On my second flight today (ATL-HPN on a DC9-50), the FA that did the announcements was jovial and funny at times, which is certainly welcome. However, more than once she embellished the standard safety rules, including this gem:
"Laptops, tablets, iPads, e-readers and cell phones cannot be stowed in the seatback pockets. Those pockets are for books, newspapers and magazines only."
Of course, there was *zero* compliance with this supposed rule.
This is the law, and the FAA began strictly enforcing it about 2 years ago.
The seatback pockets are approved for the reading materials provided only. I have personally seen FAs being told by FAA inspectors to make passengers aware that their bottles/laptops/etc can't be placed there.
This is the law, and the FAA began strictly enforcing it about 2 years ago.
The seatback pockets are approved for the reading materials provided only. I have personally seen FAs being told by FAA inspectors to make passengers aware that their bottles/laptops/etc can't be placed there.
Discussion: Existing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) policy in FAA Order 8900.1, Volume 3,
Chapter 33, Section 6, Operations—Cabin Safety, states that carry-on baggage programs should
…”Prohibit the stowage of carry-on baggage and other items in the lavatories and seat back pockets (the
only items allowed in seat back pockets should be magazines and passenger information cards)…”
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This is the law, and the FAA began strictly enforcing it about 2 years ago.
The seatback pockets are approved for the reading materials provided only. I have personally seen FAs being told by FAA inspectors to make passengers aware that their bottles/laptops/etc can't be placed there.
That said, my experience has been that of the OP...zero compliance. It is unclear to me exactly why this rule even exists. I can understand no laptops as these can be fairly heavy and seat pockets were not designed to hold that kind of load. But cell phones? tablets? E-readers? It seems nonsensical to me but perhaps others can enlighten me as to the reasoning behind the rule.
P.S. It's really tough in Delta First not to place your water bottle in those pockets which seem custom designed to hold them. :-)
I suppose it is... first time I've heard this announced in well over a hundred Delta flights.
As another person posted, I find it hard to believe that my Samsung Galaxy 3S, which weighs far less than the SkyMall catalog, is a concern when placed into the seatback pocket. In addition, many planes have multiple pockets, and only the large main one is filled with approved materials. Are the other pockets supposed to be ignored and go unused, or are they supposed to only be used if we want to spread the reading materials among the pockets?
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I know of a MSP based FA who had the bad luck of having a FAA official on 2 of her flights and got in trouble because she did not stop FC passengers from putting the water bottles in the seat pocket.
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I am not very compliant at it, but I am trying to modify behavior because unfortunately I've noticed that if you leave something that's not very noticeable in the seat back, there's the opportunity to forget about it. I really appreciate a pilot who actually went to another gate to get my kindle fire, but that was embarrassing.
Not to pull a DYKWIA and not that I know the official rules, but I have never heard it announced that seat pockets for provided material only, but on a flight from SLC to ATL this past Monday, they made that clear - no tablets, no water bottles, no books, no nothing...my wife and I were most surprised.
It's been awhile for me, but I think seat back pocket thing has to do with flexibility of the object.
As an example, an inflexible phone can do more damage than a magazine or safety briefing card. It's not the whole explanation, but something that I remembered.
I know of a MSP based FA who had the bad luck of having a FAA official on 2 of her flights and got in trouble because she did not stop FC passengers from putting the water bottles in the seat pocket.
Perhaps there was an FAA presence on the flights in question. I have no PERSONAL experience, but I have HEARD that sometimes aircrew don't always follow stupid rules, but are very careful about them when on a checkride.
