Fasten seat belts - and keep them fastened!We think it's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a for the airlines to do more than urge passengers to keep seat belts fastened at ALL times, even when there is no obvious turbulence at hand. So-called "clear-air turbulence clear-air turbulence n. Abbr. CAT Atmospheric turbulence that occurs under tranquil and cloudless conditions and subjects aircraft to strong updrafts and downdrafts. ," which airline pilots cannot detect with the usual means available to them, can cause an aircraft to drop thousands of feet without warning--and anything not securely fastened down can wreak wreak tr.v. wreaked, wreak·ing, wreaks 1. To inflict (vengeance or punishment) upon a person. 2. To express or gratify (anger, malevolence, or resentment); vent. 3. havoc in the cabin. The most recent example, which occurred over the Pacific several years ago, resulted in one death and more than 300 injuries, simply because most of the passengers failed to follow the instructions from the flight deck to keep seat belts fastened even when the FASTEN SEAT BELT sign is off. Obviously, one can do little or nothing to prevent food service implements from flying about the cabin if a plane drops suddenly while meals or beverages are being served. However, requiring passengers to wear seat belts at all times would keep the passengers themselves from becoming ballistic bal·lis·tic adj. 1. a. Of or relating to the study of the dynamics of projectiles. b. Of or relating to the study of the internal action of firearms. 2. missiles, harming not only themselves but others in their flight path. Cabin attendants are required to check for passenger compliance whenever the FASTEN SEAT BELT sign comes on, but if they would be more diligent dil·i·gent adj. Marked by persevering, painstaking effort. See Synonyms at busy. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin d in checking for unfastened seat belts from time to time when the sign is off, the probability of injury from sudden drop in altitude would be greatly lessened. Those who fly frequently are well aware of the potential danger, and most automatically fasten their belts when returning to their seats after visiting the toilet or whatever. What particularly annoys them are passengers who stand in the aisles talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to friends; these passengers are the most likely to incur injury and to injure To interfere with the legally protected interest of another or to inflict harm on someone, for which an action may be brought. To damage or impair. The term injure is comprehensive and can apply to an injury to a person or property. Cross-references Tort Law. others when turbulence suddenly occurs. Most airline cabin personnel only began seriously enforcing no-smoking rules after the federal government legislated against all smoking in flights within the U.S. Perhaps we need the same kind of legislation mandating the wearing of seat belts at all times, and not just when the sign is on. |
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