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Listen Up: It Could Save Your Life

Writer's picture: G. RhodesG. Rhodes

Since commercial flights began in the 1920s, cabin crew have played a vital role in ensuring our safety on board.

Last year, about 100,000 flights took off around the world every single day, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and flying is still considered one of the safest ways to travel. Cabin safety plays an important role in maintaining proper aircraft operations and flight attendants are key to achieving the highest possible degree of well being in the public interest. They are on board the aircraft primarily for our protection and this is mandated by law. In the fall of 2003, Congress established a flight attendant certification requirement under the Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act. This legislation stipulated that after December 11, 2004, no person may serve as a flight attendant aboard an aircraft of an air carrier unless that person holds a Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency issued by the FAA. Once onboard the aircraft and preparing for takeoff, these aviation professionals routinely advise us of how to operate safety equipment, like seatbelts and life vests and very often impart additional in-flight requirements. There are reasons behind every rule, so let’s take a look at several and find out why it's in our best interest to listen carefully and to comply fully.


Flight attendants will ensure that all tray tables are stowed and seat backs upright before every takeoff and landing.

Stow your tray tables and place your seat backs in their original upright position. We’ve all heard this before during the safety demonstration and have been reminded through those flight attendant announcements made just before take off and when preparing for landing. There’s a good reason for this rule. If the aircraft had to be evacuated, no tray tables would impede the evacuation. Similarly, with all seats upright, it’s much easier for passengers to get out of their seats and leave the aircraft quickly. Those who might covertly recline their seat again after the crew have checked and possibly helped to move the seat upright could actually end up slowing down an evacuation when every minute counts. The person in the seat behind them may not be able to get out quickly in an emergency.


if using noise-canceling headphones, you're likely to miss out on what might be important in-flight announcements.

Although you’re probably eager to start watching the latest movie on the in-flight entertainment system or listen to your own playlist or a favorite podcast, passengers are sometimes requested to wait until after take off to use their personal headsets. Some carriers only permit earbud-type headphones connected to the aircraft entertainment system while pre-flight announcements are being made. Again, it’s all about safety. Should an emergency situation occur during critical phases of flight such as taxi, take off or landing, passengers need to hear announcements or commands from the cabin crew as clearly as possible. Some airlines are stricter on this than others, particularly those in Europe, and very often travelers will be asked to remove their personal headsets prior to landing. American Airlines provides complimentary Bose headphones to premium passengers on transcontinental and international flights but nearly always collects them a good half hour prior to landing, much to the consternation of their fliers who invariably complain about missing the movie's end.


In addition to enhanced situational awareness, the thrill of flight is best experienced with window shades fully open.

The sunlight might be in a passenger’s eyes or they may want to take a nap, but if the flight attendants ask them to open theirs window shade before take off and landing it’s for a good reason. It not only allows for the passenger to adjust their vision to the outside light (in case of emergency evacuation, so they can see as clearly as possible) but it also allows the cabin crew to evaluate the conditions outside the aircraft. For example, they may be able to assess outside weather conditions, distance to landing or determine if there is an engine fire. I vividly recall this was a rule aboard all TWA aircraft and their flight attendants were meticulous about enforcement. While United Airlines now allows passengers to close their window shades during take off and landing, the window shade rule is mandatory in nearly every other country besides the US. As an avowed AvGeek, I strongly support this policy. Even though I’ve flown millions of miles, I’m constantly amazed by the wonder of flight, and I refuse to miss a takeoff or landing if I’m in a window seat. It’s just so magical. It always surprises and disappoints me when I’m on an aircraft where a majority of passengers have their window shades down.


Ensure your carry on luggage is safely stowed underneath the seat in front of you and secure all straps and handles.

During the safety briefing, passengers are asked to put their bags under the seat in front of them or in the overhead bin if seated in a bulkhead row. The reason for this is that take offs and landings are normally done at speeds of about 150 miles per hour, which is pretty darn fast. In the unlikely event of an accident, emergency stop or other flight disruption, loose items in the cabin may become heavy and dangerous projectiles causing serious injuries to other passengers. “Flying” baggage can cause concussions, contusions, or even skull fractures if the passenger’s head is struck with enough force. Carry-on items that have not been stowed properly beneath seats can cause passengers walking in the aisles to trip, especially if straps or handles are not secured. Flight crews will routinely perform regular checks to secure loose items and prevent these kinds of injuries from occurring.


Sudden turbulence is why pilots always tell passengers to keep their seatbelts fastened, even during smooth flight.

And finally, ignore the seat belt sign at your own peril. It means that it’s no longer safe to stand, walk around, go to the lavatory or even stay seated without the seat belt being fastened. During the flight, your aircraft may experience turbulence. Airplane turbulence is often classified into three categories: mild, moderate and severe. In mild turbulence, an airplane might sustain a few feet of altitude loss. While a bit scary for children and people who don’t fly that often, mild turbulence is routine and considered nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Moderate turbulence may entail a deviation of 10-20 feet in altitude and last for up to fifteen minutes. This can potentially unnerve even some frequent fliers and cause drinks to spill. For safety, passengers will likely be advised to put on their seat belts. Severe turbulence, as the name implies, is the nastiest form of turbulence that a plane might encounter. It may cause the plane to drop by 80-100 feet, and a significant rattling noise will be heard in the fuselage. Severe turbulence also requires immediate corrective actions by the pilots (like changing the pitch, bank and altitude) to steer out of it. Severe turbulence may break bones, cause injuries, and in the rarest of rare cases, inflict fatal wounds, all of which could be avoided by following the simple safety guideline of fastening that seatbelt.


Give your flight attendants the courtesy of your attention as they make their announcements. It could save your life.

We can see now why flight attendants have to check to ensure the cabin is as safe as possible, before reporting to the senior crew member and the captain that the cabin is secure. These checks are necessary to make certain that, in the event of an emergency on take off or landing, passengers have the best chance of evacuating the aircraft as quickly and safely as possible. So although these things might seem trivial or even annoying during the flight, rest assured the crew are doing all they can to protect us in an emergency.

Until next time…safe travels


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