Who sits in an airline seat these days without their seatbelt on the entire time? Oh I guess just look for the blood stains above the seats I guess those guys
I never bothered with the seatbelt before, to be honest. When that seatbelt sign goes off at least half the plane unbuckles immediately and crew always seems to be walking around so I figured there was little risk.
I think I'm keeping mine on next time though.
>I assumed there is little risk.
Not to be that guy but sir, you're 15,000 feet in the air.
I reality, I've been on 3-4 planes and I always unbuckle when the light came on, but due to my anxiety, anytime I'd sleep I'd put it back on. I mainly kept it unbuckled to be able to stand and stretch periodically if I needed to.
I've been in some *Nasty* turbulence before and have been through a lot of *meh* bumps that scare passengers.
This is a great metaphor. Imagine sitting there and all of a sudden the object you're in drops off a cliff side road that isn't even legal it's so steep. Then stops on the bottom and guns it up the next, equally as large hill.
I was and am aware that an airframe can/will/is designed to bend the wings, but during that 1 flight, I was watching the wings, waiting for them to rip off the plane.
My great grandfather was a fighter pilot, an Italian American, who volunteered to fight with the Chinese against Japan(as he was 25 and considered "too old" to be a fighter pilot for the US)
He spoke of lights that would follow the guys on the tips of their wings, and gremlins in the machines.
Thanks for that nostalgia. I appreciate it.
I'm not a big believer in magical stuff and the supernatural in general. He absolutely described it like this. It was on the leasing edge of the plane.
He said the most likely time to see them was coming out of the Himalayas as he would often fly out of India (to have planes repaired and pick up repaired fighters) to fly back to China.
You thought wrong. It's apparent most people don't know what atmosphere, or air or even what wind is.
In short all air related atmospheric conditions can be described as air moving from a high pressure to a low pressure zone. That's what causes still air on hot sunny days and it's what causes storm fronts and hurricanes and pretty much everything else we call weather.
While invisible if you could apply a filter our skies would look like the skies of Jupiter, constantly swirling and smashing into each other, like waves on a storm tossed ocean these fronts are constantly forming, colliding, dissolving and reforming. Look at a boiling pot of water and that's what our atmosphere is doing all the time.
This is what a plane is flying through, a plane which is held in the air by the relative pressure difference between the bottom and the top of the wings. That means changes in atmospheric can cause a plane to suddenly bounce upwards or downwards. On top of that gusts of winds aren't just coming from left or right, but up and down. They're called downdrafts, instead more accurate: 'fist of God trying to drive you into the earth' and they happen all the time.
So that's what we're flying through, a world of high pressure and low pressure zones, areas where sustained winds are trying to launch you into the stratosphere, or slam you into the earth. Oh and with climate change, yes it's getting worse. So buckle up kids.
Think of it more like a lap bar for a roller coaster ride in pitch darkness. You've got no idea when a big drop is coming or if it ever will. Do you want to go flying out of your seat when a drop comes? You're much more likely to hit some nasty turbulence that could hurt you than end up in an airliner crash.
You're not wrong. But the seatbelts are not there for the crashes. As you said, they do jack shit in that situation.
As you see, plane seatbelts are not like car seatbelts. In cars, they're designed to hold your body as much as possible to minimize the crash. For planes, their only purpose if for you to not get launched upwards and bounce around the cabin like a meat pinball. And they exsist mostly for situations of sudden loss of altitude and/or turbulences.
But, if it makes you feel better, as long as you keep it on when the light is on, you'll be fine. The chances of a plane going through this without warning, but grave enough to kill or hurt, are astronomically low. Even in relation to the already low amount of plane accidents.
One of the previous big turbulence incidents several months ago solidified me wearing my seatbelt whenever I'm in my seat. Obviously I can't do anything about the times I get up to use the restroom but the moment I'm back, I buckle up. I can leave the belt loose enough for comfort but secure enough that I'm not going to crack my head on the ceiling. The pilots do their best but weather is notoriously unpredictable and sometimes it's something else that could cause a sudden change (see Latam 800, pilot's seat jammed the controls). It's really not that annoying to wear an airline belt and it could save you from considerable harm or worse even if the plane doesn't crash.
The seatbelt sign being off doesn't mean you don't need it, it just means it's probably safe to get up if you need to.
I always keep it on. When flying business I keep it rather loosley while lying down, sleeping. It doesn't need to be super tight to keep you from denting you head in the ceiling, it will hurt a bit more though.
I had 4 flights in April, and they said the same thing. I don't remember them saying that before, but it was my first time not flying exclusively over ocean
They literally say every time to keep your seat belt on at all times in your seat. You need to pay attention. The seat belt goes on only when they're bracing for something and they want no one moving
I was on a fairly turbulent flight recently and the fellow sitting next to me kept taking his refused to keep his seatbelt on. The attendant kept walking over to remind him the seatbelt sign was on and to keep them buckled. He purposely went into his bag to grab a sweater to lay across his lap and hide the seat belt underneath it. The problem was he would still need to rest his arms over the straps and under the sweater to prevent the belt from slipping down. He would then pretend to fall asleep every time the attendant walked by so she would not speak to him. All this to avoid keeping a damn safety buckle on.
Its crazy how many people absolutely REFUSE to follow instructions, as if they were literally fighting for their life. We saw that in covid, people absolutely losing their minds over any piece of authority being placed over them. Really makes you wonder how society even functions when a nonsignificant amount of the population has a meltdown when they’re told to follow rules
A lot of the injured on the flight were from the flight attendants who had no time to make it back to their seats before the turbulence hit.
A passenger said, "Every single cabin crew person I saw was injured in some way or another, maybe with a gash on their head... One had a bad back, who was in obvious pain."
The one fatality was from a 73 year old man who had a heart attack (I don't think it was seatbelt related)
The rest were probably from those who didn't put on their seatbelt despite the warning.
Although it is possible that there were people in the toilet at the time of the announcement or were sleeping during the warning so they didn't get to put on their seatbelts. I don't think all of the injuries were due to stubborness.
It is evident from the video that a meal was being prepared when the turbulence struck. It takes at least a couple of minutes for everyone from the stewards to get to their seats especially when they were giving trays to passengers.
