Safety briefings/ seat backs
Guest
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Safety briefings/ seat backs
Something happened to me for the second time recently... (what? I hear you ask.) United Airlines, ORD to LHR, economy class... 767, occupying RH window seat... young couple in front get seated, girl reclines her seat, speaks to her companion, he reclines his seat too so that unless you look closely you won't see that they're reclined. There being no cabin staff in sight, I pointed out their error, they apologised and corrected their seat backs.
Now, this has, as I say, happened twice to me (previous time Virgin out of JFK, _three_ young ladies in perfect synchronisation). I suppose it happens to others too. Now a question: why don't FAs explain to pax exactly why seat backs must be upright? The reason as I understand it is to enable pax to assume the brace position if necessary. Is it simply that the airlines are afraid of frightening pax? And do others have similar (or worse) experiences with fellow pax to tell of?
Now, this has, as I say, happened twice to me (previous time Virgin out of JFK, _three_ young ladies in perfect synchronisation). I suppose it happens to others too. Now a question: why don't FAs explain to pax exactly why seat backs must be upright? The reason as I understand it is to enable pax to assume the brace position if necessary. Is it simply that the airlines are afraid of frightening pax? And do others have similar (or worse) experiences with fellow pax to tell of?
Guest
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Tuba, Thank you for being a safety conscious passenger ! You are among the minority. You memtioned one of the reasons why seat backs must be up, the other is so as not to impede the person seated behind them from exiting their seat quickly in the event of an evacuation. For those who argue that there is not a seat behind them, quite often there is a jumpseat behind them and that is the space that we theoretically must wedge in to protect ourselves as passengers evacuate the aircraft.
Guest
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Yes I agree with galleywench, if anyone ever questions why I ask them (as crew) to put their seat upright, I'll always give the same explinations as above.
Also providing it is done in an agreeable manner, never be afraid to politely ask the person in front to bring their seats upright during t-off, landing or meal services. You are within your rights, if you get a poor response, providing you've got the guts have a discreet word with a flight attendant.
Unfortunately at other times one will just have to put up with it stoically and resort to using ones own recline button too.
Also providing it is done in an agreeable manner, never be afraid to politely ask the person in front to bring their seats upright during t-off, landing or meal services. You are within your rights, if you get a poor response, providing you've got the guts have a discreet word with a flight attendant.
Unfortunately at other times one will just have to put up with it stoically and resort to using ones own recline button too.
Guest
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why do people insist on reclining their seat when eating?
I've been asking myself the same question for about 14 years now....
And the only possible answer I got to is
...to annoy the fellow pax sitting behind! 
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*************************Happy Landings!
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I've been asking myself the same question for about 14 years now....
And the only possible answer I got to is
...to annoy the fellow pax sitting behind! ------------------
*************************Happy Landings!
*************************
Guest
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This just proves the theory of pax checking in their brains with their baggage. These are the same ones that keep their headphones on whilst speaking to someone at TOP VOLUME, put their feet up on the walls(do you do that at home?),and hear you describe the bar cart in detail to their seat partner only to ask "do you have bitter lemon?"
Guest
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Due to the big request...yes...we do have bitter lemon now! 
Such a shame no one ask for it anymore 
And yes...after giving a toric content of the bar (alcoholic drinks + orange, apple, tomato, cranberry juice, pepsi, diet pepsi, lemonade, tonic water, slim tonic, still water, sparkling water, soda water, bitter lemon, ginger ale....you still get the question..."no grapefruit juice??"
Just wear your best smile and say..."no, sorry...neither strawberry"
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*************************Happy Landings!
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[This message has been edited by Xenia (edited 27 December 2000).]
Such a shame no one ask for it anymore
And yes...after giving a toric content of the bar (alcoholic drinks + orange, apple, tomato, cranberry juice, pepsi, diet pepsi, lemonade, tonic water, slim tonic, still water, sparkling water, soda water, bitter lemon, ginger ale....you still get the question..."no grapefruit juice??"
Just wear your best smile and say..."no, sorry...neither strawberry"
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*************************Happy Landings!
*************************
[This message has been edited by Xenia (edited 27 December 2000).]
)
Guest
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I just love having no room to put my tray down to eat, while the guy in front is straining, leaning uncomfortably forward at an awkward angle so that he can reach his food from his reclined position (this happened the last two times in a row that I flew long haul). The last time I did ask the flight attendant to ask the clod to put his seat up so that I could eat, and Clod grudgingly moved up about an inch, but stayed quite reclined. It was very uncomfortable and claustrophobic from my point of view. (Not to mention who wants to be eating with someone's greasy head in your face and over your food!) This is dangerously close to another past forum on reclining seats. I will stop here and refrain from frothing at the mouth over one of my greatest in-flight irritants. I'm going long haul again next month, and I just know that I'm going to be the one person in the plane stuck behind the neanderthal who reclines his seat all the way back the minute the plane levels off ten minutes into the flight!
Guest
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I agree about not inconveniencing someone seated behind you (including F/A's). But if I'm in the last seat before a bulkhead, or in international business/first class with tons of seat pitch, I don't see that an inch or two of recline is going to hurt anyone.
And I have noticed that British flight attendants seem to be more diligent in enforcing this rule than those from other countries. I alway comply immediately when they ask, but still prefer not to have to take off and land bolt upright.
And I have noticed that British flight attendants seem to be more diligent in enforcing this rule than those from other countries. I alway comply immediately when they ask, but still prefer not to have to take off and land bolt upright.
Guest
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How about an announcement from the cabin crew at the end of the safety briefing - "For the comfort of those around you, please do not recline your seat until the meal trays have been cleared away"?
I think most people would comply and it would make it easier (for both cabin crew and pax) to ask someone not to recline if they subsequently did so.
I think most people would comply and it would make it easier (for both cabin crew and pax) to ask someone not to recline if they subsequently did so.
