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Illegal to disobey fasten seat belt sign?

Comedians Key & Peele crush it in this hilarious new skit about a standoff between a feisty flight attendant and entitled passenger battling over whether it’s illegal to disobey airline fasten seat belt signs. Well done!

Enjoy!

And if you are truly wondering about the legal ramifications of disobeying flight attendants, here’s a good read. This, too. 

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Comments

  1. Cute, I suppose. It does gloss over the fact that – whether or not the seat belt sign carries the force of law – flight attendant instructions do carry the force of law, as a felony in the United States.

  2. Brilliant video! Definitely concur with Jack….. my tolerance for pax who think they can do whatever they want is also zero. Also not allowed when I’m piloting a small plane. Another example: While I find it a bit uncomfortable to request a person in front of me who has reclined their seat after the FA checks (prior to take-off or landing) to put it upright, I will. Selfishly, it is my safety I’m concerned about.

    I explicitly know the federal regulations for general aviation seat belt use, but did a quick search for specific requirements in part 121 (air carriers). Found this below on FlyerTalk with already bolded key phrases:

    14 CFR 121.317 (b) Except as provided in paragraph (l) of this section, the “Fasten Seat Belt” sign shall be turned on during any movement on the surface, for each takeoff, for each landing, and at any other time considered necessary by the pilot in command.

    14 CFR 121.317 (f) Each passenger required by § 121.311(b) to occupy a seat or berth shall fasten his or her safety belt about him or her and keep it fastened while the “Fasten Seat Belt” sign is lighted.

    Are there situations where it is a personal bio emergency and just can’t wait? Yes, though they SHOULD be quite rare. The FAs are just doing their jobs being the informer of the seat belt sign, so don’t take it out on them. They can’t explicitly give permission.

    The joys of air travel…..

  3. Crew member distractions endanger passengers, especially when the crew is performing their safety-related duties. If you can’t follow the rules, don’t get on the plane. If you don’t know the rules, read up. If you want to challenge authority, wait until you’re on the ground. I have zero tolerance for passengers who think they can do whatever they want. It’s not allowed in my little four seater and it should not be allowed on an airliner either.

    I’ve observed instances where the captain seems to have forgotten to turn the seat belt sign off, in which case I’ll press the call button to get the attention of a flight attendant and then make a polite request. I don’t have much sympathy for passengers who suddenly realize they “need to go” right before landing. Either get it done ahead of time or be careful how much liquid you consume or just suck it up. I don’t want you or your luggage falling on me If the captain has to maneuver the airplane unexpectedly or encounters turbulence

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