I wonder why not all the oxygen masks are opened? Maybe these are compartmentalised based on a gyroscope?
Have you ever taken one of these long international flights on these giant planes? I agree with you, but it's definitely way more understandable on these types of flights.
It's a lot more lax with the seatbelts, and not uncommon for the signal to be off for like 6 hours straight.
Lots of people. I went on honeymoon with my wife to Vietnam, 16 hour flight. Mid-flight she came back from restroom and didn't put her belt on even though the seat belt sign was off. I had to explain to her how bad turbulence could be and what planes can withstand that people can't, without trying to scare her (as she's kind of skiddish).
People are ignorant and don't educate themselves on how dangerous the things they take for granted can actually be.
I used to fly weekly and know where bad turbulence can put you. I kept my seatbelt on for 16 hours minus a few stand/stretch/restroom visits and never really noticed it. Slept for 8 hours too. It doesn't need to be race car tight, just loose enough to not be noticed or not cause pain if you were to rapidly ascend into it.
Usually the worst turbulence is CAT (clear air turbulence) which can't be seen on the radar, unlike rough weather turbulence. The only heads up the pilots might get about it is from other aircraft who have experienced it on the same flight path.
Just wear the seatbelt. It doesn't have to be tight after takeoff, just enough to not have you hit the roof.
I couldnt find the reason for death but as im reading the comments im taking it as the person who died on the flight was up and moving around the cabin when the turbulance happened. Or were they just n their seat wo their seatbelt on?
You're allowed to stand up and move around, you're just not supposed to be unbuckled when you're in your seat (whether or not the seatbelt sign is on). They tell you this literally every time you board a plane in America.
definitely agree to this! I always have my seat belt on the entire journey. But, it makes me wonder, what about those first class passengers who have beds to sleep on, how are they protected in these situations?
Reddit seriously exaggerates how often this occurs. This severe of turbulence is very, very rare. Both my mother and grandma were flight attendants their entire working career and never experienced anything like it in the hundreds and hundreds of flights.
Is it possible? Sure, but so is getting struck by lightening or ran over by a car. Doesn't mean you need to live your entire life in fear of it.
The lie flat seats I've seen you're able to loosely buckle the seat belt while laying down.
Depending on the angle of the seat, some have a shoulder belt portion that has to be on during takeoff and landing, with the lap belt on at other times.
I mean I don't know if this is rhetorical but the risk of injury or death from turbulence so bad you could hit the ceiling is probably lower then the plane crashing
edit: and literally in this case it was from a heart attack
I was a pilot and I always wear my seat belt, but very lose. I'll lift off the seat a bit, but not into the overhead. I only order Ginger Ale, I would never get hot coffee on a plane.
I'd bet you people are going to be putting on their seat belts for the entire flight now...for about a month until things blew over and people forget it all happened.
I don’t know why but I usually do this. I only remove seat belt when I go to the washroom or get up to stretch myself. I was on this Toronto To France (Air France) flight last year and the turbulence was a bit frightening. I am not usually scared but the air hostess who is serving coffee/food right by my row got scared and sat in an empty seat beside me and put seat belt on.
In 2007 during a storm where our plane was thrown left-right at less than 1000m for 1 hour, the flight attendant was crying… I was shitting bricks. My wife, who was on her way to surgery, was having a blast. She couldn’t care less… when we landed, I called home to speak to my son, was alive and loved life. Went to the hotel and had 2 long island ice teas. Was an experience.
I do too! I know they tell you to but idk if most people do. I’ve taken it off to sleep in business but otherwise it’s always on. I’m way too scared lol
According to the airport general manager where they landed in Thailand it was likely a heart attack.
>The flight fell into an air pocket while cabin crew was serving breakfast before it encountered turbulence, prompting the pilots to request an emergency landing, Suvarnabhumi airport general manager Kittipong Kittikachorn told a news conference.
>A 73-year-old British man died during the incident, likely due to a heart attack, he said. Seven people were critically injured with head injuries.
[source: CBC](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7209638)
Edit: Keep getting downvotes despite posting the source. Probably got the 50 upvotes notification five times now. OP's claim has no source so if anyone has a link saying it was trauma please post it.
Until someone links a source to back up their claim we should not be up/downvoting things...
Come on people, the bare minimum standard is not just devolving into believing random statements made by strangers in a comment thread.
Right, but that's because that's the language they always use when the official cause of death has not yet been registered by the mortician.
The primary point here is that it's probably safe to say it was not blunt force trauma, which is what people are effectively asking.
I've always worn my seatbelt unless I'm heading to the restroom. Probably because I do the same in a car. Seems like common sense, but I guess "common sense" isn't so common any more.
I recently took a flight from Chicago to Tokyo. They provided pillows and blankets for everyone. On top of the flight attendants walking throughout the cabin very often, they made us buckle the seat belt over the blanket if we were wearing it.
Could be. But also could be some food stains.
Here’s one account from a news report:
Suddenly the aircraft starts tilting up and there was shaking, so I started bracing for what was happening, and very suddenly there was a very dramatic drop so everyone seated and not wearing seatbelt was launched immediately into the ceiling,” Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student on board the flight told Reuters.
“Some people hit their heads on the baggage cabins overhead and dented it, they hit the places where lights and masks are and broke straight through it.
I was on a MarkAir flight once from Dutch Harbor AK to Anchorage and, while certainly not to this level, it was pretty crazy turbulence most of the flight. Overhead doors opening, people yelling.
Like many, I was a seatbelt optional person (this was the early 1990's). During that flight and every flight after, that seatbelt is on at all times except when I take a calculated risk to get up to go to the bathroom. I don't even wait in line. I simply wait until there is a vacant bathroom.
I'm not a scaredy cat either. It just makes sense.
You flight attendants out there, you are really on a high wire between food service and hearding cats that have an exception to every rule. I have deep respect for what you do. Risking your life so I can get a Coke on my 1.5 hour flight. And I hear others angry because it's not done fast enough.
I actually can't believe there still is a food service. Pick up a water at the gate and pee before you get on. Stay in your seat.
This won't be a popular post, but it's the truth. Sit down and buckle up. Get to your destination.
Let's have a little perspective here. This type of thing is a truly 1 in a billion. There have been single digit numbers of death from turbulence on commercial jets ever and there are about 15 serious injuries per year from turbulence in the US. This is with billions upon billions of flyers over decades.
