Expert suggests leaving seatbelt sign on too long could be bad for flight safety
An airline safety expert says plane crews may be unwittingly compromising flight safety by leaving seatbelt signs on too long.
Greg Marshall suggests passengers may not see the need to remain buckled up if the signs remain illuminated during a smooth ride or if no one has explained to fliers what’s going on.
“The seatbelt sign can tend to stay on for long periods of time. There are occasions when I believe the crews simply forget to turn the sign off,” said Marshall of Flight Safety Foundation, an aviation safety advocacy group headquartered in Alexandria, Va.
“The intent of putting the seatbelt sign on degrades because passengers get up and walk around the cabin anyway.”