We told you to sit down in turbulence

[InternationalShannon]

YV please enlight us all??? What in the heck do you do really? FLy all over the place for the fun of it? Do your parents support your endevours? Must be nice to fly everyway, and anyway you want, I don't get it??? 😱

He's a professional SA7P

 

[Bear96]

This happens because of "the boy who cried wolf". When you tell people to be seated far too often, the message gets lost.

I know much of this is FAA regs, but nevertheless, requiring people to be seated before the plane can start moving back from the gate, and while the plane is moving 5 MPH toward the gate at the other end, and for the first and last 30 minutes of flight, results in the message being watered down.

You really see no need to have seatbelts fastened while moving on the ground? Should people be wandering around during the safety demo? When should they start working their way back to their seats -- when the pilot applies takeoff thrust?

Do you think it is a good idea not to use a setabelt in your car too?

 

[WCT]

He's a professional SA7P

Cool. Hope to see you on one of my flights soon! 🙂

 

[JS]

You really see no need to have seatbelts fastened while moving on the ground? Should people be wandering around during the safety demo? When should they start working their way back to their seats -- when the pilot applies takeoff thrust?

Do you think it is a good idea not to use a setabelt in your car too?

Not during the safety demo. I'm talking about between pushback and the time the safety demo starts, which is not very long. But FAA regulations prohibit passengers from standing before the plane can move one inch.

Sometimes I don't bother using a seatbelt in my car if I'm moving 5 or 10 MPH, such as in a parking lot. It's also not illegal because it's not a public road.

 

[EMBFA]

Well, you're highly unlikley to impact anything in the air, on the ground you are jerking back and forth while Two Thugs in a Tug shove the airplane around. Not to mention having to slam on the brakes constantly during taxi. You wouldn't know, since you're siting, where you are supposed to be.

Let me guess- you should also be able to recline your seat if there's no one behind you, and talk on your cell phone until you lose reception etc etc. You can't tailor regulations for whiny Americans. If we told you to stand during taxi you'd insist on sitting with your seatbelt tightly fastened. Just like you can't zoom down the highway 100 miles per hour with an infant on your lap injecting heroin into your eyeballs, and also cant go 55 in a 25 zone, you can't stand up on an airplane while it pushes back from the gate. Sorry.

 

[2clippedwings]

I have experienced a spiking of the brakes in a wide body jet during taxi-in.
Many people were not buckled in, a couple were standing.
Those not belted in had faces pushed into the seat back (and tray table latch) in front of them.
Lap babies were not on laps anymore and the standing people were no longer standing....or sitting. They were thrown into surrounding people who were minding their own business and following the rules. Some overheads opened and dropped the outermost contents out.
Imagine in flight turbulence rather than a spike in the brakes.
Ask most flight attendants if they have ever been hurt during turbulence. Most have.


During a taxi in while non-revving a flight attendant made the announcement, "It is impossible for you to arrive at the terminal before the aircraft does, so stay in your seats with your seatbelts fastened."
Great!

 

[KCFlyer]

Some more people get up to go to the lav.... No, people don't listen. Rules don't apply to them, remember?

Would you object if I just peed or crapped in a barf bag and rang for you when the turbulence had passed? Sometime trips to the lav are NOT to powder one's nose. Yes, you can get injured if you hit turbulence, but sometimes if nature calls...and urgently calls....what would you do?

 

[Travelpro72]

I tell passengers in situations like that, "Your on your own and have been warned". They even tell you in training to not say "be careful". You go at your own risk as announcements were made. That being said you can almost ALWAYS guarantee that as soon as the sign goes on and one of the guys up front make an announcement to remain seated someone WILL get up. It NEVER fails. I've even been in the back galley and said, "Watch...let's take bets". How about the ones that decide they need to go as you see tree tops? When nature calls it calls but rules are rules. Most often you won't get out of a ticket for speeding if you tell the cop you were rushing home to take a crap.

 

[hp_fa]

Ask most flight attendants if they have ever been hurt during turbulence. Most have.

I know I have.

We were flying PHX - MZT and the forecast was for light turbulence and chop. We had just fininshed cabin service and were in the process of putting the cart away and cleaning the galley when we hit an area of severe turbulence. There was absolutely no warning either from the pilots or from gradually increasing turbulence. One cart was still unsecured and started violently rolling about the aft galley. Simultaneously an the ice bucket flew, scattering the remaining ice all over the galley, and coffee was flying out of the already secured coffee pot. I told her third FA to sit down and strap in while I fought to get the cart secured and then dove for my seat. In all the jostling of getting the equipment, and especially the cart, minimally secured I had wrenched both my back and one shoulder.

Once the turbulence had subsided to something less than moderate turbulence all the FA's did an immediate cabin check. The cabin was trashed and people were wearing the drinks we had just provided. Thankfully no passengers were physically injured, although they were quite traumatized.

One thing passengers nearly always forget when they get up despite crew instructions to stay seated is that not only are they taking a chance injuring themselves, but als other passengers. I remember one FA's story of suddenly finding herself plastered against the ceiling of an aircraft and thinking, in that moment of clarity when time slows down, that "this is going to hurt." Thankfully she missed falling on any passengers, however she broke three or four ribs when she did fall from the ceiling of the aircraft.

 

[EMBFA]

Would you object if I just peed or crapped in a barf bag and rang for you when the turbulence had passed? Sometime trips to the lav are NOT to powder one's nose. Yes, you can get injured if you hit turbulence, but sometimes if nature calls...and urgently calls....what would you do?