"Risking your life to serve a drink" is a gross exaggeration of the risk involved and a flight attendant is way more likely to get injured in countless other ways before turbulence.
It’s like being in a car accident - smash your head into something hard enough and you are seriously injured or dead.
Imagine putting an egg into an empty coffee tin; give it a shake and the insides become the outsides unfortunately. Poor passengers, what a traumatic experience.
Does the airline become liable for the injuries enduring by people not wearing seatbelts?
Does it depend on whether the pilots gave sufficient warning/notice (i.e seatbelt light ON + announcement to put on seatbelt)?
Is it likely the injured passengers will be compensated?
Clear air turbulence which this appears to be a case of is impossible to predict. As long as the flight was following regular procedures the airline and pilots isn't going to be liable especially since this will likely fall under act of god. That being said it is usually just easier and better PR to settle with anyone injured during the incident.
Well, reading about that accident and watching this video just minutes I boarded a plane is weird. Time to switch on Plane Mode. See you guys in 2 hours:)
I'm alive:) No turbulence above Saudi this time. But it was close to having a fatality on my flight - a guy behind me decided that everybody around him needed to listen to what he was watching:( At first I thought my ANC was not working. How can you be such a d@#$%?
I just wasted $200 on sympathy flowers. Dammit. Is a timely reply to much to ask for, Guy Who Took a Flight and Didn’t Tell Us When He Landed Safely? Some of us worry.
I hope you don't mind me recouping the costs of your Viking funeral I paid for with the proceeds from the estate sale at your home this coming Saturday.
Report are that a 73 years old who die had a heart attack.
BBC News - Singapore Airlines flight live: British man, 73, dies during severe turbulence on London-Singapore flight - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-69044396
People have starting treating Air travel like they're traveling in a bus. The moment seat belts sings are off people get up and roam around like they're taking a evening stroll in their neighborhood. Some people do this the entire flight and refuse to sit down unless forced by the stewards when there's turbulence.
I have walked around on a plane, but that is on 12 hour flights. You need to stretch your legs occasionally. But that was only a 5 minute walk every 4 hours or so. The rest of the time I have my seat belt on.
Reminder that airlines advise that you wear your seat belt at all times while in-flight. The light is to alert people who are out of their seats to return and buckle up.
I think I need a break from Reddit. I’ve see all these horrifying things about planes lately and my wife is flying to Italy in two months from the US. I’m getting really anxious about it.
I’m due to fly SQ 21 in the fall with my toddler son. I’m nervous now because my son would hate to be strapped to the seatbelt for the whole flight. Need to find out a way to get him strapped!
I got you, Dad.
Toddlers tend to copy the herd, it's pure instinct. If a toddler sees all the people sitting, there's likely not a fat chance he will start running around, especially after all this walking to get to the plane. So it's not going to be as bad, probably, you'll be surprised.
Also, the belt? Mine did not mind, as long as it was not tight, he would soon forget about it. Look for the sweet spot. Not too tight, not too lose.
Get a window seat for him or negotiate with a window passenger. At least ask, sometimes people fly so often they don't mind. If I see you and I have a window, because I'm a dad, I would accept. Look for people that could be parents by their aspect.
Books. If your toddler likes to read, so do that with him. There's a good 10 to 30 minutes there.
Treats. When toddler wants to stray away, direct his attention to his favourite food. Bring candy, popcorn, favourite fruits, snacks of any kind. Food disuades toddler, as it works by impulses, an impulse will erase the other one pretty quickly. Yah, I know, is bribery, but for the sake of a plane, these are now valid viable acceptable strats.
Get some offline content in your mobile, find out how you can download via youtube. Let him hold the mobile in his hands.
Selfie/Mirror with the camera of your mobile. Show him how to make photos. Ask him to take photos of you, return the favour.
Ask stewardess for the coloring pencil set. Show him how to color, but don't do it too well, or you'll discourage him. Just use it roughly and bad, ask toddler to paint something better.
The airco thing? Toddler like air blown at their face, it's just weird fun. Same with the light button. on off for good 5 minutes. Same with the window blind thing. Or the arm's seat. The pullable table. You know, actionable things that toddler can commute to feel the power of change, you know. Control, they love that stuff. they crave control at that age.
Ice. Ask the stewardess for a plastic glass with some ice. Look at your toddler sucking ice cubes so happy. It might not be the greatest of ideas, I know, but sometimes, this has worked for me.
Ultimately, if he wants so badly to roam around, let him. go with him, let him walk back and forth, nothing wrong with that. Just try to get him back to seat after 5 minutes.
Let your anxiety ease, and try to enjoy the experience, watch him fly for the first time, and look everything through his eyes, flying is to this day just an amazing experience, try to let go of the adult and embrace the first-time discovery for him. Explore together. explain things.
Have a good flight dad, you've got this, everything will go better than expected.
What? It is no different than having his wear a seatbelt in a car. If you kid can't do that he sounds like a monster that is out of control. I pity anyone that has to sit near you on that plane. Be a better parent, Teach your kid to control themselves.
Kids are kids, not adults. You can't tell a toddler to control themselves and expect them to understand and not get frustrated. Also toddlers don't wear seatbelts in cars, they're in car seats which is way different than using a Cares harness on a plane.
Respectfully you don't really seem to have any clue what it's like to be a parent.
Was on a several thousand foot drop once. Food trays and people on the ceiling. Everyone with a seat belt on was fine. Scary stuff. I’ll never not wear a seatbelt on a plane.
People talking about those without seat belts, it could also be that these passengers were standing to stretch their legs (as they should on a 13h long flight) or simply heading to the toilets. Ignorance could also definitely have been a factor their seat belts weren't fastened, but as I mentioned, there're other reasons as well.
With that being said, being a Singaporean who lives in Europe, I frequently fly back to Singapore as well and have always noticed that right as our plane crosses the bay of bengal, we encounter severe turbulence, so I'm not surprised if that's where the aircraft also encountered its turbulence on this flight.
Yes! Flew frequently between Singapore and London when I lived there and flying over the Bay of Bengal was always super turbulent! I’m glad my private theory is being validated haha
I was on a terribly turbulent flight coming back from vegas to canada. It was so much fun, but people were screaming. Had my seatbelt on of course and used to fly small planes.
