Severe turbulence on Continental flight

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J-max

CPST Instructor
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32266096/ns/travel-news/
Perfect example of how severe turbulence can come without warning and can be horrible. The reason I believe babies should not be allowed to be missles on planes. While the article does not state there were any laps on board, it was horrible enough to slam flight attendants in to the roof of the plane.

:thumbsup: I agree completely and it was my first thought when I saw that come across the news reading this morning.
 

lovemyfamily

New member
My DH is an airline pilot and he said the other night he hit some turbulence out of the middle of nowhere. No warning or anything. Noone got hurt, as they had not been in the air long, but he said if they had and people had been up, it could have been bad. You just never know. I hate when people say that plane crashes aren't survivable, so what is the point of the carseat on the plane. First of all, they ARE survivable, and second of all, there is more problems on the plane, than just a crash. I remind people how terrible some landings can be, and turbulence which can happen so easily. I can just see them rolling their eyes through a post, as they think I am nuts. I bet these Continental passengers wished it didn't happen to them.
 

::er!ca::

Member
Seriously, someone please tell me why I just showed this to my husband and he said "the car seat would do the exact same thing that the parent could do by holding the child"

Really? I wanted to smack him. He clearly doesn't understand. And now I'm furious that he can think such a thing!
 

AtTheSouthDam

New member
:eek:
I fly in a couple months and have been stressing about the fact that DD1 will only be in a lap belt. This does not make me feel any better about it! I wish she wasn't so big already...
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
oh, my. can you imagine the panic on board that plane? It was over the Atlantic and coming from Rio barely two months after the AirFrance crash ... the article says not to draw parallels, but odds are some people on this flight knew people affected by the plane that went down. I'll bet they were scared out of their minds. :(
 

lovemyfamily

New member
My DH, said that he would bet Air France went down due to weather. The other conspiracy theory would be shot down, he doesn't believe that. So I would bet that those people were scared out of their minds.

atsuydam, the lap belt is better than a lap child. Can you check in to CARES for her if you are concerned? I am a former flight attendant, as I mentioned, my DH is an airline pilot, and our 2 boys, 7 and 6, both ride in lap belts only on the plane. I allow them to once they turned 5. My 6yo is a little guy, just 44lbs., so it makes me nervous a bit.

Erica, I would have smacked my DH. Did you go in to the, how can you say that, why do we put them in carseats in the car then, discussion? :whistle:
 

AtTheSouthDam

New member
My DH, said that he would bet Air France went down due to weather. The other conspiracy theory would be shot down, he doesn't believe that. So I would bet that those people were scared out of their minds.

atsuydam, the lap belt is better than a lap child. Can you check in to CARES for her if you are concerned? I am a former flight attendant, as I mentioned, my DH is an airline pilot, and our 2 boys, 7 and 6, both ride in lap belts only on the plane. I allow them to once they turned 5. My 6yo is a little guy, just 44lbs., so it makes me nervous a bit.

Erica, I would have smacked my DH. Did you go in to the, how can you say that, why do we put them in carseats in the car then, discussion? :whistle:

Oh, she'll be six and probably close to 60# when we fly this october. This is the child rapidly outgrowing the Regent. But she'll always be my baby :p DD2 will be in her XT for the trip. (DH was walking around the yard yesterday trying out the two straps turning into backpack. He thinks that and the folding are the neatest ideas ever.) I know a lap belt is better than nothing but I still worry :eek:
 

::er!ca::

Member
Erica, I would have smacked my DH. Did you go in to the, how can you say that, why do we put them in carseats in the car then, discussion? :whistle:

Absolutely! I was soooo mad! He said "that's different" :rolleyes: I got mad, he got in the shower and left for work LOL

Needless to say... when we go to Disney in May our little one will be in a car seat, hopefully rear facing. Now I'm wondering if my then 5 year old (turns 5 on the trip) should be in a car seat or CARES instead of just the lap belt.
 

waterbaby

New member
But I'm really strong and could hold my baby down if there was turbulence, especially if I use my sling. ;)

I kid, I kid.

Hot topic for me. I wish more people made it a priority.
 

