My fellow pax

[Quickstatus]

"it is a Qantas requirement that you keep your seatbelt fastened while seated" or so they say

It is the same with all airlines.
Why not just leave seat belt sign permanently on, and then anyone who does not use it can't blame the airline but themselves.........

 

[kerfuffle]

I've always marvelled at the sound of clicking seatbelts and loud sighs whenever the seatbelt light is turned off. "Thank Gawd we're free!"

I keep mine on at all times now (unless it's too awkward e.g. meal times) ever since that SQ incident

 

[Warks]

I keep mine on at all times now (unless it's too awkward e.g. meal times) ever since that SQ incident

I've done it since that poor FA was sucked out of the plane over Hawaii (that was a long time ago).

 

[Mattg]

- The passenger who sat in 16B because that was the gate number printed on the boarding pass. (Followed by 3 subsequent passengers arriving at 16B and complaining that the last pax to incorrectly sit in 16B was in their seat.*)

- The passenger who incorrectly sat in row 16, and now needs to get to row 10 with all their carry-on luggage, fighting their way upstream during the middle of boarding and slowing everything down. Then going back for their coat after finally relocating to row 10, slowing down boarding even more when the flight is already running 2 hours late.


*Witnessed from seat 17A on a recent Air NZ flight from Melbourne.

 

[kerfuffle]

- The passenger who incorrectly sat in row 16, and now needs to get to row 10

That was me once; I was in 6A and sat down, then some lady rocks up and says that's my seat. Turns out I got upgraded to 3F (or free Economy X) and didn't check the boarding pass in the app whoops! In my defence, in the 150+ domestic flights I've taken over 13 years, I've only ever had my seat involuntarily changed once without my knowledge ... to 9A as well (aka no window seat, and had an annoying baby in my row as well.

I now check the boarding pass in the app before boarding.

 

[Quickstatus]

Well youse might be seeing this joker if youse fly VA:

Banned from QF/JQ for inflating lifejacket during safety demo

The original?? Video

 

[AuSammy]

Well youse might be seeing this joker if youse fly VA:

Banned from QF/JQ for inflating lifejacket during safety demo

The original?? Video

What a jerk. Hope the ban is for life not just a year or so to dissuade any other effluencer copycstting

 

[Quickstatus]

Hope the ban is for life

My suspicion is that some of the people sitting in his row had prior knowledge of what he was going to do..
Joker has no insight - he tried to pack it away after inflating it. and then excused it because he was "just having fun"

Luckily the flight was not full, which meant he could sit in another seat.
He was met by AFP at he destination as well


So he got several breaks including getting off Federal charges.
Tampering with safety equipment:

 

[AuSammy]

My suspicion is that some of the people sitting in his row had prior knowledge of what he was going to do..

With camera ready to record it all for his pre planned post

 

[Scarlett]

It is the same with all airlines.
Why not just leave seat belt sign permanently on, and then anyone who does not use it can't blame the airline but themselves.........

You can’t.
People still need to use the facilities. Those in exit rows and bulkheads need to be able to get up to their stuff in the overheads.
Other pax also need to get stuff, or just need to stretch their legs on longer flights. Imagine the DVT claims…

Plus, as has been described countless times, a seatbelt sign left on all the time or even just ‘too long’ becomes meaningless.


Now, more generally:
Furtive flatulence Frankie - My fellow (nearby) pax on a VN flight yesterday evening who farted (at least) three times during a 2.5hr flight.

My J seat mate (with a China passport) who dismissively waved his tray away when he was finished eating. The hand gesture to the cabin crew member walking past was unmistakable ‘make this go away’. Now I get it that he may not know Vietnamese, nor English, but he said nothing, just made the dismissive gesture. He could have said something in Chinese and any grateful tone would have conveyed the message.

He may have also been the ‘Frankie’…

 

[Quickstatus]

You can’t.

My point is that airlines could leave seat belts permanently on. Then those who don't have seat belt on - eg when going to toilets or could not be bothered, assume the liability of not wearing the seatbelt.

who farted (at least) three times during a 2.5hr flight.

On the ground 15-30x per day has been observed
And cabin altitude causes gas to expand in the gut so farting increases when flying in an airplane.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My point is that airlines could leave seat belts permanently on. Then those who don't have seat belt on - eg when going to toilets or could not be bothered, assume the liability of not wearing the seatbelt.