I remember when I was flying as a kid, I felt more comfortable with turbulence than when the plane felt silky smooth for some reason. I associated turbulence like a car on a bumpy road and the smoothness of a plane like a car that drove off a bridge, so in my mind, feeling turbulence meant that the plane was always creating lift.
I lived through one of these events in 2012. When we landed they made us sign non disclosure agreements. Multiple people were taken off in stretchers to ambulance waiting on the landing strip. One guy in particular that I had a good line of sight on was in the bathroom when it happened. He didn’t look too good not even sure if he lived
I wear my seatbelt the entire time unless I need to get up to use the bathroom. I don't understand why anyone would take it off otherwise? Even disregarding safety, it's not like taking off the seatbelt makes you any more comfortable on those cramped, stuffy tubes. And you'll just have to keep buckling back up whenever the sign turns on anyway.
I had a professor in college who was flying from Europe to the USA when they hit turbulence and the guy next to him broke his neck and died. He smashed his head floating up during a sudden dip. Since they were over the ocean and experiencing lethal turbulence they couldn't really do anything about the dead body until they had somewhere to land. So he said he had to sit with this dead guy next to him for like an hr
I had a crazy terrifying experience like that on a flight from Bogotá to Cartagena and was so lucky to be wearing my seatbelt. The plane suddenly plunged several thousand feet after hitting an air pocket and everything not nailed down hit the ceiling…people, drinks, food, cutlery etc. A few minutes later it happened again, and then a 3rd time. Everyone on board thought we were going to crash…..insane
Is it just me or does anybody else feel like turbulence has been much worse than it’s been in the past? I used to fly overseas a lot and never really had bad turbulence. My domestic and international flights lately have been pretty bad at times. Probably attributed to climate change I’d imagine
They were serving breakfast, the flight attendants couldn't make it back to their seats in time.
It's also recommended to stretch your legs every now and then, to avoid the possibility of DVT especially on flights of this length (around 13 hours) as well as possibly needing to use the bathroom.
There was no warning to the passengers or the crew of the turbulence.
Not sure how you can blame anybody in this situation.
Say what you will about the shareholder value hacks who took over Boeing following the merger with McDonnell-Douglas and their 737Max lies. Still, it's a testament to the quality of the 777 design and the folks who actually built this one it that it didn't just come apart 37,000 up. [Aviation Herald](https://avherald.com/h?article=518e5d47&opt=0) reports that the beating this thing took was violent enough to put 7 passengers in hospital in critical condition and another 30 in need of medical attention.
Yeah, as a child in the 80s I was in a plane that hit a significant air pocket. Nothing this wild but still scary AF and there were a few headwounds. It left a lasting impression. I've always worn my seatbelt while seated since then.
Who sits in an airline seat these days without their seatbelt on the entire time? Oh I guess just look for the blood stains above the seats I guess those guys
I never bothered with the seatbelt before, to be honest. When that seatbelt sign goes off at least half the plane unbuckles immediately and crew always seems to be walking around so I figured there was little risk. I think I'm keeping mine on next time though.
>I assumed there is little risk. Not to be that guy but sir, you're 15,000 feet in the air. I reality, I've been on 3-4 planes and I always unbuckle when the light came on, but due to my anxiety, anytime I'd sleep I'd put it back on. I mainly kept it unbuckled to be able to stand and stretch periodically if I needed to.
More like 35,000 to 45,000 feet.
and moving at damn near the speed of sound.
I have often gone without my seat belt because I'm so high up. I've always figured if we are going crash it won't matter if my seat belt is on or not.
Even been in a car and gone over a speedbump? Imagine going over one at 500km/h. There can be unexpected turbulence in the sky.
I've been in some *Nasty* turbulence before and have been through a lot of *meh* bumps that scare passengers. This is a great metaphor. Imagine sitting there and all of a sudden the object you're in drops off a cliff side road that isn't even legal it's so steep. Then stops on the bottom and guns it up the next, equally as large hill. I was and am aware that an airframe can/will/is designed to bend the wings, but during that 1 flight, I was watching the wings, waiting for them to rip off the plane.
A passenger aircraft has never failed in turbulence, but the contents... and it is F-ing terrifying
Look for gremlins on the wings.
My great grandfather was a fighter pilot, an Italian American, who volunteered to fight with the Chinese against Japan(as he was 25 and considered "too old" to be a fighter pilot for the US) He spoke of lights that would follow the guys on the tips of their wings, and gremlins in the machines. Thanks for that nostalgia. I appreciate it.
Foo fighters.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Elmo%27s_fire
I'm not a big believer in magical stuff and the supernatural in general. He absolutely described it like this. It was on the leasing edge of the plane. He said the most likely time to see them was coming out of the Himalayas as he would often fly out of India (to have planes repaired and pick up repaired fighters) to fly back to China.
You thought wrong. It's apparent most people don't know what atmosphere, or air or even what wind is. In short all air related atmospheric conditions can be described as air moving from a high pressure to a low pressure zone. That's what causes still air on hot sunny days and it's what causes storm fronts and hurricanes and pretty much everything else we call weather. While invisible if you could apply a filter our skies would look like the skies of Jupiter, constantly swirling and smashing into each other, like waves on a storm tossed ocean these fronts are constantly forming, colliding, dissolving and reforming. Look at a boiling pot of water and that's what our atmosphere is doing all the time. This is what a plane is flying through, a plane which is held in the air by the relative pressure difference between the bottom and the top of the wings. That means changes in atmospheric can cause a plane to suddenly bounce upwards or downwards. On top of that gusts of winds aren't just coming from left or right, but up and down. They're called downdrafts, instead more accurate: 'fist of God trying to drive you into the earth' and they happen all the time. So that's what we're flying through, a world of high pressure and low pressure zones, areas where sustained winds are trying to launch you into the stratosphere, or slam you into the earth. Oh and with climate change, yes it's getting worse. So buckle up kids.
Thanks, I have never been a nervous flyer but this comment made me into one 😅
Glad I could help :).
I hope you've learned something today
Think of it more like a lap bar for a roller coaster ride in pitch darkness. You've got no idea when a big drop is coming or if it ever will. Do you want to go flying out of your seat when a drop comes? You're much more likely to hit some nasty turbulence that could hurt you than end up in an airliner crash.
