Etiquette for another passenger's disregard for safety rules
I was just on an exceptionally turbulent flight. The captain had warned of a bumpy landing, and had asked the cabin crew to be seated much earlier than usual. He warned everyone that he would ask the crew to take their seats early.
The woman sitting next to me didn't wear her seatbelt, and used her 17-inch laptop during the descent. She kept having to regain her grip on the laptop.
I went back and forth in my head about what to do. I don't work for United (and I'd like to keep it that way). I am not a flight attendant (and I would prefer to not be one.) The crew were facing forward, so they couldn't see her (they did ask her to put her laptop away during their "compliance check," but didn't notice her unfastened seatbelt.
I kept thinking... she's going to hit her head. Or the laptop is going to hit her head. Above all, I feared that the massive laptop would hit me. I'm not so concerned about electronic interference, but that was a heavy, unsecured computer with an unsecured passenger.
I decided stay silent, but I watched like a hawk, and hoped for the best.
I'm glad that nobody was hurt, but would you have said something? In calmer weather, I could have said, "here, let me help you with that." But it was far too dangerous for me to get up from my seat.
She was also, as Jeff Smisek might say, one the more entitled passengers. She was perhaps in her 20s, traveling with her boyfriend or husband, and made a lot of special requests, such as rejecting her special meal, etc. I'm sure she wouldn't have taken kindly to anyone telling her what to do, even if self-preservation was at stake.
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I wasn't there, but am tempted to say I would have commented on the laptop. Especially if the crew asked that they be stowed. The laptop could have become a projectile hitting anyone nearby including me.
If they hadn't asked for things to be stowed, I may have made a comment that she looked like she was having trouble holding on or something more benign.
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I kept thinking... she's going to hit her head. Or the laptop is going to hit her head.
Her problem, not yours. She's an adult and can make her own decisions for herself.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mats
But it was far too dangerous for me to get up from my seat.
So how far away was she from you? Unless she was immediately beside you, in front of you, or behind you, I wouldn't have cared because if the turbulence was severe enough, the laptop would probably go straight up and straight back down. It's not going to ping pong around the cabin bonking passengers left and right.
Her problem, not yours. She's an adult and can make her own decisions for herself.
So how far away was she from you? Unless she was immediately beside you, in front of you, or behind you, I wouldn't have cared because if the turbulence was severe enough, the laptop would probably go straight up and straight back down.
Yes, but her decision could have impacted him if the plane encountered turbulance that caused both her & the laptop to go flying & possibly into him. Why should he be potentially injured because of her stupidity?
Your assumption that it would go straight up/down is simply that - an assumption. Having been through a bit of FA training w/ Austrian Airlines at a FT Do, I'm pretty big on following the rules w/ stowing after seeing some of what can occur.
I would have said something (politely) to the seatmate. It's a bit absurd for her to have the laptop out if she can barely hold on to the thing, for crikey's sake.
If the FA's asked her to put it away and she didn't, then she would not listen to you. If she was too stupid to put on a seat belt, nothing you would have said would have changed that.
I probably would not have said anything, but would have secretly wished she went flying to the overhead and back down again.
Considering that the captain made special mention of a potentially dangerous/bumpy landing, instructing the crew to take their positions earlier than usual as a precaution for the sake of their safety, I would say that this 20:sh pax, I would stress that the problem (decision!!!??) was not her's alone ~ that she was acting in a selfish and totally immature way. In addition, she disregarded the captain's direct warnings (it was NOT as far as I can tell, mere "advice". )
A pity that neither the flight crew or the CC became aware (after landing) of her personal dangerous decision to disregard the warning; it was not for her alone but for the entire plane. Indeed she endangered other pax by her blatant inaction of "this special announcement". Anyone who thinks that a missile only goes up and down, certainly doesn't belong on FT. It's quaint to refer to flying objects, particularly heavy ones, as "oh, they don't ping pong around the cabin". I know for a fact that they do ~ even those items which escape the overhead bins can travel quite a ways.
As a former FA, and senior instructor, I know this for a fact. Just one example, I have a old collegue who, after years of rehab still has to walk with a cane because a trolley came loose and oven racks in the galley sprung out of their secure holdings.
