to find it rude when people ignore the safety talk on an airplane?

[Beograde]

I find it rude when the aircrew ask us to for just a few minutes attention before we take off, and so many people keep on reading, etc? I know most people have flown a lot of times before, and maybe won't learnt something, but I think we're only being asked for a couple of minutes attention or so, and it just seems rude and disrespectful.

AIBU?

[bringonthetrumpets]

I think even if every single person on the plane listened to the talk, it would be mayhem in the event of a crash because people lose their cool under situations like that.

[JessieMcJessie]

YANBU, it is a matter of basic courtesy to look up while the cabin crew go through the demonstration. You don't have to pay attention if you don't want to, but stop talking, put down your paper and at least pretend you are listening. If you actually smile at the cabin crew as they are doing it you might even get slightly better service from them when the drinks come round.

That's the etiquette point. Turning to the practical reasons to pay attention, I know a fair bit about this because it's relevant to my job. If you don't listen to anything else, do pay attention to where your nearest exit is because that will of course be different every time. To those who say "well, if the plane goes down we're all dead anyway", you should be aware that crashes are not common but emergency evacuations either before take-off or after a safe landing happen a lot more frequently than you might think. I have 2 on my books at the moment - one when an aircraft landed very fast and heavy after engine failure, so the passengers had to be evacuated quickly in case there was a fire, and another when the passenger cabin filled with smoke before take-off. These were safe, reputable, major international airlines.

If the aircraft has to be evacuated and you don't know what way you're going, or know to look for the lights in the floor, you are endangering yourself and other passengers. Yes, people do panic, so they'll be getting in your way, and the cabin crew won't be showing you the way either becuase they all have to get to the doors and man the top of the slides once the evacuation begins. Also important to be aware of the instruction not to inflate the lifejacket before you exit the aircraft. When you get to the slide, listen to what they tell you too - the most common injuries are broken ankles sustained on the slides.

Re the oxygen masks, sudden depressurisation is rare but it has happened, though I accept that it's fairly obvious what to do when the mask drops down. However how many people have panicked that the mask isn't working because the little bag doesn't inflate? If you listen to the briefing you'll hear them tell you that is normal.


And by the way I always keep my seatbelt fastened throughout the flight regardless of whether the fasten seatbelt signs are on because I have seen countless cases of back and neck injuries sustained by passengers slamming into the ceiling during unexpected clear-air turbulence. The other day a guy broke his ankle in such an incident and the whole flight had to be diverted to ge him urgent medical assistance. Yes, you do have to get up now and again to go to the loo, and you'll just have to risk it when you're walking about, but it's really not that much of a pain to fasten it when you sit back down.
And if you don't fasten your seatlbelt when the sign is on, and the crew endanger themselves coming over to help you, the airline can sue you.

[complexnumber]

I have never understood why I am being told how to inflate my life jacket when the plane is not actually flying over any water!

[Beograde]

Jessie, that's very interesting about the risks and adds more reason to listen. My main point is the courtesy angle. These people who could save my life have asked for two minutes attention. It just seems incredibly rude not to.

[NannyR]

complex - I don't think I've ever been shown how to inflate a life jacket on an over land flight, they do tweak the safety talk according to route. For example, on klm, Paris to Amsterdam, no sea, no life jacket talk, then amsterdam to uk, flying over water, they do tell you about life jackets. Qantas and ba are the same.

[complexnumber]

NannyR - I certainly have, several times. Flying from Istanbul to S. Turkey is the most recent example I can think of.

I don't think it very courteous of the airline to expect me to listen to that.

[desertgirl]

If there is a river or lake around, they may well try to land in it (as with the landing in the Hudson) rather than in a built up area - so even if you aren't crossing a large body of water, the lifejacket bit may be relevant (much more likely to be worth doing in a river or lake than mid-Atlantic anyway)

[JessieMcJessie]

Spot on desertgirl.

[Nancy66]

I never listen.

I don't talk or disrupt but I don't tune in either.

[EuroShagmore]

YABU.

I take probably an average of about 20 flights a year, so I know the damn thing off by heart anyway.

In the event of a full on crash, you are all toast anyway. In the event of an emergency evacuation, the key thing is to know where the exits are. I always count the seat backs to each exit, so I could find it in the dark if I had to. The rest of the safety briefing is just pointless.

[OneMoreChap]

YAB a bit U

New aircraft type, new airline I listen. I try not to be really obvious if I'm not and reading, and will glance at the crew occasionally.

I've heard the safety briefing for some aircraft/airlines 50+ times

[Ephiny]

I see your point, but I'm not too bothered what other people do as long as they're not talking or being distracting - that is rude, both to the flight attendant and to others who do want to pay attention.

[limitedperiodonly]

They're looking for people who are paying attention. In the event of an emergency guess who'll get the most help, someone who's tucked their hands and legs in so they don't get broken and knows how to count the way to the nearest exit or the prat who goes "whaaa?"

[squoosh]

I check to see where the exit is and promptly bury my nose back in my book.

[squoosh]

The emergency landing on the Hudson was amazing though. I'd still be on a brandy drip if I'd been one of those passengers.

[RainyAfternoon]

complex - you will be briefed how to use a life jacket if one of the alternates is over water. ie where the aircraft will be diverted in the event of an airport being closed due to poor weather or emergency. eg Paris to Amsterdam - London might be an alternate.

Many many crashes are survivable - it's only the big ones where everyone dies that we hear about. There are plenty of examples of 'hard and fast' landings with emergency evacuations where everyone survives. Also examples of where people died due to not following instructions. One landing on water where people inflated life jackets before exiting the aircraft and then couldn't dive down to get out of the doors. Biggest risk in an emergency landing is fire and you have about 60 secs to get out of the plane. If you hesitate you are quite literally toast.

Yes the people that survive are generally the ones that have listened and are prepared. When you are in an emergency if you can do something automatically you stand a better chance of survival. Why do people have fire drills at work when we all 'know' what to do? It's so you can do it automatically. So YANBU - it's not just rude but also a bit arrogant to ignore the safety briefing.

[chipsandpeas]

i rarely listen however on one thomsons flight i was watching a video with kids doing it
kept my attention

[Tee2072]

YABU if the plane is crashing I would bet not 1 in 10 people will remember the 4 minute briefing in their panic.

You beat me to it, Zachary. [hgrin]

[geegee888]

YABU OP. I was kind of the school swot, but even I'm not as goody goody as that!

[PinkFairyDust]

I think they should give out parachutes

[PeshwariNaan]

YABU. I used to fly overseas about 6 times a year for work and for my long distance relationship. I also flew cross-country in the US about twice a year to see family. The speech never changed. I had it memorised. I'm sorry if you're offended but honestly I'm fairly certain I would have known what to do had something happened.

[spoonsspoonsspoons]

Yabu

However in my world i'd lock the seatbelts of anyone who tried to undo them before the light went off after landing.

Have actually been sat on a plane with the pilot saying they're not moving any further until everyone sits down.

[Woozley]

I don't mind people quietly looking away or reading, but talking over it so others can't hear would be rude.

I always think if I pay total attention it won't crash though

[cozietoesie]

I always listen with great attention. I would consider it unlucky not to.

[Charliefarlie1192]

as cabin crew we were taught that despite all our training the chances of surviving a crash especially in a ditching situation are next to nothing. If a plane lands on water it will break in two and suck everything down with it