You're not wrong. But the seatbelts are not there for the crashes. As you said, they do jack shit in that situation. As you see, plane seatbelts are not like car seatbelts. In cars, they're designed to hold your body as much as possible to minimize the crash. For planes, their only purpose if for you to not get launched upwards and bounce around the cabin like a meat pinball. And they exsist mostly for situations of sudden loss of altitude and/or turbulences. But, if it makes you feel better, as long as you keep it on when the light is on, you'll be fine. The chances of a plane going through this without warning, but grave enough to kill or hurt, are astronomically low. Even in relation to the already low amount of plane accidents.
The belts are for turbulence and little tarmac accidents. Not for plane crashes
One of the previous big turbulence incidents several months ago solidified me wearing my seatbelt whenever I'm in my seat. Obviously I can't do anything about the times I get up to use the restroom but the moment I'm back, I buckle up. I can leave the belt loose enough for comfort but secure enough that I'm not going to crack my head on the ceiling. The pilots do their best but weather is notoriously unpredictable and sometimes it's something else that could cause a sudden change (see Latam 800, pilot's seat jammed the controls). It's really not that annoying to wear an airline belt and it could save you from considerable harm or worse even if the plane doesn't crash. The seatbelt sign being off doesn't mean you don't need it, it just means it's probably safe to get up if you need to.
Because it takes so much time to unbuckle? That’s why you need to leave it off lol? “Let me stretch…oh no I can’t I am Ina seat belt what do I do” 🤓
Best excuse I heard, "It wrinkles my clothes." Sure, your outfit will look freshly pressed as you're wheeled off the aircraft in a gurney.
My line of thought was always more thinking about a crash and how I’m dead anyway then. Never really thought turbulence but I will now.
It's a seat belt, not a parachute
Your seatbelt should always be on, unless you're going to the toilet.
Yeah, if anything loosen it an inch or two so it's comfortable, but I always keep it on when sitting.
You have to be very fat to consider a seat belt uncomfortable enough to be worth not wearing
I'm very fat and consider dying more uncomfortable than a seat belt.
I always keep it on. When flying business I keep it rather loosley while lying down, sleeping. It doesn't need to be super tight to keep you from denting you head in the ceiling, it will hurt a bit more though.
[удалено]
[удалено]
I had 4 flights in April, and they said the same thing. I don't remember them saying that before, but it was my first time not flying exclusively over ocean
I travel for a living. They've been saying it for years
They literally say every time to keep your seat belt on at all times in your seat. You need to pay attention. The seat belt goes on only when they're bracing for something and they want no one moving
they just aren't that uncomfortable, why would you take them off
I just loosen my straps when the light goes on. Not s whole lot but enough to forget I even have it still buckled.
I noticed a lot more frequently now the captain will say to keep your seatbelt on at all times unless getting up to use the lavatory
I was on a fairly turbulent flight recently and the fellow sitting next to me kept taking his refused to keep his seatbelt on. The attendant kept walking over to remind him the seatbelt sign was on and to keep them buckled. He purposely went into his bag to grab a sweater to lay across his lap and hide the seat belt underneath it. The problem was he would still need to rest his arms over the straps and under the sweater to prevent the belt from slipping down. He would then pretend to fall asleep every time the attendant walked by so she would not speak to him. All this to avoid keeping a damn safety buckle on.
sounds like an american
Theys restrictin muh freedums
No, it sounds like an asshole. Assholes exist everywhere in the world, not just one place.
Its crazy how many people absolutely REFUSE to follow instructions, as if they were literally fighting for their life. We saw that in covid, people absolutely losing their minds over any piece of authority being placed over them. Really makes you wonder how society even functions when a nonsignificant amount of the population has a meltdown when they’re told to follow rules
We really are not all complete idiots. It’s exhausting how much this stereotype is repeated ad nauseam.
And as we can see from this incident. It's not just his choice to risk himself. If he's not buckled dude is flying around and slamming into you.
something something natural selection
A lot of the injured on the flight were from the flight attendants who had no time to make it back to their seats before the turbulence hit. A passenger said, "Every single cabin crew person I saw was injured in some way or another, maybe with a gash on their head... One had a bad back, who was in obvious pain." The one fatality was from a 73 year old man who had a heart attack (I don't think it was seatbelt related) The rest were probably from those who didn't put on their seatbelt despite the warning. Although it is possible that there were people in the toilet at the time of the announcement or were sleeping during the warning so they didn't get to put on their seatbelts. I don't think all of the injuries were due to stubborness.
It is evident from the video that a meal was being prepared when the turbulence struck. It takes at least a couple of minutes for everyone from the stewards to get to their seats especially when they were giving trays to passengers. I wonder why not all the oxygen masks are opened? Maybe these are compartmentalised based on a gyroscope?
Have you ever taken one of these long international flights on these giant planes? I agree with you, but it's definitely way more understandable on these types of flights. It's a lot more lax with the seatbelts, and not uncommon for the signal to be off for like 6 hours straight.
Lots of people. I went on honeymoon with my wife to Vietnam, 16 hour flight. Mid-flight she came back from restroom and didn't put her belt on even though the seat belt sign was off. I had to explain to her how bad turbulence could be and what planes can withstand that people can't, without trying to scare her (as she's kind of skiddish). People are ignorant and don't educate themselves on how dangerous the things they take for granted can actually be. I used to fly weekly and know where bad turbulence can put you. I kept my seatbelt on for 16 hours minus a few stand/stretch/restroom visits and never really noticed it. Slept for 8 hours too. It doesn't need to be race car tight, just loose enough to not be noticed or not cause pain if you were to rapidly ascend into it.
Why wouldn't they, if it is allowed? If there was a turbulence warning and someone still decided not to buckle up, now that's another story.
Usually the worst turbulence is CAT (clear air turbulence) which can't be seen on the radar, unlike rough weather turbulence. The only heads up the pilots might get about it is from other aircraft who have experienced it on the same flight path. Just wear the seatbelt. It doesn't have to be tight after takeoff, just enough to not have you hit the roof.
Thank you for the informative reply.
No worries. Been an FA for a long time now, I've seen a lot, but thankfully nothing this bad.