Perhaps I take security more personally than others, having seen several incidents of injuries, but had I been the OP, I would have dispensed with any politeness and told her in no uncertain terms, to stow the damn thing now. "I'll be glad to help you"!. I would have informed to next time read the small print on her agreement on the ticket. It is there for everyones' protection. Why should a pax two rows ahead suffer a head wound and why should the airline be sued because of one precocious, selfish, ignorant idiot?
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I was on a flight landing in Omaha when we had a really rough spell prior to landing. A bin came open and a woman a row ahead of me was struck hard by a heavy briefcase stowed above her head.
She was very badly injured.
If someone sitting next to me is not obeying the rules, I do speak up. Flying objects in a plane can maim and kill.
Yes, but her decision could have impacted him if the plane encountered turbulance that caused both her & the laptop to go flying & possibly into him. Why should he be potentially injured because of her stupidity?
Your assumption that it would go straight up/down is simply that - an assumption. Having been through a bit of FA training w/ Austrian Airlines at a FT Do, I'm pretty big on following the rules w/ stowing after seeing some of what can occur.
I would have said something (politely) to the seatmate. It's a bit absurd for her to have the laptop out if she can barely hold on to the thing, for crikey's sake.
Cheers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Soames
Considering that the captain made special mention of a potentially dangerous/bumpy landing, instructing the crew to take their positions earlier than usual as a precaution for the sake of their safety, I would say that this 20:sh pax, I would stress that the problem (decision!!!??) was not her's alone ~ that she was acting in a selfish and totally immature way. In addition, she disregarded the captain's direct warnings (it was NOT as far as I can tell, mere "advice". )
A pity that neither the flight crew or the CC became aware (after landing) of her personal dangerous decision to disregard the warning; it was not for her alone but for the entire plane. Indeed she endangered other pax by her blatant inaction of "this special announcement". Anyone who thinks that a missile only goes up and down, certainly doesn't belong on FT. It's quaint to refer to flying objects, particularly heavy ones, as "oh, they don't ping pong around the cabin". I know for a fact that they do ~ even those items which escape the overhead bins can travel quite a ways.
As a former FA, and senior instructor, I know this for a fact. Just one example, I have a old collegue who, after years of rehab still has to walk with a cane because a trolley came loose and oven racks in the galley sprung out of their secure holdings.
Perhaps I take security more personally than others, having seen several incidents of injuries, but had I been the OP, I would have dispensed with any politeness and told her in no uncertain terms, to stow the damn thing now. "I'll be glad to help you"!. I would have informed to next time read the small print on her agreement on the ticket. It is there for everyones' protection. Why should a pax two rows ahead suffer a head wound and why should the airline be sued because of one precocious, selfish, ignorant idiot?
And you've both proven my point in a way. In severe enough turbulence, I'm not worried about the laptop of the idiot sitting beside me, I'm worried about stuff falling out of overhead bins. The laptop is probably not going to generate enough potential energy to cause serious damage to myself, especially if I'm aware of the idiot not holding onto it and can be prepared to put an arm up or otherwise shield myself. What I may not be aware of or prepared for is an overhead bin flying open and a suitcase tumbling out.
I'd have said something. Her behaviour posed a risk to you and who cares if you upset her - she's obviously in the wrong, you probably won't see her after the flight and the flight's about to land.
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Punch the FA call button and ask for assistance in getting your seat belt latched. FA will come and deal with it, if you don't want to politely request your seatmate to comply.
Poster stating tht laptop will only go up and down has not experienced turbulence, obviously.
If someone is endangering their own safety I will let them do it unless I think they are genuinely doing it by accident/ ignorance.
I'm pretty relaxed about the chance of a laptop zooming up and dealing me a fatal blow, but if I were to feel under any physical threat I would take the best tactical approach of dealing extremely firmly but politely with the passenger concerned (much more firmly than an airline employee could do) and/ or insisting to the crew that they resolve the issue or let me move somewhere safer.
On my last long haul LH flight, the girl sitting next to me was watching a movie on her ipad through takeoff. I was hoping the crew would notice and tell her to put it away, but nobody did even though they walked by several times. I should have said something, but since I was going to spend the next 12 hours next to her, I dodged it..
