TravellingSalesman

Except that would presumably not be enough for the OP who appears to require at least all exit row occupants to pay full attention to the safety briefing - not make their own assessment what they need to know.

IanFromHKG

Oh yes they can...

The Air Navigation Order 2000, SI 2000/1562
Article 67
Every person in an aircraft registered in the UK shall obey all lawful commands which the commander of that aircraft may give for the purpose of securing the safety of the aircraft and of persons or property therein, or the safety, efficiency or regularity of air navigation.

So all it takes is an order from the captain to remove headphones to listen to the safety briefing, and hey presto! Failure to do so is a criminal offence.

dorothyr

I ended up in the window seat in an exit row this weekend. One of the CC came over to have a quick word. It went something like this (leaving a few bits out because I can't remember them):

Him: You know you're seated in an exit row?
Me: Yep.
Him: So you know what to do in an emergency?
Me: Um...scream and look for you?
Him: *nods and leaves me to it*

I watched the ENTIRE safety video and now consider myself fully capable of scooping up a dropped cuddly rabbit and returning it to the owner.

Lost-in-Space

I would like to add a view more on the overall approach to safety rather than on the specifics of exits and briefings.

I worked in the Oil Industry for 40 years, of which around 7 were offshore or occasionally on land rigs. I have been through several different training schools (offshore survival including lifeboat launching & piloting, life-raft launching, helicopter underwater escape, advanced firefighting, etc.) One of the things repeatedly stated by the instructors - many ex-military – was that safety is an attitude. All instructors had been through some very difficult situations and had some very scary stories to tell. But all had the same view: “This is NOT going happen to me today”!

You need to put yourself into the mental mindset to get ready for different types of emergencies. I always listen to the safety briefing, not just to familiarise myself with what I might need to do, but to get my thinking properly oriented. This is for landing as well as take-off.

Having been in helicopters at least twice which descended to minimum height because of engine issues, twice in lifeboats ready to evacuate (once in the North Sea in the winter and the dark, not a nice prospect), once on a full platform shut-down because of a gas alarm, I understand the necessity of being prepared. None of these situations were very pleasant and they certainly weren’t the time to start reading the safety instructions or starting to get my head around the options.

As one instructor (an ex-paratrooper) succinctly put it: “It’s a times like this you find that adrenaline is brown and sticky and runs down the inside of your trouser leg!”

Fitch

Henkybaby, respect due for the Premium Fares thread and all that, but on this topic do you have a clue what on earth you're talking about ?

henkybaby

Yes. See my earlier remarks.

QXflyer

In the US, (on Alaska at least) the cabin crew come to the over-wing emergency exits and do their own safety brief that goes something like: "Please remove your headphones, I need your full attention... Here is how you open the exit... I need a verbal confirmation and nod from each of you that you are willing to perform these duties should they be required..."

TravellingSalesman

All US airlines, I think it's required by law/regulation.

However, all they need is for you to say "yes". They don't tell you anything about how the exits are operated, nor do they verify in any way that you have a clue.

This is an illustration of the problem: as long as it's just about following procedure or covering your backside you won't actually improve anybody's probability of surviving an emergency at all.

Jumbodriver

We verbally rehearse physical actions before every flight. Not because we don't know them but because our brain will find the information quicker when we need it. Pretending you're too clever to need to hear it again is rubbish. You need to see the exit, understand how you're going to open it and how you're going to deal with the mass of people coming towards you.

I've flown as a passenger once or twice and I bet I know more about emergency egress than most others on the plane. I still listen.

People in exit rows need to realise they are de facto cabin crew in an emergency.

I have a suspicion that the sort of people who pay for exit rows aren't the sort of people who want to hear that flying is a fundamentally risky activity. Hence the problem.

callum9999

They didn't do that on the 2 Alaska flights I took last year. Someone just came up and asked that I'd read the safety card and would be happy to assist in the event of an evacuation. I said yes then they left.

TravellingSalesman

That's what CXflier described, except that he called it a safety brief. It's just a CYA exercise -- the FA needs to hear you say "yes" and we can all move on.

In any case, if the same safety awareness that many posters in this thread are showing in a commercial aviation environment was shown by all driving on the roads it would actually make a difference (vs. making people feel better because, in all likelihood, they will never be involved in a plane crash).

callum9999

I wouldn't really call it a safety brief - particularly as most of the time I hadn't read the instructions by that point! (Though before someone has a fit, I do indeed read the door opening instructions before we move)

I agree and disagree with that last point. If the same type of awareness was shown it would achieve nothing for road safety as most of it is pointless information (and the few bits that are useful don't really translate into a driving scenario). If the same level of concern was shown I'd agree (though if the same level of concern was shown they wouldn't be using cars for most journeys anyway, they'd be on Amtrak/Greyhound/Public transit as much as they can be).

TravellingSalesman

That's what I meant. ^

'andad

Yes those overwing doors are very heavy and will handling one will take most people by surprise. I've ejected one on the excellent BA safety course. Now, I fly somewhat less than CWS, as do most cc, but other airlines that I have flown with have simple hinge up overwing doors on 737's, A320's. Why does BA prefer the plug door, hope it's not cost?

KARFA

Probably more to do with aircraft age and when the manufacturer started fitting type IIIB exits rather than cost or airline preference. BA don't operate the 737NG either.