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Comments (10)
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Save/ShareThanks to the 150 readers who wrote in about their experiences, we now know that many flight attendants are asking passengers to remove their personal belongings from their seat back pockets. But we also know that this policy is not consistent from flight to flight or from airline to airline.
Why is that? A flight attendant for a major commercial airline, Sara Keagle, who blogs at TheFlyingPinto.com, contacted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Hotline, which is aimed at helping air crews do their job correctly. Here was the FAA agent Jim Knight's response to her question:
It is currently only FAA "guidance," not a regulation . The agency is recommending airline companies consider the guidance as a way of developing their own set of company policies.
In other words, the FAA mandates FARs (Federal Aviation Regulations) that every airline must comply with. These require by law that laptops and major personal belongings be properly stowed in the overhead bins or under the seat in front of you.
Each airline also issues "guidance." The guidance is that the FAA will support an airline that decides to ban even small personal items from the seatback pocket. Airlines can establish their own policies on this matter. The FAA will help each airline enforce its own individual company policy. The FAA is recommending airline companies consider the guidance of keeping seatback pockets empty of personal items as a way of developing their own set of company policies. But it is not a federal, consistent law.
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Nice investigative work FP! I was trying to understand, "Since when??" on my last flight, I thought the FA was just making up his own rules! Used it anyway, for my snacks, he couldn't see.
Posted By Dave on September 3, 2009, 8:47 PM
If you read the actually rule:
FAR121.589 "all carry-on baggage must be stowed in an 'approved' location for taxi, takeoff, and landing"
it only applies to "taxi, takeoff, and landing" and doesn't refer to in-flight so you can stow all you want after the plane is in the air. Any airline that is enforcing it in-flight is going beyond the FAA guidance.
Posted By Guy on September 5, 2009, 2:42 PM
Do you not have anything better to worry about that what people put in a pocket on the back of a seat that they are using for a hour or two? It seems to me that the FAA and FAR need to be more concerned with bigger issues, like making planes safer and arriving on time, you know stupid stuff like that!!!!!
Posted By K.G.Burns on September 8, 2009, 8:07 AM
That certainly did not clear anything up for me.
Posted By Diana hershberger on September 8, 2009, 12:30 PM
I find it interesting that some of the airlines are enforcing this "guidance" from the FAA. Have you ever noticed that after an airplane crash often corrections/replacements need to be made to plane parts? The airlines are given years to achieve compliance regarding a safety issue. Yet they're hewing to the line on this Mickey Mouse nonsense.
Posted By Nancy on September 8, 2009, 2:44 PM
I work for an airline.
Everyday we get complaints from passengers who have left their jewelry,or I pod, camera etc in the seat backs.........I want to tell them [but I can't] NOT to put anything of value, anywhere but in their carry on and UNDER the seat in front of them, NOT IN THE OVERHEAD. Where other passengers can unzip their bags.
And NOT to put valuables in CHECKED bags. Put them in your CARRY ON BAG ......under your seat.
We are here to help you but people should take responsibility for their own belongings.
Also, I would like to remind passengers of what your GRANDMOTHER should have taught you. To be POLITE to people who are trying to HELP YOU. If you are RUDE, they may not try at all.
Thank you,
Posted By LAS VEGAS LADY on September 8, 2009, 3:03 PM
FAR actually means Federal Acquisition Regulation (unless the FAA uses Aviation as the 2nd word) for the rest of the Governmental agencies. Bill
Posted By Albert Oakes on September 8, 2009, 3:37 PM
I'm always afraid if I leave anything in the seat pocket, that I may forget it and leave the non valuable that I left there.
Posted By Joe Blaze on September 8, 2009, 9:49 PM
No, Albert, that is not correct.
FAR stands for Federal Aviation Regulations
http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/
--Sean
Blog editor
Posted By Blog Editor on September 9, 2009, 3:29 PM
Lordy! Lordy! Now that flying in the U.S.is like flying as a prisoner in an 8th World Country, more and more I seriously consider alternatives before I book airfare. If I can possibly walk, cycle, bus, train, or cruise to my destination, I will. Flying is now my choice of last resort. As I type, I'm sure someone is revising the in flight safety message to include: "Should the plane loose pressure, an oxygen mask will automatically drop from the ceiling if you have pre-paid for air."
Posted By R. Y. Woodhouse on September 11, 2009, 12:40 AM