Ok, please be honest. How many times in your adult life have you been in a situation where you urgently needed to take a crap? Be serious. Have you gone tearing out of business meetings wailing that you need to poo? Had an attack of explosive diarrhea on a ski lift?

What do you do in a traffic jam? Abandon your car and run? Do you drop a dump in your briefcase while you're stuck in midtown in the back of a cab? Pee off a ferris wheel? Or do these attacks only occur when you want to be a rebel and "I'll show them" to people who are just doing their job?

If you want to plant a shi-doobie in an airsickness bag, have at it. You'll be the one holding it and carrying off the plane. Ringing the bell to show it off will only get you met by authorities when we arrive.

Here's the thing. We don't know you. Therefore, we don't really care if you split your head open or lose an eyeball. Here's what we do care about. We don't want to miss our flight home due to fly-arounds or medics meeting the plane. We don't really want to fill out paperwork, and don't care to dole out medical care if it's not necessary. We surely don't want any kind of fine from the FAA. And your fellow passengers, those who have planned thier bowel movements and urination knowing they'd find themselves in a flying machine, would rather not be endangered because you want to go dinosauring down the aisle claiming potty emergency.

There are several devices and medications available to combat incontinence, if that is the issue. Talk to your doctor about effective preparations for airplane journies where you may have to go 20-60 minutes without toilet access.

 

[LadyEpaulette]

I needed that. LMAO!!!!

 

[jimntx]

I work F/C a lot. I can't tell you how often I am asked right after sterile cockpit ends after takeoff, "Can I go to the lav now?" I am barely out in the aisle taking preferences and we are still climbing, though not necessarily steeply.

My answer is "Ma'am (or Sir), I can not tell you it is ok to get up when the seatbelt sign is on."
"But, I have to go to the lav."

My response, "Ma'am, I can not legally tell you it is ok to get up. The seatbelt sign is on."

Per an FAA cabin safety inspector, "Don't ever tell them it is ok to get up. Do not tell them to 'Be careful'. You have then done your job. If they get up anyway, it's on them."

By the way, I heard from a friend at Frontier of an incident that supposedly happened on a UAL flight from ORD to DEN. (Maybe one of our UAL friends can confirm.)

Supposedly, the captain comes on in flight and says, "Flight attendants take your seats immediately." Down they went and the plane started rocking and rolling. In the midst of the turbulence, some bozo got up and headed for the lav. One of the flight attendants from her jumpseat shouted at him, "Sir, please return to your seat. It is not even safe for the f/as to be up. Please, sit down." Passenger's response was "I'm going to the gd restroom and you can't stop me."

Shortly after (while bozo was still in the lav), the turbulence ceased. When he came out, an FAA inspector who was onboard issued him two fines--one for disobeying the seatbelt sign, and one for disobeying the flight attendant. Passenger said to the FAA guy, "You can't do that." FAA response (with a smile), "Oh, yes sir. I can." (To any supernatural powers that be, please let that story be true. Pleeeeeeease.)

 

[700UW]

About 10 years ago, US had a 767 flying LAX-CLT, hit severe turbulence during meal service, the plane had to make an emergency landing in BNA, to seek medical help for some passengers and crew.

AA did an overweight landing inspection and the plane ferried back to CLT.

There was meals all over the place, blood and hair in the ceiling panels, the plane had to be taken out of service for a massive interior cleaning and change.

 

[FlightChic]

Would you object if I just peed or crapped in a barf bag and rang for you when the turbulence had passed? Sometime trips to the lav are NOT to powder one's nose. Yes, you can get injured if you hit turbulence, but sometimes if nature calls...and urgently calls....what would you do?

Once again, if the captain says it's too bumpy to be up, then you better stay in your seat. I'm not going to risk getting fined, getting fired, getting hurt, or risking the safety of other pax just because you have to go wee wee or take a dump and you can't hold it. I do understand there are emergencies at times. I would say 99% of the people who jump up out of there seats when they are supposed to be seated do not have emergencies. I have the smallest bladder in the world. Have you ever taken a road trip with me? I'm the one who always has to stop to go to the bathroom. But guess what, I have never peed all over myself if there wasn't a bathroom in sight. If I can hold it, anyone can. Oh, even my 4 year old cousin can hold it if he has to. It's amazing how we go the whole night sleeping without using the bathroom. Yet once we're on an airplane oh no we can't even wait 5 minutes. It's such an emergency! Would you rather pee all over yourself in your seat and be safe or would you rather go to the lav, pee, hit some rough patches of air, fly to the ceiling, hit your head, pee all over yourself, get knocked out, then fly back up to the ceiling again and get bounced around and hurt very bad? I know, I know, that will never happen to you because you are invincible. Just like those flight attendants and pax who have gotten hurt in turbulence didn't think it would happen to them either. Wait a minute, rules don't apply to you so I'm just wasting space here. Right?

 

[InternationalShannon]

Would you rather pee all over yourself in your seat and be safe or would you rather go to the lav, pee, hit some rough patches of air, fly to the ceiling, hit your head, pee all over yourself,get knocked out, then fly back up to the ceiling again and get bounced around and hurt very bad? I know, I know, that will never happen to you because you are invincible. Just like those flight attendants and pax who have gotten hurt in turbulence didn't think it would happen to them either. Wait a minute, rules don't apply to you so I'm just wasting space here. Right?

Your post made me pee myself laughing I heart you.