Variations in 'safety' requirements between airlines

[chrisb]

I've noticed a few variations between airlines and I'm wondering what else people have noticed -

- AA had no problem with bags under the seat in front for exit row pax.
- Virgin has a serious armrests must be down during takeoff and landing policy that I haven't seen elsewhere.
- Singapore explicitly announces no use of headphones, even for IFE during TO/landing but QF now even allows noise canceling ones, if connected to the IFE.
- Singapore continued their service during seat belt sign on turbulence. I'm not sure if this was normal or not but I've never seen it on QF. It was bad enough that keeping a drink in the glass was a problem.
- On Air Asia (a320) the leg room in exit rows was about the same as a normal row on a legacy international carrier.

 

[Must...Fly!]

EK keeping the seatbelt sign on for 4 hours mid-flight, with no one paying any regard to it (including the crew, pax and eventually myself, after I decided that I couldn't hold on any longer after about 2.5 hours). It wasn't bumpy at all, but visibility outside wasn't that great...

 

[docjames]

The time that the seatblet sign comes on before landing varies wildly between airlines. I think jb has previously stated for QF it's at a certain altitude (if no other reason exists to have put it on sooner) so that will elad to some variation depending on airport / approach requirements. But it does seem to vary quite a lot.

 

[chrisb]

EK keeping the seatbelt sign on for 4 hours mid-flight, with no one paying any regard to it (including the crew, pax and eventually myself, after I decided that I couldn't hold on any longer after about 2.5 hours). It wasn't bumpy at all, but visibility outside wasn't that great...

I've seen this happen on SQ and QF - after about 30mins of seat belt sign there is usually a small flow of people who start heading to the toilet. I've done it. I heard somewhere that the FAs have a duty to tell you to sit down but if you're headed to the toilet and turbulence isn't too bad they won't press the issue.

 

[smit0847]

Jetstar Pacific, Vietnam.

Where do I begin?

- No rope-off under the wing area (pax walked under the wing to get to the rear stairs)
- Safety demonstration and all announcements given in Vietnamese and English, neither of which could be understood because of the muffled, static, quiet PA and heavy accents.
- One passenger simply walked off the plane after boarding without notifying anyone. He didn't return.
- Customers change rows as we were powering up down the runway.
- The 'preparation for landing' involved cabin crew immediately dropping what they were doing and sitting down - I could have been trying to operate a satellite phone in my row for all they would have known.
- The second the wheels hit the tarmac on landing (and I mean the second), pax immediately started moving around the cabin, getting bags out of overheads etc while plane was still screaming down the runway.

I realise air travel is pretty novel in a country like Vietnam (most male Vietnamese passengers were dressed in shabby but full suits) but it was certainly a unique experience and made me realise just how safe and strict Australia is with air travel. Me and my fellow Australian mates travelling with me spent most of the trip with a very bemused look on our faces!

 

[amaroo]

J* do the full length, exit seat lecture - every-time.....noticed that it's hit & miss on many other airlines

A few weeks ago I watched a QF FA (preparing to land) approach a passenger with baby in lap & asked that the ext seat-belt be put around the bub.....the father said he didn't have one! With a look of horror the FA started to berate the father on why he didn't request one before take-off.

Always thought the standard practice was that one of the FA's standing at the door screens parents with babies & hands the belt over there & then......

 

[atreides]

Jetstar Pacific, Vietnam.

Where do I begin?

- No rope-off under the wing area (pax walked under the wing to get to the rear stairs)
- Safety demonstration and all announcements given in Vietnamese and English, neither of which could be understood because of the muffled, static, quiet PA and heavy accents.
- One passenger simply walked off the plane after boarding without notifying anyone. He didn't return.
- Customers change rows as we were powering up down the runway.
- The 'preparation for landing' involved cabin crew immediately dropping what they were doing and sitting down - I could have been trying to operate a satellite phone in my row for all they would have known.
- The second the wheels hit the tarmac on landing (and I mean the second), pax immediately started moving around the cabin, getting bags out of overheads etc while plane was still screaming down the runway.

I realise air travel is pretty novel in a country like Vietnam (most male Vietnamese passengers were dressed in shabby but full suits) but it was certainly a unique experience and made me realise just how safe and strict Australia is with air travel. Me and my fellow Australian mates travelling with me spent most of the trip with a very bemused look on our faces!

Ditto for VN

 

[Mattg]

Ditto for VN

+1 for Vietnam Airlines. Quite often they'll forget to screen the safety video, and most of the announcements are inaudible. W
Quite funny to listen to, if nothing else.

Although, I do remember VN going the extra mile in terms of safety when we boarded the plane in Hue. For "Safety reasons" they crammed us all onto a minibus to drive us the whole 10 metres between the gate and the plane.

 

[StevePER]

Asiana don't have infant seatbelts. You just have to hold on to your young kids and hope for the best.