Rear-facing seats in emergency landing - position?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NCL
Programs: UA 1MM/*G. DL Gold for one more year.
Posts: 5,305
Rear-facing seats in emergency landing - position?
Fairly obviously, a rear-facing seat is best for surviving an impact (why else are the FAs seated in that direction?). The only experience I have of these seats is in UA's new C class, where I prefer them both because of this, and the general novelty value. It stands to reason, does it not, that in these seats, you do *not* want to adopt the brace position in the event an emergency landing, but rather keep your spine as close to the seat as possible. They don't tell you this in safety briefings or in the safety cards though, unless I'm missing something. Or am I wrong about this assumption? Maybe they are just saving it for the specific instructions prior to an emergency landing (which I'm pleased to say I've never experienced)?
#3
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Between IAH and AUS
Programs: DL AA
Posts: 121
Southwest had/has rear facing seats. The brace position shown on the safety cards is sitting up straight, with hands clasped behind the head, elbows pointing straight ahead. If it was me in that situation, I would have my hands in front of my face to try and protect it from debris.
I haven't flown with them in a while, so I don't know if they still have 'lounge seating'. It was great if you were traveling with several people.
I haven't flown with them in a while, so I don't know if they still have 'lounge seating'. It was great if you were traveling with several people.
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Marriott or Hilton hot tub with a big drink <glub> Beverage: To-Go Bag™ DYKWIA: SSSS /rolleyes ☈ Date Night: Costco
Programs: Sea Shell Lounge Platinum, TSA Pre✓ Refusnik Diamond, PWP Gold, FT subset of the subset
Posts: 12,509
Some people are said to get motion sickness when facing backward in a moving vehicle.
#5
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Seattle, Wash. USA
Posts: 1,531
The BA safety video for rear-facing passengers (in Club World) recommends a position sitting straight up, with your hands crossed across your chest. I always think of it as the "die in a state of grace" position.
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SPI
Programs: AA Gold, UA LT Plat, Mar LTT
Posts: 18,147
On my flight from HKG this week, the FA asked me what the proper position is for brace in rear facing C seats on UA.
I told her that I hadn't thought about it, although I am almost always seated in them.
She said that the position is to sit straight up, with arms on one's chest or holding onto the headrest.
Dave
I told her that I hadn't thought about it, although I am almost always seated in them.
She said that the position is to sit straight up, with arms on one's chest or holding onto the headrest.
Dave
#8
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LGA - JFK
Programs: UA, AA, DL, B6, CX, KE, Latitude, VIFP, Crown & Anchor, etc.
Posts: 2,589