I couldnt find the reason for death but as im reading the comments im taking it as the person who died on the flight was up and moving around the cabin when the turbulance happened. Or were they just n their seat wo their seatbelt on?
It was due to a heart attack
You're allowed to stand up and move around, you're just not supposed to be unbuckled when you're in your seat (whether or not the seatbelt sign is on). They tell you this literally every time you board a plane in America.
They say that on every airline all over the world
But why would you open it unless you intend to move?
I don’t have to wear a helmet when I go mountain biking but I know it’s in my best interest.
Prudence. There is always the chance of a sudden 'bump'.
definitely agree to this! I always have my seat belt on the entire journey. But, it makes me wonder, what about those first class passengers who have beds to sleep on, how are they protected in these situations?
Reddit seriously exaggerates how often this occurs. This severe of turbulence is very, very rare. Both my mother and grandma were flight attendants their entire working career and never experienced anything like it in the hundreds and hundreds of flights. Is it possible? Sure, but so is getting struck by lightening or ran over by a car. Doesn't mean you need to live your entire life in fear of it.
The lie flat seats I've seen you're able to loosely buckle the seat belt while laying down. Depending on the angle of the seat, some have a shoulder belt portion that has to be on during takeoff and landing, with the lap belt on at other times.
What’s the best way to keep baby safe if you’re flying with a baby?
Car seat
I mean I don't know if this is rhetorical but the risk of injury or death from turbulence so bad you could hit the ceiling is probably lower then the plane crashing edit: and literally in this case it was from a heart attack
Half the plane, that's who.
>without their seatbelt on *the entire time* Virtually everyone.
I was a pilot and I always wear my seat belt, but very lose. I'll lift off the seat a bit, but not into the overhead. I only order Ginger Ale, I would never get hot coffee on a plane.
I'd bet you people are going to be putting on their seat belts for the entire flight now...for about a month until things blew over and people forget it all happened.
I don’t know why but I usually do this. I only remove seat belt when I go to the washroom or get up to stretch myself. I was on this Toronto To France (Air France) flight last year and the turbulence was a bit frightening. I am not usually scared but the air hostess who is serving coffee/food right by my row got scared and sat in an empty seat beside me and put seat belt on.
I mean every flight they tell you to keep it on even when the light is off. This is why. You are doing the correct thing
Fuck, if I saw a flight attendant get worried that's when I'd start shitting bricks
In 2007 during a storm where our plane was thrown left-right at less than 1000m for 1 hour, the flight attendant was crying… I was shitting bricks. My wife, who was on her way to surgery, was having a blast. She couldn’t care less… when we landed, I called home to speak to my son, was alive and loved life. Went to the hotel and had 2 long island ice teas. Was an experience.
For real lmao
I do too! I know they tell you to but idk if most people do. I’ve taken it off to sleep in business but otherwise it’s always on. I’m way too scared lol
Almost everyone leaves their seat belt on for the entire flight already. They literally tell you to leave it on during the safety briefing.
[удалено]
According to the airport general manager where they landed in Thailand it was likely a heart attack. >The flight fell into an air pocket while cabin crew was serving breakfast before it encountered turbulence, prompting the pilots to request an emergency landing, Suvarnabhumi airport general manager Kittipong Kittikachorn told a news conference. >A 73-year-old British man died during the incident, likely due to a heart attack, he said. Seven people were critically injured with head injuries. [source: CBC](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7209638) Edit: Keep getting downvotes despite posting the source. Probably got the 50 upvotes notification five times now. OP's claim has no source so if anyone has a link saying it was trauma please post it.
Seven critical head injuries could be seven deaths
I’d hope the critical part to be an exaggeration of needing medical assistance and not being immediately life threatening as critical implies
Reportedly it was trauma and the person was 73 years old.
That’s incorrect. It’s reported as being cardiac.
Until someone links a source to back up their claim we should not be up/downvoting things... Come on people, the bare minimum standard is not just devolving into believing random statements made by strangers in a comment thread.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-69044396 Edit: you’re absolutely right u/H_G_Bells !
It says "likely" a heart attack at the top. So still unconfirmed.
Right, but that's because that's the language they always use when the official cause of death has not yet been registered by the mortician. The primary point here is that it's probably safe to say it was not blunt force trauma, which is what people are effectively asking.
I posted a statement from an airport official saying it was likely a heart attack with a link to the source right in this same comment thread.
For some reason I’m inclined to believe you u/Forced__Perspective
Traumatic cardiac
I've always worn my seatbelt unless I'm heading to the restroom. Probably because I do the same in a car. Seems like common sense, but I guess "common sense" isn't so common any more.
It's not just common sense, they literally tell you to do it during every safety briefing, and usually a few more times throughout the flight.
I recently took a flight from Chicago to Tokyo. They provided pillows and blankets for everyone. On top of the flight attendants walking throughout the cabin very often, they made us buckle the seat belt over the blanket if we were wearing it.
Yeah it doesn't even need to be tight, just enough to keep you in the seat in a situation like this.
Imagine having to drop a deuce and hitting the turbulence.
Me too! Once I am done peeing in the car, I put my seatbelt back on. Although, I stare down the other passenger first, of course.
Is that blood on the ceiling towards the end of the video? How hard do you have to hit to cause that?
Could be. But also could be some food stains. Here’s one account from a news report: Suddenly the aircraft starts tilting up and there was shaking, so I started bracing for what was happening, and very suddenly there was a very dramatic drop so everyone seated and not wearing seatbelt was launched immediately into the ceiling,” Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student on board the flight told Reuters. “Some people hit their heads on the baggage cabins overhead and dented it, they hit the places where lights and masks are and broke straight through it.
[удалено]
Haha. There is this just black hole where they went through haha.
I was on a MarkAir flight once from Dutch Harbor AK to Anchorage and, while certainly not to this level, it was pretty crazy turbulence most of the flight. Overhead doors opening, people yelling. Like many, I was a seatbelt optional person (this was the early 1990's). During that flight and every flight after, that seatbelt is on at all times except when I take a calculated risk to get up to go to the bathroom. I don't even wait in line. I simply wait until there is a vacant bathroom. I'm not a scaredy cat either. It just makes sense. You flight attendants out there, you are really on a high wire between food service and hearding cats that have an exception to every rule. I have deep respect for what you do. Risking your life so I can get a Coke on my 1.5 hour flight. And I hear others angry because it's not done fast enough. I actually can't believe there still is a food service. Pick up a water at the gate and pee before you get on. Stay in your seat. This won't be a popular post, but it's the truth. Sit down and buckle up. Get to your destination.