I think the argument would be that if the seatbelt sign was always on there is no indication of any upcoming danger, so you assume it’s safe anyway, unless backed up by an an announcement.

Qantas is advertising its ‘wellbeing’ zone, Emirates has a stand-up bar, as do several other airlines. You aren’t wearing seatbelts in those environments, so the sign is still required, and i’m not sure pax are assuming liability just for using the advertised amenities.

You’d also be covered by the Montreal Convention up to the strict liability limits for any injury.

Qantas is the only airl8ne I know that does it right. Seatbelt sign = all passengers and crew seated. It sends a confusing message to passengers if the seatbelt sign is on but crew are still serving lavish course by course meals in the premium cabins.

 

[kerfuffle]

What a jerk. Hope the ban is for life not just a year or so to dissuade any other effluencer copycstting

It's for life

 

[Quickstatus]

I think the argument would be that if the seatbelt sign was always on there is no indication of any upcoming danger, so you assume it’s safe anyway, unless backed up by an an announcement.

My comment was initially a response to a previous comment:

There's also the people who throw off their seatbelt as soon as the light goes off. And then if it's on for "too long" get up anyway and wander around.

Current seat belt sign implementation are too adhoc. As you suggested airlines are promoting inflight amenities, but these all increase risk.

A permanent seatbelt always on sign is the only way to encourage passengers to keep seat belts on while seated. Of course pilots could augment that when turbulence is predicted by announcing "everyone please be seated".

Montreal Convention strict liability is not precisely strict as there is a contributory negligence defence.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My comment was initially a response to a previous comment:



Current seat belt sign implementation are too adhoc. As you suggested airlines are promoting inflight amenities, but these all increase risk.

A permanent seatbelt always on sign is the only way to encourage passengers to keep seat belts on while seated. Of course pilots could augment that when turbulence is predicted by announcing "everyone please be seated".

Montreal Convention strict liability is not precisely strict as there is a contributory negligence defence.

I’m not sure a permanent illuminated seatbelt sign could trigger the contributory negligence defence, unless accompanied by a warning prior to turbulence or expected turbulence. People have to use the WC, onboard amenities, or tend to children or other pax in need.

There is usually a placard at each seat advising people to keep their seatbelt fastened while seated. The sign should be kept for when it is needed.

I would argue a permanent illuminated seatbelt sign actually increases an airline’s liability, not reduces it, because they’d have to take enhanced measures to communicate when turbulence was expected.

 

[jb747]

Leaving the seat belt signs on would be stupid, and simply passes the decision on moving to people who have no information or knowledge of turbulence.

Pilots need to be sensible in the use of the signs, and when used they should include everyone (including all cabin crew). It isn't hard...read the radar.

 

[gaz0303]

Can we add our fellow lounge guests to this thread:
Currently listening to another loud phone conversation from across the room. Why do people still feel the need to shout into a phone? It isn’t a 1980’s international call.

 

[Warks]

Can we add our fellow lounge guests to this thread:
Currently listening to another loud phone conversation from across the room. Why do people still feel the need to shout into a phone? It isn’t a 1980’s international call.

I had a funny case of that a few years ago with a couple of DYKWIA businessmen on a call on speaker with someone. They prattled a whole lot of nonsense for 15 mins and towards the end one of them told the person at the other end "by the way, James (the other guy on the call with him in the lounge) is leaving the company next week. Just keep that to yourself for now"...

 

[RooFlyer]

Although this is obviously about airline passengers, may I just add a little note about my fellow cruise passengers.

If you have witnessed some ‘uninformed’ behaviour, shall we say at airline security queues, check out cruise passengers who are mostly more senior, and don’t often go through security.

OMG pax after pax, not listening to the callout about emptying your pockets, take off jackets, everything in the tubs, etc., etc. Get to the front of security queue and go, oh, do I need to empty this and this and this and this and this and this and this. Take out items out of pocket, one by one, and checking the security if they have to do more.

Then needing to go through the people metal detector a couple of times because they’ve forgotten bangles, watches, necklaces, you name it.

 

[AuSammy]

Old saying “takes all kinds”, unfortunately they fly among us

https://loyaltylobby.com/2026/11/09/british-scoot-passenger-arrested-in-singapore-for-installing-spy-camera-in-lavatory/