forward as far as permitted, so that you can be first in the queue at passport control. We impatient types travel light , as there's nothing worse than a 45 minute wait in baggage reclaim...:(

Experienced SLF know when they've arrived at the gate, and know it takes you pilot types another 15 seconds after parking to switch off engines. For less enlightened SLF, the flight deck usually make a PA if stopping somewhere else;)

However, we're quite happy to be last when boarding (unless the flight's full and we're a little over-luggaged!)

Like everyone else, we want to get to our destination as quickly as possible!

Cheers - SLF

[PAXboy]

SLF has put forward the main reasons for folks doing it. However, as he says, the only ones that will benefit are those that have carry bag only. If I have checked baggage I am usually last off - even if I am in Biz. I find it more pleasant to sit and read my magazine, then wander gently through the maze of corridors and have my bag waiting for me. When I get there, it is usual to see the ones that have stood up and charged off, still waiting for their bags!

INLAK - you are too polite. Rather than rolling gently along, just stomp on the brakes and pitch them all forward onto their noses. They cannot sue because the seat sign is on. If they ask you why you had to stop suddenly, just say that a little old lady stepped off the crossing, without looking first. ;)

[Curious Pax]

Never seen it myself, but friends who have flown on Chinese domestic flights tell me that it is not uncommon for passengers to be queueing at the door whilst still on finals. Anyone witnessed this, or is another urban legend?

[Eboy]

I agree with INLAK about the lack of observance of seat belt signs on U.S. flights. People jump up to do all manner of things. They may get a polite advisory from the crew, then they go about their business -- rummaging through the overhead bins, to the lavatory, etc.

The U.S. air industry makes a big deal about how we should observe crew instructions, but then they make exceptions for this. When you get incidences of bad PAX behavior, this is one reason why. Enforce or do not enforce. Quit jerking us around.

[Pax Vobiscum]

Curious Pax - I've not seen this in China, it is however normal to applaud a successful landing ;) . On good old CAAC you were lucky if you got a working seat belt - I've had to resort to tying a knot in it (the seat belt, that is). I've suffered from this on Aeroflot too.

My favourite flight deck announcement - on a short hop DFW-IAH, after I've been seated for 10 minutes watching the usual scrum of PAX with carry-on luggage (US definition = anything that's not too heavy for three men to lift) trying to get it to fit in a locker, any locker:

Capt: If passengers will KINDLY take their seats, I can push back, and we'll get on our way ...

[Sharjah Night Shift]

When the Fasten Seat Belt signs are switched on prior to the meal service do the cabin crew have to ask the flightdeck to switch them on or do they have another switch in the galley?

[Rollingthunder]

Seat Belt sign on/off is a Flt Deck decision. Having said that there is sometimes collusion during meals times, usually when there there is a less talented Purser onboard who will inconvenience pax to make his job easier, even during the smoothest flights. (You will recognize this type of Purser by their officious, you're lucky I'm even doing this for you attitude.) This is poor practice as it makes pax less likely to take the seat belt sign seriously. My airline requires sealt belts to be fastened at all times when seated even though the sign is not on and I think that is prudent practice.