Niea

New member
Two years ago I was on a flight from Albuquerque to Phoenix. . a flight that's barely an hour long. No ocean, typically pretty clear weather, etc. Out of nowhere we hit a pocket of cold air (I think) and had a moment of major turbulence.

A few rows up from me across the aisle was a woman sitting by the window who was holding an infant (3-4 mos or so). During the turbulence, the infant flew out of her arms and smacked his head on the side of the plane, right by the window. She caught him on the way back down and was terrified at what had just happened. The poor baby cried the rest of the flight and as I was getting off the plane, I heard the woman talking with flight attendants about getting medical attention in case the baby was serious injured.

It was just so sad. . .had he been buckled in a carseat he'd have stayed put. :(
 

elle7715

Member
Passenger Fabio Ottolini of Houston said it was about six hours into the flight when he felt the Continental aircraft suddenly drop.
"People didn't have time to do anything," he said.
I liked that they included that. I don't think people realize how quickly things can happen. It's not like you'll always feel a little bump first and have time to hold on to your baby before it gets worse. I had someone tell me they "held on tight" to their baby for a 4 hour plane ride. I'm sorry, but that's just not possible. Your arms would cramp up. And I'm guessing she changed her diaper, fed her, dug through her diaper bag, had something to drink, and so one. All things that require a hand to be free. I'll have my kids' carseats hold on to them tightly, thank you very much.
 

vonfirmath

New member
But this also meant that people who HAD a seat but weren't in it, for whatever reason, were in the same danger.

We buy a seat for our son. But that doesn't mean he's in it for the entire flight. I do everything I can to be kind to other passengers and calm a screaming child.
 

elle7715

Member
I know, but the odds of them being in a carseat when something happens are much greater if you actually *have* a carseat on the plane. I just thought it was ridiculous that someone thought they could be on high alert for an entire flight, so they didn't need a carseat to hold their baby.
 

lovemyfamily

New member
According to the news, the seatbelt sign was on. SO everyone but the crew shoud have been in their seats. That is one thing as a former FA that use to tick me off to no end. The sign is on for a reason. SIT DOWN!!!! hehe I always thought that when the signs come on, the seatbelts should lock somehow so people wouldn't be able to get up. hehe


For my sanity, I like the baby in her carseat. hehe I can't imagine how miserable we would all be if I had to hold her for a flight. She wouldn't sit still at all and when she is in her seat, she knows she has to sit.

That is terrible about that little baby on that flight. I would DEF. have wanted the baby looked at by medical professional. That is the problem, you jsut never know when it will happen.
 

DahliaRW

New member
I would be against the seatbelts locking. If the lights on when the plane crashes, you're toast if you can't unbuckle your seat!
 

mamabear

New member
According to the news, the seatbelt sign was on. SO everyone but the crew shoud have been in their seats. That is one thing as a former FA that use to tick me off to no end. The sign is on for a reason. SIT DOWN!!!!

Totally Lori;)(long tome no see!!)

My DH is a pilot too, he said when they switch the "fasten seatbelt" sign on, everyone all of the sudden gets up to use the bathroom , or grab something from the overhead bin....Uh, noooooo, it's not a 5 minute warning...this is not a drill LOL:p

We stay in our seats with seatbelts fastened.....DD will ride in the seatbelt (age 6) DD2 in her MA, fully buckled in....it's habit for them now. they even reminded me that last time we flew and we had just sat down from a bathroom trip and I hadn't buckled yet.....:)
 

lovemyfamily

New member
I would be against the seatbelts locking. If the lights on when the plane crashes, you're toast if you can't unbuckle your seat!

They would have to come up with something that they release in an emergency or something. I really was more kidding though. But mamabear is right, as soon as the sign is on people have to get it up. They also assume that then the FAs get up, it is ok for them to get up. I realize people have to pee, get something from the overhead etc. Another thing that bothers me is when adults pee right away on the plane. Most had time to go in the terminal and honestly I would rather use the terminal bathroom than the plane any day.
 

Canadiangirl411

New member
That is scary!!

Most people though have infants in their laps because airlines charge full price (at least in Canada they do) if babies are occupying a seat with a car seat.

Therefore to save money people dont buy seats for their babies since they fly free under age 2.

It makes me think twice about spending the money when we fly that's for sure ... but I do think the airlines should help out with the cost a little bit!
 

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