AndyTLe

Come to think of it... Shouldn't the FAs and pilots be last off?

flightattendantsteve

Yes they should be....

flightattendantsteve

Hope I never have you on a flight... I'll move you from the exit row...

StayingHomeIsBetter

Stand on your seat as the cabin fills with smoke... from the top down.

Isn't that why the lighting guiding you to the emergency exit is located at floor level?

Sounds like more FAA brilliance... like the new "it's now unsafe to put your water bottle in the seat back pocket" policy (they'd prefer that water bottles be rolling around on the floor, under your feet, during the emergency).

jetta2.0t

No, i'm not referring to anyone specifically. I've seen my share of exit row pax who i'd worry would have a heart attack before they'd even get to pulling the handle, much less open the door.

flightattendantsteve

Actually, a seatback pocket is not a approved storage area. If you take a look at the safety card in your pocket you'll see that nothing is to be stowed there. Waterbottle included...
Just for an example... Lets say you put your laptop in there... and you hit some severe turbulence.. Your precious laptop flies out of the pocket and hits the person across the aisle from you in the head. The safest place for any carry-ons is under the seat in front of you, or in a overhead... No Ifs, Ands or Buts...

SchmutzigMSP

This is a new one to me. I've always been told to pop the exit when instructed and exit first so that there is someone outside to help the other passengers that come after you.

It seems counter intuitive to have the pax in the exit row push against the flow just to remain on-board. Honestly, I thought the crew was supposed to be the last ones off, ensuring that anyone that needs assistance is going to get it.

ContinentalFan

Never

StayingHomeIsBetter

So...let me get this straight. When we hit that turbulence, the water bottle on my lap, or in the seat next to me, or on the tray in front of me, or on the floor, or wherever... is safer than water bottle secured in the seatback pocket.

I do comply with the rule now that it has suddenly materialized (heard it a month ago after 35+ years of flying)... just curious to understand its basis.

Now, tell me more about how I am supposed to be standing on my seat, with my head in the smoke and superheated air guiding people to the exit (especially since there may well be people trying to climb over my seat to get to the exit).

seoulmanjr

Welcome to FlyerTalk, Steve!

The regulation says that passenger baggage must be stowed in an approved location. The seat-back pocket is not an approved location. However, my understanding of the FARs that apply here (121.589; 121.285; and 121.576) is that they apply only during taxi, takeoff, and landing and *not* during flight at other times. That said, I haven't seen the FAA's clarification memo/finding from last year -- do you or anyone else have a link to it or the text to post?

I once had a FA insist tell me to remove everything of mine from the seat back pocket. I showed her that I had *only* my boarding pass and a single sheet of paper (itinerary) there. She insisted and said it was a hazard that had to be removed. ::sigh:: OK, I complied -- I don't see any point in arguing with an FA, least of all if they seem unreasonable.

Then, after I got home, I reported her to the FAA for (1) stowing her carry-on baggage between the last row of seats and the bulkhead and (2) for having her magazine out, unsecured, in the galley area. After all, I'm sure she wouldn't want to inadvertently not be in compliance.

(Sorry for taking this further off topic...)

peace,
~Ben~

flightattendantsteve

Ben... Sorry, Im new here but I stand corrected I should have added that Laptops cannot be placed in a seat pocket during Taxi, Take-Off and Landing.. Per the FARs that you listed. During flight.. well... that's a matter of common sense. In my 15+ years of flying I have seen many of them come out of a seatpocket during turbulence and become projectiles, fortunately they haven't hit anyone but more then a few of them have ended up in a couple pieces on the floor after falling.. (and sorry that isn't our fault.. good luck filing a claim on that for a replacement)... Besides if you've ever looked in the bottom of those pockets you sure as hell don't want your PC in there.
But still the dumbfounded look I get from the "Elites" when I request they be properly stowed amuses me. Now the FA you mentioned... Bag behind the seats... Bad on her.. But the reporting for a magazine also... Gosh, whats next FA's reporting PAX for leaving their WSJ unsecured on the seat next to them? Sorry... but busting her to the FAA for a magazine was petty... Just my opinion...

Irelandflyer

Well done. But I'm not entirely sure I'd use Iraq, helping and sticking around in a crisis as an example of anything!

I'm a little doubtful how much use someone would be remaining on board to shout instructions etc.

seoulmanjr

Steve -- I agree with you 100% here and never put my laptop in the seat back pocket. I too have seen them pop out and I don't want someone else's pretzel crumbs in my USB ports....

I know reporting to the FAA over the bag and magazine was petty, but she had me remove a *single sheet of paper* from the seat back pocket and put it under the seat in front of me -- and wasn't the least bit polite about it, to boot. I didn't feel bad about my pettiness after that.

peace,
~Ben~

NWAFA

... years ago, that we did toss the window hatches into the seats forward or aft of the window exit. That was on the 727-100 and 727-200 most recently. On today's fleet, a window hatch is released and then tossed out onto the wing. With the pax following. That's why we do a little briefing with exit row passengers. To see if they can open and lift the hatch.

If we have a planned emergency, we choose abp's. (able bodied people) These people are to assist in an evacuation situation. Open the door, if the slide doesn't deploy, let them know how to do it, a couple to hold down the slide at the bottom and another to call people away from the ac. This is mainly done in case the FA is hurt or killed and cannot do these duties. And if the FA is hurt, help them off the plane as well.

NOW, this is all based on common sense. If a fire is raging or the plane is sinking, no doubt, get out. You've got to save yourself. No one is expected stay on board a plane with a fire burning 2 feet from you.

As for seatpockets, the other poster is correct. Not to be used during take off and landing. I personally don't bother with anyone placing their things in the pocket during flight. It's called picking your battles wisely. But I do take exception of using the pocket for dirty diapers.

toomanybooks

Reminds me of that classic line from "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles":

"She's short and skinny, but she's strong. Her first baby come out sideways.
She didn't scream or nothing."