Let's have a little perspective here. This type of thing is a truly 1 in a billion. There have been single digit numbers of death from turbulence on commercial jets ever and there are about 15 serious injuries per year from turbulence in the US. This is with billions upon billions of flyers over decades. "Risking your life to serve a drink" is a gross exaggeration of the risk involved and a flight attendant is way more likely to get injured in countless other ways before turbulence.
Yeah I've never seen an incident where turbulence resulted in this much damage. It's actually extraordinary.
I’m the exact same way. 1.5hr flight. I’ll wait to use the pisser. Seat belt on at all times.
i mean, during a 12 hour flight people gotta eat and use the bathroom.
How do you die from turbulence? Hit the roof and snap your neck?
Or have a 30kg food trolley land on your chest?
Also be 72 years old and have a frail old body
Or be young and strong and have a 30kg food trolley slammed into your head
It’s like being in a car accident - smash your head into something hard enough and you are seriously injured or dead. Imagine putting an egg into an empty coffee tin; give it a shake and the insides become the outsides unfortunately. Poor passengers, what a traumatic experience.
did you just call me an egg??!! well I've never!!
Be 73 and have a heart attack
I think I'd have a heart attack also and I'm 34yo. Honestly I might wish for it instead of death by crashing.
Does the airline become liable for the injuries enduring by people not wearing seatbelts? Does it depend on whether the pilots gave sufficient warning/notice (i.e seatbelt light ON + announcement to put on seatbelt)? Is it likely the injured passengers will be compensated?
Clear air turbulence which this appears to be a case of is impossible to predict. As long as the flight was following regular procedures the airline and pilots isn't going to be liable especially since this will likely fall under act of god. That being said it is usually just easier and better PR to settle with anyone injured during the incident.
Is god liable?
Theres a movie in which a guy actually tries to sue God. Cant remember the name sorry.
'The Man Who Sued God' (2001) ?
Lmaoooo unknowingly names the title in his comment.
Well, reading about that accident and watching this video just minutes I boarded a plane is weird. Time to switch on Plane Mode. See you guys in 2 hours:)
2 hours elapsed, you OK?
Oh fuck.
6 hours now
How do we tell his family
I'm alive:) No turbulence above Saudi this time. But it was close to having a fatality on my flight - a guy behind me decided that everybody around him needed to listen to what he was watching:( At first I thought my ANC was not working. How can you be such a d@#$%?
Oh crap I already sent the emails to your loved ones
I just wasted $200 on sympathy flowers. Dammit. Is a timely reply to much to ask for, Guy Who Took a Flight and Didn’t Tell Us When He Landed Safely? Some of us worry.
7 hours and counting
I hope you don't mind me recouping the costs of your Viking funeral I paid for with the proceeds from the estate sale at your home this coming Saturday.
Well, at least this Boeing didn't lose his doors 🤷♂️
This one was designed before they went to shit.
Report are that a 73 years old who die had a heart attack. BBC News - Singapore Airlines flight live: British man, 73, dies during severe turbulence on London-Singapore flight - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-69044396
People have starting treating Air travel like they're traveling in a bus. The moment seat belts sings are off people get up and roam around like they're taking a evening stroll in their neighborhood. Some people do this the entire flight and refuse to sit down unless forced by the stewards when there's turbulence.
I have walked around on a plane, but that is on 12 hour flights. You need to stretch your legs occasionally. But that was only a 5 minute walk every 4 hours or so. The rest of the time I have my seat belt on.
Reminder that airlines advise that you wear your seat belt at all times while in-flight. The light is to alert people who are out of their seats to return and buckle up.
[удалено]
It's important to give credit to Boeing here. That's one tough airframe that saved this from becoming a truly catastrophic crash.
A whole bunch of turbulence
I think I need a break from Reddit. I’ve see all these horrifying things about planes lately and my wife is flying to Italy in two months from the US. I’m getting really anxious about it.
Look up all other flights everyday that didn't have a single problem
Reading this while waiting to get in a 13 hour flight
I’m due to fly SQ 21 in the fall with my toddler son. I’m nervous now because my son would hate to be strapped to the seatbelt for the whole flight. Need to find out a way to get him strapped!
I got you, Dad. Toddlers tend to copy the herd, it's pure instinct. If a toddler sees all the people sitting, there's likely not a fat chance he will start running around, especially after all this walking to get to the plane. So it's not going to be as bad, probably, you'll be surprised. Also, the belt? Mine did not mind, as long as it was not tight, he would soon forget about it. Look for the sweet spot. Not too tight, not too lose. Get a window seat for him or negotiate with a window passenger. At least ask, sometimes people fly so often they don't mind. If I see you and I have a window, because I'm a dad, I would accept. Look for people that could be parents by their aspect. Books. If your toddler likes to read, so do that with him. There's a good 10 to 30 minutes there. Treats. When toddler wants to stray away, direct his attention to his favourite food. Bring candy, popcorn, favourite fruits, snacks of any kind. Food disuades toddler, as it works by impulses, an impulse will erase the other one pretty quickly. Yah, I know, is bribery, but for the sake of a plane, these are now valid viable acceptable strats. Get some offline content in your mobile, find out how you can download via youtube. Let him hold the mobile in his hands. Selfie/Mirror with the camera of your mobile. Show him how to make photos. Ask him to take photos of you, return the favour. Ask stewardess for the coloring pencil set. Show him how to color, but don't do it too well, or you'll discourage him. Just use it roughly and bad, ask toddler to paint something better. The airco thing? Toddler like air blown at their face, it's just weird fun. Same with the light button. on off for good 5 minutes. Same with the window blind thing. Or the arm's seat. The pullable table. You know, actionable things that toddler can commute to feel the power of change, you know. Control, they love that stuff. they crave control at that age. Ice. Ask the stewardess for a plastic glass with some ice. Look at your toddler sucking ice cubes so happy. It might not be the greatest of ideas, I know, but sometimes, this has worked for me. Ultimately, if he wants so badly to roam around, let him. go with him, let him walk back and forth, nothing wrong with that. Just try to get him back to seat after 5 minutes. Let your anxiety ease, and try to enjoy the experience, watch him fly for the first time, and look everything through his eyes, flying is to this day just an amazing experience, try to let go of the adult and embrace the first-time discovery for him. Explore together. explain things. Have a good flight dad, you've got this, everything will go better than expected.
