Riding in an airplane is totally different from riding a land vehicle. You cannot stand-up and roam around at your own convenience. There are safety rules to follow. One of them is the fasten seatbelt sign, and you should never stand-up while it is on!
Sadly, no one really sees the danger of disobeying simple rules on board the aircraft until there’s an actual emergency situation. We all don’t want this to happen, to experience a real dangerous situation in order for us to obey these safety rules on board.
Your flight attendants and pilots are highly trained by the airline. They know what is right and wrong, what to do and not what to do. They are experts inside the aircraft, which is why we have to obey them.
The danger of ignoring the fasten seatbelt sign
Ignoring a switched-on fasten seatbelt sign is dangerous. You can get badly injured if you do not follow that warning sign and your cabin crew who tells you to do so. For as long as that fasten seatbelt sign above you is lighted, you have to remain in your seat with your seatbelts on, regardless if the aircraft is flying or taxiing. The pilots can anticipate any danger that lies ahead, which is why they switch it on. It’s for your safety at the end of the day, something you paid for.
Why is it important to follow the fasten seatbelt sign?
- A sudden change in the aircraft’s movement can get you thrown-off, resulting to injuries. An example is when the tire blocks are not yet placed on the aircraft’s wheels. Even if the aircraft is no longer in motion, it can still move all of a sudden. The sudden movement can get you thrown off-balance. Pilots know when it is safe to stand-up, and they make sure that the tire blocks are placed before the fasten seatbelt sign is switched off.
- For as long as the plane is in motion, even during taxi, you are supposed to remain seated with your seatbelt sign on. Please do not compare this to riding an MRT where you just stand-up and hold on the railings. Totally far from each other. The plane’s sudden movement change can throw you again off-balance. Or if you are opening the overhead compartment, a sudden movement change can get the luggage falling on other passengers.
- Getting your personal belongings from the overhead bin while the aircraft is in motion at the ground can cause luggage to fall off once it finally stops. It may injure other passengers as there is a possibility that these luggage may have changed positions during the flight.
- There is something called CAT or Clear Air Turbulence, and this happens midflight. CAT is not detected by radar, and if flown into, can throw everyone and everything flying around the cabin. This is why it is recommended that you remain seated with your seatbelts fastened even if the seatbelt sign is on. Even if the sky is clear, you can still fly through CAT.
- Pilots switch on the fasten seatbelt sign when passing through turbulence. Except for CAT, turbulent areas can be seen on their radars. You have to immediately return to your seats. Flight attendants have to halt inflight service like meal service and return to their seats.
- If you get thrown and injured because you disobeyed the flight attendants the lighted fasten seatbelt sign is on and despite constant reminders, the airline is not liable for any damage. Hence, you cannot sue them.
- Trust me, there is no prize for the first person to exit the aircraft. Plus, you will get to the baggage carousel at the same time. Connecting flight? You would rather obey the rules on board and make it to your connecting flight than disobey the rules and not make it at all.
Obey your cabin crew at all costs
The flight attendants are highly trained to deal with danger on board. However, they are also authorized by their respective airlines to impose safety measures on board. One of them is following the fasten seatbelt sign.
Always remember, for as long as that fasten seatbelt sign is on, then you have to get back to your seat and buckle up. Wait for it until it is switched-off. Your pilots know when it is safe to get your luggage on the overhead compartment. They see what you don’t see. So just follow your flight crew!
As they say, “prevention is better than cure”.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
