Pilot comments about some passenger disregard of the 'fasten seatbelt' sign; the potential for injur...

Attributes
ACN	651189
Time
Date	200503
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : dallas 7
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	651189
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct cabin event other inflight encounter : turbulence
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Cabin Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Prior to gate departure; I made a PA; as I always do; welcoming the passenger and reminding them about a few safety and security items. Among other things; I always caution them about observing the seatbelt sign; even when it seems smooth. Climbing out; we encountered unforecasted light chop starting at about 8000 ft. The chop got worse as we climbed; changing to moderate chop; light turbulence and then continuous moderate turbulence. ATC advised they were now getting reports of chop and turbulent conditions at all altitudes eastbound until the vicinity of memphis. During the time I was collecting information and assessing the conditions; I heard the forward lavatory flush motor 2 or 3 times; indicating that passenger were using the lavatory. I also heard the #1 flight attendant make at least 2 PA's advising passenger to remain seated. I then made a strongly worded PA myself; warning the passenger that it was not safe to be out of their seats and that it was a violation of FAA rules to ignore the seatbelt signs. Incredibly; after the announcements and despite the turbulent conditions; people continued to get up to use the lavatory. I am astounded at the number of passenger that pay no attention to the seatbelt signs and that ignore announcements and safety rules. The reasons passenger ignore rules are many; including ignorance; apathy; selfishness and a belief that a service industry has no right to impose restrs on customers; among others. But the main reason is that they are rarely required to face the consequences of their violations. I would suggest that we start enforcing the seatbelt rules more aggressively. We need to make more announcements when we know people are listening. We need to offer examples of what can happen in cases of non compliance -- both in terms of injuries and penalties. And as a last resort; we must be prepared to charge blatant violators with misconduct.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT COMMENTS ABOUT SOME PAX DISREGARD OF THE 'FASTEN SEATBELT' SIGN; THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURIES; AND SUGGESTS SIGN VIOLATION ENFORCEMENT WITH PENALTIES.

Narrative: PRIOR TO GATE DEP; I MADE A PA; AS I ALWAYS DO; WELCOMING THE PAX AND REMINDING THEM ABOUT A FEW SAFETY AND SECURITY ITEMS. AMONG OTHER THINGS; I ALWAYS CAUTION THEM ABOUT OBSERVING THE SEATBELT SIGN; EVEN WHEN IT SEEMS SMOOTH. CLBING OUT; WE ENCOUNTERED UNFORECASTED LIGHT CHOP STARTING AT ABOUT 8000 FT. THE CHOP GOT WORSE AS WE CLBED; CHANGING TO MODERATE CHOP; LIGHT TURB AND THEN CONTINUOUS MODERATE TURB. ATC ADVISED THEY WERE NOW GETTING RPTS OF CHOP AND TURBULENT CONDITIONS AT ALL ALTS EBOUND UNTIL THE VICINITY OF MEMPHIS. DURING THE TIME I WAS COLLECTING INFO AND ASSESSING THE CONDITIONS; I HEARD THE FORWARD LAVATORY FLUSH MOTOR 2 OR 3 TIMES; INDICATING THAT PAX WERE USING THE LAVATORY. I ALSO HEARD THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT MAKE AT LEAST 2 PA'S ADVISING PAX TO REMAIN SEATED. I THEN MADE A STRONGLY WORDED PA MYSELF; WARNING THE PAX THAT IT WAS NOT SAFE TO BE OUT OF THEIR SEATS AND THAT IT WAS A VIOLATION OF FAA RULES TO IGNORE THE SEATBELT SIGNS. INCREDIBLY; AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND DESPITE THE TURBULENT CONDITIONS; PEOPLE CONTINUED TO GET UP TO USE THE LAVATORY. I AM ASTOUNDED AT THE NUMBER OF PAX THAT PAY NO ATTN TO THE SEATBELT SIGNS AND THAT IGNORE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SAFETY RULES. THE REASONS PAX IGNORE RULES ARE MANY; INCLUDING IGNORANCE; APATHY; SELFISHNESS AND A BELIEF THAT A SVC INDUSTRY HAS NO RIGHT TO IMPOSE RESTRS ON CUSTOMERS; AMONG OTHERS. BUT THE MAIN REASON IS THAT THEY ARE RARELY REQUIRED TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR VIOLATIONS. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE START ENFORCING THE SEATBELT RULES MORE AGGRESSIVELY. WE NEED TO MAKE MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS WHEN WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE LISTENING. WE NEED TO OFFER EXAMPLES OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN CASES OF NON COMPLIANCE -- BOTH IN TERMS OF INJURIES AND PENALTIES. AND AS A LAST RESORT; WE MUST BE PREPARED TO CHARGE BLATANT VIOLATORS WITH MISCONDUCT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Pilot comments about some passenger disregard of the 'fasten seatbelt' sign; the potential for injuries; and suggests sign violation enforcement with penalties.