Remove your backpacks
Oct 23, 2022 | 2:12 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite; QF Platinum; CZ Gold; MU Platinum; Marriott Titanium; Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,503
Remove your backpacks
Sitting AT gate in AKL waiting for flight to board and adjacent gate NZ141 to Brisbane is boarding.
They have now called out already three times "if you are wearing a backpack for your safety please remove this and carry in front of your body"
It's very odd, I have never heard this before. Is the gate agent ad libbing or some new boarding policy?
They have now called out already three times "if you are wearing a backpack for your safety please remove this and carry in front of your body"
It's very odd, I have never heard this before. Is the gate agent ad libbing or some new boarding policy?
Oct 23, 2022 | 2:49 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 778
Strange. Haven’t had this the past few times I went to Brisbane. I’d imagine this will be because people will be banging into each other with their bags. I don’t think it’s a standard spiel, unless it’s changed in the past two weeks or so.
Oct 23, 2022 | 3:13 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New Zealand (when I'm home!)
Programs: Air NZ Elite
Posts: 1,226
This is normal for a lot of flights, not just Air New Zealand?
I don't think its part of their official announcement but it is something I have heard staff request as an addition, from a wide range of airlines, and for good reason.
With your bag in your front, it means it sways less, and you can see where it is, so it doesn't bump accidentally into people in a small crowded space, like a plane.
As a courtesy, I do it myself when I remember, without having to be asked. It wasn't something I had thought of until I was on a plane one day and it was requested. Rather than find it strange, I thought it made a lot of sense and now do it in any crowded situation such as trains etc when I can.
I don't think its part of their official announcement but it is something I have heard staff request as an addition, from a wide range of airlines, and for good reason.
With your bag in your front, it means it sways less, and you can see where it is, so it doesn't bump accidentally into people in a small crowded space, like a plane.
As a courtesy, I do it myself when I remember, without having to be asked. It wasn't something I had thought of until I was on a plane one day and it was requested. Rather than find it strange, I thought it made a lot of sense and now do it in any crowded situation such as trains etc when I can.
Oct 23, 2022 | 3:30 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,860
This is normal for a lot of flights, not just Air New Zealand?
I don't think its part of their official announcement but it is something I have heard staff request as an addition, from a wide range of airlines, and for good reason.
With your bag in your front, it means it sways less, and you can see where it is, so it doesn't bump accidentally into people in a small crowded space, like a plane.
As a courtesy, I do it myself when I remember, without having to be asked. It wasn't something I had thought of until I was on a plane one day and it was requested. Rather than find it strange, I thought it made a lot of sense and now do it in any crowded situation such as trains etc when I can.
I don't think its part of their official announcement but it is something I have heard staff request as an addition, from a wide range of airlines, and for good reason.
With your bag in your front, it means it sways less, and you can see where it is, so it doesn't bump accidentally into people in a small crowded space, like a plane.
As a courtesy, I do it myself when I remember, without having to be asked. It wasn't something I had thought of until I was on a plane one day and it was requested. Rather than find it strange, I thought it made a lot of sense and now do it in any crowded situation such as trains etc when I can.
Oct 23, 2022 | 6:24 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite; QF Platinum; CZ Gold; MU Platinum; Marriott Titanium; Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,503
This is normal for a lot of flights, not just Air New Zealand?
I don't think its part of their official announcement but it is something I have heard staff request as an addition, from a wide range of airlines, and for good reason.
With your bag in your front, it means it sways less, and you can see where it is, so it doesn't bump accidentally into people in a small crowded space, like a plane.
As a courtesy, I do it myself when I remember, without having to be asked. It wasn't something I had thought of until I was on a plane one day and it was requested. Rather than find it strange, I thought it made a lot of sense and now do it in any crowded situation such as trains etc when I can.
I don't think its part of their official announcement but it is something I have heard staff request as an addition, from a wide range of airlines, and for good reason.
With your bag in your front, it means it sways less, and you can see where it is, so it doesn't bump accidentally into people in a small crowded space, like a plane.
As a courtesy, I do it myself when I remember, without having to be asked. It wasn't something I had thought of until I was on a plane one day and it was requested. Rather than find it strange, I thought it made a lot of sense and now do it in any crowded situation such as trains etc when I can.
Oct 23, 2022 | 6:45 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: NZ*E
Posts: 840
interesting - to me, it is just etiquette; it is very common in Asia (Japan, Korea, Hong Kong) that people will wear their backpack at the front in crowded places and Japan and Korea has overhead compartment for passengers to put their backpack on the shelf. While I was not there, but I assume the gate agent saw a few people with backpacks on that particular date?
Oct 23, 2022 | 8:58 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: on the path to perdition
Programs: Delta, United
Posts: 4,830
I ALWAYS travel with a work backpack and I have NEVER hit anyone, and I am not going to carry it around my front like some fanny pack. I would expect it on JQ perhaps (not that I would listen) where they treat pax like infants but not on Air NZ, patronising nonsense
Oct 23, 2022 | 9:52 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Auckland
Programs: NZ Elite Partner/Silver (in own right), PR Classic, QF Bronze, UA Member, VA Red
Posts: 1,572
I heard such an announcement on a few AirNZ domestic flights a couple of months ago, nothing recently.
Also "if you have a water bottle in overhead", please get it out as it might leak
Also "if you have a water bottle in overhead", please get it out as it might leak
Oct 23, 2022 | 10:04 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Plat
Posts: 10,706
Cabin crew on my BA A380 flight YVR-LHR made some comments as the masses boarded about being aware on your backpack. But that was onboard.
I was already in my seat thankfully as a QF Gold.
I was already in my seat thankfully as a QF Gold.
Oct 23, 2022 | 11:59 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: SFO
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Posts: 4,914
Not sure what specific scenario that the announcement is intended to prevent, but the biggest issue that I've seen with backpacks is if one is sitting in an aisle seat during boarding and someone wearing a backpack is standing right beside and happens to turn even slightly, the aisle seat persons head will be in the backpacks way.
Oct 24, 2022 | 1:24 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: NZ GE, QF
Posts: 412
Not sure what specific scenario that the announcement is intended to prevent, but the biggest issue that I've seen with backpacks is if one is sitting in an aisle seat during boarding and someone wearing a backpack is standing right beside and happens to turn even slightly, the aisle seat persons head will be in the backpacks way.
Oct 24, 2022 | 3:23 am
#13
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 148
Oct 24, 2022 | 7:33 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,588
Not sure what specific scenario that the announcement is intended to prevent, but the biggest issue that I've seen with backpacks is if one is sitting in an aisle seat during boarding and someone wearing a backpack is standing right beside and happens to turn even slightly, the aisle seat persons head will be in the backpacks way.
Because I dont want to be That Mouse to someone else, I now always move my own backpack from my back to my front when Im on the jet bridge and about ten people away from getting into the plane.