Narrative:

I have been heavily involved in aircraft accident investigation and safety issues for the past 41 years. In my current occupation; I travel on the airlines a good deal. I have noticed a couple of cabin safety issues which need to be addressed. First; when the boarding announcement is given and they come to the part about life vests; they instruct the passengers to inflate both sides of the life vest prior to leaving the aircraft. I know of no other airline that does this. With the size of most americans today; many could not get through an emergency exit window without a life vest; but most people probably could not get through the window with both sides of the vest inflated. What will happen is that a large; or even medium-sized person with his/her vest fully inflated will block or become wedged in the exit; and many lives will be lost unnecessarily. Most airlines tell you to inflate the vest after you have exited the window; or at the most only have you inflate one side. This announcement needs to be changed. It is done the same way both on the tape and in live demonstrations. The second issue is the window shades. The flight attendants almost invariable instruct the passengers to close their shades when the movie starts. But then; they never tell them to open them again. The result is that the landing is made with most of the window shades still closed. I have noticed that many passengers close the shades when they first board the aircraft; and therefore the shades are also closed for takeoff. This happened on my last flight; and I was in an emergency exit row. The passenger next to the window closed it immediately upon being seated; and it stayed closed for the entire flight. The flight attendants; and the passengers; need to be able to see out of the windows during takeoff and landing; so in the event of an accident; they can avoid opening an exit where there may be a fire or other obstruction. It should be included in the taxiing announcement that all window shades must be up for takeoff; and it should be made on the final announcement that all window shades must be open for landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX RPTS THAT ACR PRE-DEP BRIEFING INSTRUCTS PAX TO INFLATE THEIR LIFE VESTS PRIOR TO EXITING THE ACFT IN THE EVENT OF A WATER LNDG.

Narrative: I HAVE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AND SAFETY ISSUES FOR THE PAST 41 YEARS. IN MY CURRENT OCCUPATION; I TRAVEL ON THE AIRLINES A GOOD DEAL. I HAVE NOTICED A COUPLE OF CABIN SAFETY ISSUES WHICH NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. FIRST; WHEN THE BOARDING ANNOUNCEMENT IS GIVEN AND THEY COME TO THE PART ABOUT LIFE VESTS; THEY INSTRUCT THE PASSENGERS TO INFLATE BOTH SIDES OF THE LIFE VEST PRIOR TO LEAVING THE AIRCRAFT. I KNOW OF NO OTHER AIRLINE THAT DOES THIS. WITH THE SIZE OF MOST AMERICANS TODAY; MANY COULD NOT GET THROUGH AN EMERGENCY EXIT WINDOW WITHOUT A LIFE VEST; BUT MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY COULD NOT GET THROUGH THE WINDOW WITH BOTH SIDES OF THE VEST INFLATED. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT A LARGE; OR EVEN MEDIUM-SIZED PERSON WITH HIS/HER VEST FULLY INFLATED WILL BLOCK OR BECOME WEDGED IN THE EXIT; AND MANY LIVES WILL BE LOST UNNECESSARILY. MOST AIRLINES TELL YOU TO INFLATE THE VEST AFTER YOU HAVE EXITED THE WINDOW; OR AT THE MOST ONLY HAVE YOU INFLATE ONE SIDE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. IT IS DONE THE SAME WAY BOTH ON THE TAPE AND IN LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THE WINDOW SHADES. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS ALMOST INVARIABLE INSTRUCT THE PASSENGERS TO CLOSE THEIR SHADES WHEN THE MOVIE STARTS. BUT THEN; THEY NEVER TELL THEM TO OPEN THEM AGAIN. THE RESULT IS THAT THE LANDING IS MADE WITH MOST OF THE WINDOW SHADES STILL CLOSED. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MANY PASSENGERS CLOSE THE SHADES WHEN THEY FIRST BOARD THE AIRCRAFT; AND THEREFORE THE SHADES ARE ALSO CLOSED FOR TAKEOFF. THIS HAPPENED ON MY LAST FLIGHT; AND I WAS IN AN EMERGENCY EXIT ROW. THE PASSENGER NEXT TO THE WINDOW CLOSED IT IMMEDIATELY UPON BEING SEATED; AND IT STAYED CLOSED FOR THE ENTIRE FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS; AND THE PASSENGERS; NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDOWS DURING TAKEOFF AND LANDING; SO IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT; THEY CAN AVOID OPENING AN EXIT WHERE THERE MAY BE A FIRE OR OTHER OBSTRUCTION. IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE TAXIING ANNOUNCEMENT THAT ALL WINDOW SHADES MUST BE UP FOR TAKEOFF; AND IT SHOULD BE MADE ON THE FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT THAT ALL WINDOW SHADES MUST BE OPEN FOR LANDING.

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.