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FA opening overhead bin with seatbelt sign on

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FA opening overhead bin with seatbelt sign on

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Old Jun 22, 2018, 1:52 pm
  #1  
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FA opening overhead bin with seatbelt sign on

About ten minutes after takeoff yesterday on our WN flight home from SNA, while the seatbelt sign was still on, a passenger asked one of the FAs to get something out of the overhead bin for them. As she was working to retrieve the bag, a metal bottle, which apparently had been in one of the bag’s outside pouches, fell from the open overhead bin, hitting my wife’s arm.

Are FAs supposed to be getting stuff out of the overheads for passengers in flight while the seatbelt sign is still on?
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Old Jun 22, 2018, 2:01 pm
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They serve drinks when the seatbelt light is on
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Old Jun 22, 2018, 4:46 pm
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Of course I’m aware they can be up and serving drinks when the seatbelt on, unless the captain asvises them to be seated, but rummaging through an overhead bin when there’s turbulence duriing ascent seems like more of a safety risk to me.
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Old Jun 22, 2018, 6:56 pm
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Originally Posted by jsnearline
Of course I’m aware they can be up and serving drinks when the seatbelt on, unless the captain asvises them to be seated, but rummaging through an overhead bin when there’s turbulence duriing ascent seems like more of a safety risk to me.
If the plane was bouncing around in enough turbulence to cause the bottle to fall, then I doubt the FA would have gotten out of their seat. The bottle most likely fell just because she moved something and it was going to fall whether the seat belt sign was on or not.
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Old Jun 22, 2018, 8:04 pm
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This is one reason I don't sit in aisle seats (main reason being the view out the window). People bring way too much stuff on board.
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Old Jun 22, 2018, 9:21 pm
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I'm sure the FA is aware of inflight safety protocol. The falling bottle is a completely separate issue. No big deal IMO.
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Old Jun 23, 2018, 2:49 am
  #7  
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The FA was trying to help somebody. Rule or no rule.

Let it go.
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Old Jun 23, 2018, 8:46 am
  #8  
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I don’t blame the FA. If anything, I blame the passenger for not securing the bottle properly. They weren’t in a bulkhead row, so they should have just kep the bottle with them. I was just surprised because it seems to be a bit of a safety issue. If my seven year old had been sitting in the aisle sear, she probably would have been seriously injured. I’ll just take it as a lesson not to put her in aisle seats.

i have seen worse when it comes to passengers getting up on descent into Denver to mess with their carryon in the overhead after the attendants have been seated
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Old Jun 23, 2018, 5:56 pm
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Originally Posted by Kevin AA
This is one reason I don't sit in aisle seats (main reason being the view out the window). People bring way too much stuff on board.
Which is completely ridiculous on WN considering you get two checked bags for free. On AA/DL/UA I can understand why the bins are full.
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Old Jun 24, 2018, 1:12 am
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Originally Posted by jsnearline
If my seven year old had been sitting in the aisle sear, she probably would have been seriously injured.
Seriously injured? Was this bottle a 1 gallon hydro flask?

I’m sure the FA would have felt bad had they known the bottle hit your wife.
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Old Jun 24, 2018, 11:19 am
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Originally Posted by DCP2016
Which is completely ridiculous on WN considering you get two checked bags for free. On AA/DL/UA I can understand why the bins are full.
Until they lose your bags and you don't have a carry on with clothes and any medications you may need in it........We also travel to/from Vegas often so the one bag we have with cash and sports gambling tickets is not getting checked.
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Old Jun 24, 2018, 4:12 pm
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It's extremely common to open the overheads when the light is on BUT you should be extremely watchful when one is opened over you at ANY TIME. I saw a bag fall out and hit a passenger in the head once. No turbulence, just somehow poorly placed.
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Old Jun 24, 2018, 9:07 pm
  #13  
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Originally Posted by Kevin AA
This is one reason I don't sit in aisle seats (main reason being the view out the window). People bring way too much stuff on board.
Yet another reason is no one climbing over you if you are at the window seat.

There are all sorts of things that can happen to you at aisle seat. Put your left elbow just a little far out, and it can get bumped by a cart.

Originally Posted by jsnearline
About ten minutes after takeoff yesterday on our WN flight home from SNA, while the seatbelt sign was still on, a passenger asked one of the FAs to get something out of the overhead bin for them. As she was working to retrieve the bag, a metal bottle, which apparently had been in one of the bag’s outside pouches, fell from the open overhead bin, hitting my wife’s arm.

Are FAs supposed to be getting stuff out of the overheads for passengers in flight while the seatbelt sign is still on?
And a passenger could have opened that same bin when the seatbelt sign was off, and the water bottle still could have fallen out. So IMHO the issue of the water bottle falling out had little to do with either the FA or the seatbelt sign (ie, it was a coincidence that it the FA is who did it and it was a coincidence that it happened while the seatbelt sign was on).
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Old Jun 25, 2018, 8:53 am
  #14  
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Originally Posted by sdsearch
...And a passenger could have opened that same bin when the seatbelt sign was off, and the water bottle still could have fallen out. So IMHO the issue of the water bottle falling out had little to do with either the FA or the seatbelt sign (ie, it was a coincidence that it the FA is who did it and it was a coincidence that it happened while the seatbelt sign was on).
AWESOME STATEMENT.

Can not believe nobody (including me) had not pointed that out.

I stick to my earlier comment though about the OP making a fuss over seatbelt sign - geez.
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Old Jun 25, 2018, 9:49 am
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Originally Posted by sdsearch
Yet another reason is no one climbing over you if you are at the window seat.

There are all sorts of things that can happen to you at aisle seat. Put your left elbow just a little far out, and it can get bumped by a cart.
If you have trouble with your left elbow getting bumped, just sit in the aisle seat on the other side of the aircraft.



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