Why passengers should wear seat belts during flights

Associate Professor Dr. Alberto Bernabeo - Senior Head of Aviation, RMIT University Vietnam, a captain with more than 10,000 flight hours - reminded passengers to fasten their seat belts when sitting on the plane even when the seat belt sign is turned off, to ensure safety throughout the flight.

On May 26, a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Dublin encountered turbulence, injuring 12 passengers and crew members. Five days earlier, a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok due to severe turbulence. A 73-year-old British passenger died of a heart attack and hundreds were injured in the incident.

Associate Professor, Dr. Alberto Bernabeo (left cover).

Associate Professor Dr. Alberto Bernabeo - Senior Head of Aviation at RMIT University Vietnam has over 10,000 flight hours, recognized as a captain and flight instructor, and has experienced many situations where aircraft encounter weather turbulence.

“The first thing I learned from my first captain was that as pilots, we need to wear both lap and shoulder seat belts. However, passengers only have lap seat belts for many reasons. To all passengers, my advice is simple: Wear your seat belt. Keep yourself and your family safe by wearing your seat belt while on the plane, even when the seat belt sign is off,” said Alberto Bernabeo.

Mr. Alberto Bernabeo affirmed that the seat belt on the plane helps to hold the seat position and protect the passenger during the critical moments of the flight and turbulence. The seat belt is designed to be low and tight at the hips, not around the waist, to prevent injuries and effectively limit the body from falling forward.

The captain advised passengers to always pay attention when the seatbelt sign is displayed. Pilots know the weather ahead and the conditions that may cause turbulence. However, unexpected turbulence, such as clear sky turbulence (CAT), can be a challenge even for experienced pilots.

Changes in weather and climate are causing more extreme weather events around the world . When Alberto Bernabeo began flying in Europe, maximum cloud tops were set at flight level 280 (28,000 feet, about 8,534 m). Today, clouds are commonly found at flight level 400 (40,000 feet, about 12,192 m) and above, especially near the equator in the intertropical region, almost at the top of the troposphere.

Chaotic scene inside a Boeing 777-300ER that encountered turbulence and had to make an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand on May 21. Photo: Reuters.

This is due to the high energy in the lower troposphere, which causes extreme phenomena such as cumulonimbus (CB) thunderstorms. These storms affect people on the ground and aircraft in the air. When pilots need to avoid bad weather conditions or clustered thunderstorms (a series of high-energy cumulonimbus clouds), passengers need to properly fasten their seat belts, even holding onto the armrests, to ensure safety.

“Theory sounds easy but practice can sometimes be difficult. Depending on your flying experience, try to stay as calm and relaxed as possible, and always listen to the flight crew’s instructions,” said Alberto Bernabeo.

Sometimes, pilots will give warnings to the entire flight about impending adverse weather conditions. Unfortunately, many passengers do not pay attention to these warnings, similar to how they often use their cell phones or unbuckle their seatbelts when approaching landing, according to Dr. Alberto Bernabeo.

The captain insisted that cell phones should not be used unless authorized by the flight crew. There is not much we can do as passengers until we are safely on the ground and the plane has reached its parking spot.

Passengers are advised to wear seat belts throughout the flight (photo: Vietnam+).

In fact, in the aviation operation process, fastening seat belts on flights is especially important. Before the plane takes off, airline crews always spend about 7-10 minutes instructing passengers on flight safety regulations, including instructions on how to fasten seat belts.

When the plane takes off, the seat belt sign is always displayed to warn and remind passengers to fasten their seat belts. When the plane reaches a stable altitude, the seat belt sign turns off, but the chief flight attendant warns passengers that if they do not leave their seats, they should fasten their seat belts throughout the flight.

During the flight, when the flight attendants detect that the plane is about to enter an area of bad weather or turbulence, they quickly make an announcement and ask passengers to remain seated with their seat belts fastened. The flight attendants continue to advise passengers to check and fasten their seat belts when the plane is about to land.

(According to 24h)

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