IF the seatbelt light is on, passengers are generally well behaved and will stay in their seats. Which is why I wish we could keep it on much more than we do during flights, because people just won't learn. As a cabin crew member, I see passengers getting up and about at the silliest times, including at moments when it's much more dangerous than others.
That's why I wanted to write about when you should and shouldn't be getting up and out of your seat in my weekly blog for Sun Travel . People often assume that, just because the seatbelt light is switched off, they're alright to stand up and walk around. But that isn't always the case.
The light being off just means that, if they need to go to the toilet , they're probably okay to do so, but it's more of a safety advisory than anything else. It means that we aren't experiencing enough turbulence and, should a passenger be up on their feet, they're probably going to be okay. But passengers should always assess the cabin before they get up, in case there are hazards or other problems that they could encounter.
The main thing that few seem to consider is the food and drinks trolley. If that's being pushed up and down the cabin, you should really be staying in your seat. At the very least, you could get your toe run over or get bashed by the trolley , which happens all the time.
I'm sick of people looking at me angrily after I've accidentally hit their foot with the trolley because, really, it's their fault they got hit. I know th.
