Close Calls in the Sky: Alaska and Japan Airlines Bring Safety Demonstrations to the Forefront

When boarding a flight, many of us go through the motions of settling into our seats, often disregarding the pre-flight safety demonstration. However, recent incidents involving Japan Airlines and Alaska Airlines highlight the critical importance of paying attention to these safety procedures.

The Ignored Safety Demo

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, emphasizes that passengers often have low attention rates during safety demonstrations. Despite the distractions of modern technology and reduced flight attendant staffing, it’s crucial for travelers to heed these instructions.

Capturing Attention

Airlines have made efforts to capture travelers’ attention during safety briefings, such as pausing entertainment and enhancing video presentations. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires airlines to provide pre-flight safety briefings, but how they present this information is left to their discretion.

Heeding Safety Instructions

In critical situations, following safety instructions can be a matter of life and death. The rapid evacuation of the Japan Airlines inferno, which avoided fatalities, was attributed in part to passengers leaving their cabin bags behind, allowing for a speedier exit. However, instances such as American Airlines Flight 383 saw passengers ignoring instructions and bringing their carry-on luggage during an emergency evacuation.

Strap In for Safety

It’s essential for passengers to adhere to the seatbelt sign and instructions from flight attendants, even when the sign is off. Seatbelts not only protect passengers during events like the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 incident, but also during turbulence encounters.

Conclusion

The recent close calls involving Japan Airlines and Alaska Airlines serve as poignant reminders of the criticality of paying attention to pre-flight safety demonstrations. It’s imperative that passengers engage with and adhere to these safety protocols, as their compliance can be pivotal in ensuring the well-being of everyone aboard an aircraft.