I recently took a quickie work trip up to Toronto, Canada, and while sitting on the plane observing the stewardesses, err, flight attendants, I couldn't help but notice how incredibly anal they are about seat belts. They are so concerned with it, it has its own special light-up indicator above every seat and its own special little ding.
"Please keep your seat belt fastened during take-off until the indicator is turned off." "Please keep your seat belt fastened until the plane is through taxiing and at a complete stop." "Ooh, turbulence...everyone back in their seats immediately and fasten seat belt, NOW!"
I'm convinced there is some ulterior motive for the seat belt nazism. Because I mean let's face it...whilst on a flight one of two things is going to happen. A) The flight will go normally with the possibility of a little turbulence, none of which warrants actually wearing a seat belt. Or B) the plane crashes in a fiery blaze and everyone dies, seat belt or no. That's it. That's all that ever happens. So why the absolutely colossal waste of time with all the lights and dings and announcements? It just doesn't add up...
This excerpt can be found at:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.geocities.com/khlim777_my/asturbulence.htm
The FAA reported that among non-fatal accidents, in-flight turbulence is the leading cause of injuries to airline passengers and flight attendants. Each year, about 58 air passengers in the United States are injured by turbulence while not wearing their seat belts.
On December 5, 1996, 16 people suffered injuries, including a 7-month-old baby, when an American Airlines jetliner ran into clear air turbulence over Colorado. From 1981 to November 1996, there were 252 reports of turbulence affecting major air carriers. Two passengers died, 63 suffered serious injuries and 863 received minor injuries. Both fatalities involved passengers who were not wearing their seat belts.
Very true, Annonymous. Might I add that it is FAA law and usually airline policy that you wear your seatbelt. It should be obvious to everyone that big, no, HUGE lawsuits would result if someone was hurt because they weren't wearing their seatbelt and the flight attendants failed to indicate that it was necessary to put on your seatbelt.
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