username

I have had 3 instances in the last 3 weeks (7 segments flown) where:

1 - 2 live A320/A319 safety demos were not done properly - FAs could not figure out how to wrap the LIFE VEST waist belt around to buckle and continued with the demo anyway

2 - 737 DirecTV had some screens not working during demo and FA did not do a manual demo (after being notified)

My understanding is that these incidents are actually against FAA regulations.

I know it is hard for employees when the company is doing this poorly but if they can behave like this when it is right in front of the passengers, what other corners are they cutting?

aacharya

It's a big stretch to link safety demonstrations to a lack of safety/maintenance. Nice try though.

mherdeg

So does the FAA issue fines for no reason? Or does the FAA not issue fines for incorrect safety demonstrations?

aacharya

The FAA fining UA (and rightly so) is not quite linked to safety the way that the OP is insinuating. I never claimed UA was in the right to not perform the demonstrations.

Shall I pull up the myriad threads concerning FAA regulations on cell phones/wi-fi and what much of FT thinks of certain FAA regulations?

PV_Premier

one of my recent flights also did not have a safety demo, on another airline not named UA

i wholeheartedly agree with aacharya, it's an awfully big stretch to suggest that actual safety is being compromised. still, it does make you wonder about the attention to detail of the crews in question that can't manage to get this very rudimentary part of their job description accomplished.

WineCountryUA

yeah with the prerecorded safety briefings gone on dark / non-video aircraft, the flight crews need to brush up on their live demonstration skills but agree with others this is a big leap to a decrease in safety awareness let alone actual safety.

Say they having trouble doing the live demos now (and likely before for some), were you safer when the prerecorded demos were used?

murphyUA

Carelessness leads to more carelessness, which can lead to safety issues.

higgsjoa

I was in 16K on flight 902 FRA-SFO last Monday. The PA system in the back half of the top-deck only gave out loud static. All announcements from the purser or captain resulted in loud static - the 10 passengers in rows 15-17 couldn't hear a word. The speakers for the rest of the plane apparently worked fine. The FA phone system on the top-deck was also not working, but mechanics came aboard and fixed that problem before we took off.

The FA performed his safety check before take-off and asked the guy across the aisle to turn off his ipad due to German regulations, "as stated in the purser's take-off announcement." The guy replied nicely, "no problem, but as you know I couldn't hear the announcement." I asked the FA to communicate with us personally if there was (god-forbid) an emergency with instructions or other important announcements from the captain, as we would not hear. He assured me they would and said that the purser and captain were very aware of the situation, but it would take 2 hours to fix it and they didn't want to sit on the ground that long.

FlyerTalkers, what is your opinion - was this a serious safety issue, or not?

aacharya

Not - based on your notes that the FA would notify all impacted passengers.

As long as there was communication between the pilot and the purser/FAs, I have faith that they will perform their tasks. I also can't imagine truly serious information would only be conveyed by PA. For example, in anticipation of very heavy turbulence, the FAs walk around to confirm seat belt usage.

WineCountryUA

partially faulty PA -- serious, nope. That's one reason crew members at scattered around the cabin.

mgcsinc

I've expressed this view in the past and gotten some flak ("All planes are different!"), but here goes again. I think the basic idea of the safety demos is that on any given demo, there's a 10% chance of it being faulty, 50% of people aren't listening, etc. But overall, through repetition, enough people see it done right enough times that things work out in an emergency.

Difficulties demoing the lap belt seem especially unworthy of concern, and I think that part of the demo should just be struck entirely.

username

Sorry, I should have been more specific - this was the belt on the life vest, not the seatbelt. I modified the original post.

I have been on UA flights where FAs take these things very seriously as there are both safety and regulatory reasons. They are there primarily for our safety after all. Yet, it is alarming how they slip through the cracks in the 3 instances I have observed recently.

I think many of us follow airline accidents/incidents enough to know that a lot of the regulations and procedures are in place for reasons (http://www.rd.com/slideshows/13-thin...wont-tell-you/ has some of them). Most passengers write these things off and don't pay attention until something bad happens. If UA does not take it seriously, how can it expect others to?

Staymates788

Exactly. Doesn't matter if it's done right or wrong. Too many people are not even paying attention. I don't think blame should fall entirely on the FAs.

JOSECONLSCREW28

All FAs regardless if it's a video equipped aircraft or not are required to know how to do a manual safety demo in cases of where there is no video or where the video is malfunctioning on a video equipped aircraft. On CO aircraft the safety demo kits are stowed in kits that are easily accessible to FAs should the need arise for a manual demo. Also if say the demo video malfunctions the lead fa will make an announcement for FAs to get their demo kits and to go to their demo positions and perform the safety demo.

mahasamatman

What you say is supposed to happen and what actually happens in reality are two different things. I have reported violations in the past and will continue to do so as they occur. I used to be an FAA Safety Counselor, so I take these issues very seriously.