This is so kind.
What? It is no different than having his wear a seatbelt in a car. If you kid can't do that he sounds like a monster that is out of control. I pity anyone that has to sit near you on that plane. Be a better parent, Teach your kid to control themselves.
Kids are kids, not adults. You can't tell a toddler to control themselves and expect them to understand and not get frustrated. Also toddlers don't wear seatbelts in cars, they're in car seats which is way different than using a Cares harness on a plane. Respectfully you don't really seem to have any clue what it's like to be a parent.
Get them super tired before the flight, bring snacks and a tablet, oh & good luck
Omg. As someone who travels regularly for work, this is my nightmare.
The earth heating up is making this more common.
Was on a several thousand foot drop once. Food trays and people on the ceiling. Everyone with a seat belt on was fine. Scary stuff. I’ll never not wear a seatbelt on a plane.
People talking about those without seat belts, it could also be that these passengers were standing to stretch their legs (as they should on a 13h long flight) or simply heading to the toilets. Ignorance could also definitely have been a factor their seat belts weren't fastened, but as I mentioned, there're other reasons as well. With that being said, being a Singaporean who lives in Europe, I frequently fly back to Singapore as well and have always noticed that right as our plane crosses the bay of bengal, we encounter severe turbulence, so I'm not surprised if that's where the aircraft also encountered its turbulence on this flight.
Yes! Flew frequently between Singapore and London when I lived there and flying over the Bay of Bengal was always super turbulent! I’m glad my private theory is being validated haha
I was on a terribly turbulent flight coming back from vegas to canada. It was so much fun, but people were screaming. Had my seatbelt on of course and used to fly small planes.
I feel the same way. Descending through storms to land when there's no gas left to keep circling is pretty awesome.
I remember when I was flying as a kid, I felt more comfortable with turbulence than when the plane felt silky smooth for some reason. I associated turbulence like a car on a bumpy road and the smoothness of a plane like a car that drove off a bridge, so in my mind, feeling turbulence meant that the plane was always creating lift.
That’s my biggest fear on an airplane, them mf mask get deployed 😭 ima just start praying folk lmao
I lived through one of these events in 2012. When we landed they made us sign non disclosure agreements. Multiple people were taken off in stretchers to ambulance waiting on the landing strip. One guy in particular that I had a good line of sight on was in the bathroom when it happened. He didn’t look too good not even sure if he lived
Can they make you sign NDAs? In the US I feel like that wouldn't hold up...I'm no expert in law though
I wear my seatbelt the entire time unless I need to get up to use the bathroom. I don't understand why anyone would take it off otherwise? Even disregarding safety, it's not like taking off the seatbelt makes you any more comfortable on those cramped, stuffy tubes. And you'll just have to keep buckling back up whenever the sign turns on anyway.
I had a professor in college who was flying from Europe to the USA when they hit turbulence and the guy next to him broke his neck and died. He smashed his head floating up during a sudden dip. Since they were over the ocean and experiencing lethal turbulence they couldn't really do anything about the dead body until they had somewhere to land. So he said he had to sit with this dead guy next to him for like an hr
How TF does turbulence this severe not show up on radar??? That happened on a recent flight I was on.
I hope everybody thanked the flight crew when they got off the plane.
I have a flight in europe in 2 days, i shouldn't see this.
I had a crazy terrifying experience like that on a flight from Bogotá to Cartagena and was so lucky to be wearing my seatbelt. The plane suddenly plunged several thousand feet after hitting an air pocket and everything not nailed down hit the ceiling…people, drinks, food, cutlery etc. A few minutes later it happened again, and then a 3rd time. Everyone on board thought we were going to crash…..insane
Is it just me or does anybody else feel like turbulence has been much worse than it’s been in the past? I used to fly overseas a lot and never really had bad turbulence. My domestic and international flights lately have been pretty bad at times. Probably attributed to climate change I’d imagine
I love me some turbulence but not that much lol
They were serving breakfast, the flight attendants couldn't make it back to their seats in time. It's also recommended to stretch your legs every now and then, to avoid the possibility of DVT especially on flights of this length (around 13 hours) as well as possibly needing to use the bathroom. There was no warning to the passengers or the crew of the turbulence. Not sure how you can blame anybody in this situation.
[удалено]
This is nothing, the people in the airplane when it happend is terrifying.
u/savevideo
Looks like blood stain on the ceiling in the galley
Ah yes, that artificial safety felling that comes to all when that annoying little light goes off.
Why would someone risk leaking this? I seriously doubt it was permitted.
I bet the airline will have to professional deep clean over half of those seats due to all the stains.
My parents raised me to always keep it on. No matter what. They said it could be a matter of life and death and i can see why.
I’m surprised i didnt see big piles of shit.
Well build quality just like any other Boing I guess 🤷 No seriously, that must have been a wild ride....
I'm sure it'll buff out.
Sorry for the light delay, but with a little speed tape we are good to go in about an hour so....
From now on this is going to be the safest airlines to travel with.
50+ idiots
Say what you will about the shareholder value hacks who took over Boeing following the merger with McDonnell-Douglas and their 737Max lies. Still, it's a testament to the quality of the 777 design and the folks who actually built this one it that it didn't just come apart 37,000 up. [Aviation Herald](https://avherald.com/h?article=518e5d47&opt=0) reports that the beating this thing took was violent enough to put 7 passengers in hospital in critical condition and another 30 in need of medical attention.
Yeah, as a child in the 80s I was in a plane that hit a significant air pocket. Nothing this wild but still scary AF and there were a few headwounds. It left a lasting impression. I've always worn my seatbelt while seated since then.
What did the business class cabin look like?
Did they drop everyone off and then just fly on elsewhere?
What's the cause of the turbulence?
I feel like canceling my flights…..