The FAA has released a clarification to its policy on what can be stowed in aircraft seat pockets. The wording of the current policy stated, “the only items allowed in seat back pockets should be magazines and passenger information cards.” The clarification notes that items up to three pounds in weight can be safely stowed in these seat pockets.
Recently some FAA inspectors have pointed out this restriction to airlines who were sending flight attendants through the aisles having passengers remove paperback books, baby bottles, blankets, etc. prior to landing. The Consumer Travel Alliance wrote to the FAA asking it to revisit this policy that had not been changed since 1998.
I would like to request that you revisit this directive so that confusion in the airline cabins can be reduced. It seems that common sense should prevail. The directive as it now stands does not even allow airsick bags to be placed in these seat pockets.
About a month ago, there was media hoopla about what can and cannot be placed in seat pockets aboard airplanes. In several parts of the country, FAA inspectors seem to have alerted flight attendants to a regulation that forbids anything other than “magazines and passenger information cards.” Flight attendants then began enforcing this once-obscure rule.
A new common-sense directive would go a long way to eliminating the current cabin confusion, uncertain flight attendants and irritated passengers.
This FAA InFO letter was issued, yesterday, “To clarify guidance for air carriers about the stowage of items in seat pockets.”
The intent of the carry-on baggage regulation, Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 121, § 121.589, is to prevent carry-on items from slowing an emergency evacuation and to prevent injury to passengers by ensuring items are properly restrained. Seat pockets have been designed to restrain approximately 3 pounds of weight and not the weight of additional carry-on items. Seat pockets are not listed in the regulation as an approved stowage location for carry-on baggage. If a seat pocket fails to restrain its contents, the contents of the seat pocket may impede emergency evacuation or may strike and injure a passenger.
If small, lightweight items, such as eyeglasses or a cell phone, can be placed in the seat pocket without exceeding the total designed weight limitation of the seat pocket or so that the seat pocket does not block anyone from evacuating the row of seats, it may be safe to do so.
The requirements of the carry-on baggage regulation are applicable to take-off and landing. Nothing in the carry-on baggage regulation prohibits a passenger from taking out small personal items from an approved stowage location and placing them in the seat pocket after takeoff and stowing them in approved locations prior to landing. Crewmembers may still direct a passenger to stow carry-on items in an approved stowage location, during flight should they pose a hazard, such as in the case of turbulence.
At least now airlines are not violating FAA policy by placing barf bags in the seat pockets and passengers have a common-sense guideline of three pounds of items such as cell phones, iPods, blankets, etc. that can be safely stowed in seat pockets.
The airlines will need to send this clarification to their cabin staff and create their own policies. However, the practice of having passengers clear out everything other than airline magazines and safety cards should be over.
It’s a small change that affects millions of passengers.
