DCA Blondie

"As a reminder, we strongly recommend that you keep your seatbelt fastened at all times, not just when the "fasten seatbelt" sign is illuminated...."


17 years ago today, on April 28, 1988, an Aloha Airlines suffered an explosive decompression while flying at FL190 near Kahului, Hawaii. Nearly 1/3 of the aircraft's roof was lost in the incident. 1 flight attendant among the 95 passengers and crew aboard was killed.

http://www.airdisaster.com/photos/aloha243/photo.shtml

gate_pourri

I'm shocked only 1 person died. Maybe I watch too many movies, but I was under the impression that if something like this happened, the seats would eventually get sucked out as well?

Analise

As rare as this occurrence is (thank God), this is why I am stunned some parents fly with their babies on their lap. A separate seat can save a life.

MrMan

My understanding is that studies show that families will end of driving rather than paying for the seat. A baby is statistically safer in a lap on a plane than in a car seat driving.

Analise

There are always more accidents in cars than on airplanes. That said, if you fly in an airplane, you can play the statistical gamble of holding a child on your lap and the odds will be in your favor. Nothing should happen. But if I were the parent, such odds wouldn't be good enough for me.

Dodge DeBoulet

An interesting comment, Analise. Does that mean that you wouldn't fly or drive, since the odds are even worse when driving?

Blumie

This sounds like a discussion I would have with my wife. The odds of anything happening are so low to begin with, I don't think it makes sense to buy a seat just because of the safety issue. (On the other hand, we usually bought a seat for our daughter when she was an infant for everyone's comfort.) After all, there always is more that can be done in the name of safety, including never leaving the house or encasing your child in an armored vault, but obviously a line needs to be drawn somewhere. I think the line comes well before paying for an infant to sit in his/her own seat because of the risk that something will happen otherwise.

Globaliser

Technically, nothing ever gets "sucked" out of an aircraft. It's more "blown" out by the overpressure inside the pressure vessel when it's breached. Once the overpressure has blown out (which would have been quickly in this accident, given the extent of the breach), there's not a lot more sucking or blowing going on.

Movies and TV are probably about the worst places to learn facts about aircraft accidents and incidents.

SFWanderer

I don't necessarily anticipate metal-fatigue ripping the ceiling off during my flight but clear-air turbulence are real experiences on most of my flights. I don't understand why some people insist with reasons why they don't like wearing them beyond takeoff and landing. I might assist administering first aid to the dope who goes flying but I won't pity the person. If they don't care about their own safety I certainly care if they jeopardize mine!

http://www.ttd.org/Resolutions/Mar1998/no.8.htm

Sorefeet

Call me crazy, but I don't think it is fair to the other passengers to have to be seated next to someone who insists on holding another human being on their lap. If you can't affor the seat, leave the kid at home. SF

USA_flyer

I don't think I'd want 15lbs of wriggling child sat on my lap for upwards of an hour. A seat for a child seems to be the most sensible way forwards.

As for the OP's point I had no idea why they recommended leaving the belt on through normal flight. Now I do, and I think that while the chances are small of coming to harm, I'll keep the belt loosely about my waist thankyouverymuch.

Athena53

I'm with SF. Some of the most miserable passengers I've seen (in the sense of being unhappy themselves AND in the sense of being a pain to be around) are lap children. The almost-2 year olds are the worst. If you can bring their own familiar car seat on board ("if" because it has to be FAA-approved), most of them are not only safer, but calmer.

Analise

First off, I'm a newlywed so I have no kids. I need to let you know that! If we are blessed with a baby in the future, I won't do long distance trips with a baby at all (car or plane). My family and my husband's family live in the New York metropolitan area so I have no need to travel with a baby. When my husband and I go on vacation, we'll leave our baby with grandparents.

Helena Handbaskets

I'd think if you kept the baby in a Bjorn or similar device, strapped to (the front of) a parent wearing a seat-belt, the risk of turbulence or decompression harming the baby would be mitigated sufficiently. It could also address the "baby's more comfortable in familiar surroundings" issue.

Not sure I'd want to be the parent in question for a flight of more than an hour or so, though.

Doppy

That helps with turbulence, but in a crash where you're thrown forward by momentum, the device is going to cause some serious damage to you and the baby.