Delta Flight Grounded When Passenger Finds Wrong Safety Card In Seat Back Pocket
Retired Delta Airlines captain Karlene Petitt reported that a pilot from another airline, flying on Delta, noticed that the plane had incorrect safety briefing cards in the seat back pocket.
The flight was operated by a Boeing 757, but there were some seats with cards for a Boeing 737. The flight had to be delayed, eventually 10 incorrect cards were found, and fortunately this was in Atlanta and they had the correct cards to replace them with – otherwise the plane could not fly.
Hope @Delta doesn’t have emergency evacuation. #Pilot from an other airline found 10 “B737” emergency cards on the “B757” Told the #Captain. Captain pissed. Had to ground plane in #Atlanta or fix it…did they? #Travelers @FAANews #SafetyFirst #avgeeks @CBSNews @abcnews pic.twitter.com/uPpl68kmzK
— Karlene Petitt (@KarlenePetitt) March 9, 2024
Safety cards are required by law in commercial aircraft. FAR Part 121.571(b) requires that air carriers operating under Part 121 must provide safety briefings or cards that explain the use of safety belts, emergency exits, life jackets, oxygen masks, and floor proximity lighting systems in case of an emergency. These regulations ensure that passengers have access to critical safety information that could aid in their survival during an emergency situation.
The idea is to ensure passengers are prepared for emergencies, enhancing their ability to react correctly and efficiently in critical situations. There’s a safety briefing, either by video or performed by flight attendants, but these offer a visual format that can be understood regardless of language proficiency and a way to reinforce the message.
These cards have evolved significantly over time. The first ones were minimalist and text-heavy. They’ve shifted to become more graphic-oriented, using universal symbols and simplified illustrations. The FAA and ICAO have updated requirements to include more detailed information on brace positions, emergency exits, and flotation devices, reflecting changes in safety protocols, aircraft design, and lessons learned from past incidents. Here’s what’s currently supposed to be on each card.
- On the one hand, I’m surprised though that these haven’t evolved to become more digital, incorporated into airline mobile apps.
- On the other hand, maybe that’s because they aren’t actually helpful? I’m not aware of any incident where a life saved in an emergency has been shown to be the result of a safety briefing card.
- We just assume that passengers internalize the information, and so it’s important to have the cards. However overall engagement with safety cards is generally low.
Perhaps augmented reality or virtual reality could create immersive experiences that passengers would actually engage with and experience emergencies in advance that would actually prepare them?
As cards placed in seat back pockets, though, it seems like delaying a flight is fairly oficious. It’s something the airline could be fined for, but is it actually a safety concern?
The Italian government recently stopped a British Airways flight from departing when it was discovered that seat cushions at the exit row were too large. They had to find smaller seat cushions for use in that row, didn’t have any at the airport, but scavenged other seats and found some to swap out.
At least there the idea is that the more substantive seat cushions might protrude into the exit row and slow down an evacuation.
Petitt had a long-running dispute with her airline over her fitness to fly.
