New Rule Prohibiting Infants in Bulkhead Row/Seat Belt Air Bag Discussion Thread
Apr 24, 2010, 8:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: ADQ
Programs: Alaska Air
Posts: 456
New Rule Prohibiting Infants in Bulkhead Row/Seat Belt Air Bag Discussion Thread
I flew with the family on two trips recently, having booked my tickets last October. At the boarding gate we were redirected to the desk to have our seats reassigned. Alaska Air cited a new policy prohibiting infants in the bulkhead row. Has anybody heard of this? One worker told me it was an FAA rule.
It must be a new one, as we traveled last November on an 8 segment trip and had no such problems. I searched the Alaska Air website and found no information on it. And of course, Alaska Air let me select those seats originally when I booked the ticket with no problem.
It must be a new one, as we traveled last November on an 8 segment trip and had no such problems. I searched the Alaska Air website and found no information on it. And of course, Alaska Air let me select those seats originally when I booked the ticket with no problem.
Last edited by wildway; Apr 24, 2010 at 8:46 am Reason: Spelling
Apr 24, 2010, 10:00 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: SEA
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Posts: 174
Was this a lap child, or simply an infant in a seat? We flew in Row 6 CUN-SEA just a couple weeks ago with our baby and 3 year-old (but everyone had a seat and the baby was in her carseat). We always try for that row with the kids, I'd be sad to see a rule like that in place.
Apr 24, 2010, 10:01 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 222
Starting with the latest delivery (N529AS), new aircraft are coming with air bags built into the seat belts in bulkhead rows only. I suspect that is the reasoning and since it is unknown which aircraft you will be flying on, I gather the rule was made to simplify things.
Apr 24, 2010, 10:08 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: WA, US
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Starting with the latest delivery (N529AS), new aircraft are coming with air bags built into the seat belts in bulkhead rows only. I suspect that is the reasoning and since it is unknown which aircraft you will be flying on, I gather the rule was made to simplify things.
Apr 24, 2010, 11:49 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: Alaska Airlines, Hilton HHonors
Posts: 169
On my last flight, a couple got moved out of the bulkhead seats because they were traveling with a small dog in a small carrier. I thought it was weird they got moved when the flight was underway. Makes me wonder where the dog was when we first took off!
Apr 25, 2010, 9:43 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 406
Interesting video showin the seat belt air bags in action:
http://gizmodo.com/5390009/your-next...have-an-airbag
http://gizmodo.com/5390009/your-next...have-an-airbag
Apr 25, 2010, 10:30 am
#7
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Any rules/regs on compatibility with seatbelt extenders? (That is going to create a world of controversy if they aren't, but somehow I suspect that they aren't.)
Apr 25, 2010, 10:34 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 222
Seatbelt extensions are still allowed on these new seats. The airplanes that have the airbag belts have the compatable extensions onboard.
Apr 27, 2010, 11:57 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: ANC
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Posts: 119
I ran into something similar, although a bit different, flying with my college age kids in F around Christmas. A couple in front of us had two lap infants so the cabin crew said they couldn't sit together (in case we had to deploy oxygen masks). One of my boys ended up swapping seats with one of the parents.
Apr 28, 2010, 9:28 am
#10
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 222
I ran into something similar, although a bit different, flying with my college age kids in F around Christmas. A couple in front of us had two lap infants so the cabin crew said they couldn't sit together (in case we had to deploy oxygen masks). One of my boys ended up swapping seats with one of the parents.
Apr 28, 2010, 2:32 pm
#11
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I ran into something similar, although a bit different, flying with my college age kids in F around Christmas. A couple in front of us had two lap infants so the cabin crew said they couldn't sit together (in case we had to deploy oxygen masks). One of my boys ended up swapping seats with one of the parents.
May 7, 2010, 8:22 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2003
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AS Seat belt w/ airbag, true?
Last night on the 8:15 pm LAX-SEA flight I was in 1C, the seat belt was unusually thick. The FA informed us that the seat belts had airbags in them.
Is this true? Anyone experienced this?
The seatbelt was not uncomfortable just looked funny.
Is this true? Anyone experienced this?
The seatbelt was not uncomfortable just looked funny.
May 7, 2010, 9:02 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 406
Congrats - you were on one of AS's newest aircraft. Those are seat belts are in rows 1 and 6.
May 7, 2010, 9:55 pm
#14
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
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Location: Seattle
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Posts: 2,732
A simple search of this forum for the word "airbag" turns up this thread where it was discussed:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alask...khead-row.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alask...khead-row.html
May 8, 2010, 12:57 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SEA
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Posts: 405
Infants also cannot be within 1-2 rows of the exit row - not sure why - but I have seen families moved.
As for the airbag belts, it is just a matter of time until a toddler or some curious person triggers the device and it will be a lawyer's happy day. We'll see....
As for the airbag belts, it is just a matter of time until a toddler or some curious person triggers the device and it will be a lawyer's happy day. We'll see....