Originally Posted by 12172003

I was flying today on a UA 757 today. Just before t/o I realized the middle seat (9E) was empty so I strapped my laptop into the seat using the seat belt. Everything was fine. Upon landing, I re-strapped it into the seat and this time the FA said it had to be under the seat. I informed her that it was properly secured using the seat belt. She said, "It's against regulations and must be under the seat." While I was moving it, I informed her that it is actually allowed be there according to the FAR's. At this point, others started to take notice. She then said, "It was when I started 28 years ago but now it is not." I informed her (again while moving it), "I am a pilot and familiar with the regulations and according to FAR Part 91.523 and Part 91.525, it is actually specifically permitted to be strapped in." Afterwards while waiting for a coworker on a AA flight to arrive, I was chatting with a CO pilot and he also said I was correct. he's not with the FSDO but just more backup to my case.

I don't want to be a PITA but this dilutes real security and safety of flight issues. I'm tired of FA's (and reading about it constantly on Flyertalk) making up regulations on the fly due to "security" or "Oh, the regulations say it." I am correct according to all of my research of the FAR's and ready to make a complaint to UA (not to get her fired, but a complaint in general) as well as fill out a NASA report stating that FA's are making up regulations but meanwhile half the cabin are making cell phone calls while on CAT IIIc approaches with no intervention by required crew members. To me this is nonsense and a direct risk to the flight safety.


Below are the pertinent FAR's. I was covered under 91.525(a)(3).

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91.523CARRY-ON BAGGAGE

No pilot in command of an airplane having a seating capacity of more than 19 passengers may permit a passenger to stow his baggage aboard that airplane except ¾

(a) In a suitable baggage or cargo storage compartment, or as provided in §91.525; or

(b) Under a passenger seat in such a way that it will not slide forward under crash impacts severe enough to induce the ultimate inertia forces specified in §25.56 (b)(3) of this chapter, or the requirements of the regulations under which the airplane was type certificated. Restraining devices must also limit sideward motion of under-seat baggage and be designed to withstand crash impacts severe enough to induce sideward forces specified in §25.561(b)(3) of this chapter.


91.525 CARRIAGE OF CARGO

(a) No pilot in command may permit cargo to be carried in any airplane unless ¾

(1) It is carried in an approved cargo rack, bin, or compartment installed in the airplane;

(2) It is secured by means approved by the Administrator; or

(3) It is carried in accordance with each of the following:

(i) It is properly secured by a safety belt or other tiedown having enough strength to eliminate the possibility of shifting under all normally anticipated flight and ground conditions.

(ii) It is packaged or covered to avoid possible injury to passengers.

(iii) It does not impose any load on seats or on the floor structure that exceeds the load limitation for those components.

(iv) It is not located in a position that restricts the access to or use of any required emergency or regular exit, or the use of the aisle between the crew and the passenger compartment.

(v) It is not carried directly above seated passengers.

(b) When cargo is carried in cargo compartments that are designed to require the physical entry of a crewmember to extinguish any fire that may occur during flight, the cargo must be loaded so as to allow a crewmember to effectively reach all parts of the compartment with the contents of a hand fire extinguisher