Originally Posted by
Badenoch
I've never checked and don't care whether it's there. When I fly BA it is over the North Atlantic. My prospects of surviving a ditching are near zero. Hypothermia will get me before rescuers do. The only benefit of the life jacket therefore is facilitating recovery of my corpse.
This, largely.
Perhaps I’m old fashioned, but I expect airlines to make safety a top priority and ensure that a life vest is there before the flight departs. Don’t see why the passenger should feel the need to check.