JetBlue flight makes emergency landing.

[goofy4tink]

So, a JB flight from Boston, headed to Sacramento, hit massive turbulence. 22 passengers and 2 crew members were injured, so flight landed in South Dakota (I believe).
This is why I wear my seat belt, all the time!! People argue with me, saying its not comfortable to sleep or relax with it fastened.
Well, I'm going to assume that many of those that were injured were not belted in. Sure, some could have been heading to the restroom. But, 22 passengers?

What are your thoughts?

 

[bumbershoot]

That's a lot of passengers to be injured.

Glad the plane landed safely.

 

[wilkeliza]

22 injured is much better then dead. In a rough landing you can still be pretty badly injured while buckled in. I have had landings where it took all my strength to not hit the seat in front of me. It also could have been injuries due to things falling or one person up as they hit the turbulence could easily injure 3 others who were seated and buckled. I'm not quick to judge everyone who was injured and just hope I am never in a similar terrifying situation.

 

[Hopefully]

It was 22 passengers and 2 crew members hospitalized. To me, that is significant injuries.
I agree with goofy4tink, and I am not judging either, but I always leave my seat belt fasten when I am sitting, even if I am trying to sleep. I have been in sudden turbulence too many times to not take that small precaution.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Wow, that's scary!

Yes, I always stay belted in when I am seated. It's just a lap belt and I do not find it to be uncomfortable. It's not like there's a lot of space to contort my body into some other position in the seat anyway.

This is also why I advocate for babies to fly in their car seats rather than as a lap baby. In the type of situation described here, a mother's arms may not be the safest place to be. I'm not necessarily planning on flying with my son until he's older, but if I do, I will be buying him his own seat.

 

[Corey127]

Agree with above. My children always have a ticket and use their car seats, even under age 2. If a coffee pot has to be strapped down on takeoff and landing, then so does a member of my family.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Agree with above. My children always have a ticket and use their car seats, even under age 2. If a coffee pot has to be strapped down on takeoff and landing, then so does a member of my family.

There is nothing wrong with a Child being held by a parent. The problem is generally the parent isn't actually holding the child.

MG

 

[KrazeeK120]

There is nothing wrong with a Child being held by a parent. The problem is generally the parent isn't actually holding the child.

MG

In the event of sudden, severe turbulence, a person may become startled or otherwise unable to hold on to something in their lap. Also, even while seated in a lap, a child could be thrust forward enough to hit their head on the upright tray table in front of them.

The FAA actually recommends that children fly in a car seat or CARES device until they reach 40 lbs.

http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/

Also, as you pointed out, there are a lot of people who likely aren't actually holding the child securely, which is just another reason to have them seated in a proper restraint system.

There isn't anything "wrong" with a lap baby, per se, but it is most definitely not the safest way for them to be seated. It is true that the chances of anything happening are very small, but it's just not a risk I, personally, am willing to take. YMMV.

 

[goofy4tink]

I believe that most of those injured were treated and released. As far as a lap baby goes...if there had been a lap baby on this flight, I would hate to think of that child becoming a projectile!! If the turbulence is severe enough for the bins to pop open, I imagine that it's entirely possible for a lap baby to go flying!! What a horrible thought.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I believe that most of those injured were treated and released. As far as a lap baby goes...if there had been a lap baby on this flight, I would hate to think of that child becoming a projectile!! If the turbulence is severe enough for the bins to pop open, I imagine that it's entirely possible for a lap baby to go flying!! What a horrible thought.

The lap baby would have gone flying, IF the parent was not holding them... Which we all know they rarely do. And that's the problem with the lap child rule.

MG

 

[bumbershoot]

In severe turbulence, just like in a car accident (though different direction of forces), it is impossible to actually keep a child in your arms. The physics don't work.

And let's try to imagine keeping an iron grip on anyone for the entire length of a flight. Impossible.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

In severe turbulence, just like in a car accident (though different direction of forces), it is impossible to actually keep a child in your arms. The physics don't work.

And let's try to imagine keeping an iron grip on anyone for the entire length of a flight. Impossible.

Nah... It works. A child under two weighs how much?? Multiply that by 3 (estimating that's the amount of G's pulled in true severe turbulence).

If they were *truly* holding the kid I think it's fine. The problem could be unexpected turbulence in which case it's highly doubtful the kid has any restraint whatsoever. Indeed that is a problem. If they had a seat they would likely be buckled.

MG

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Nah... It works. A child under two weighs how much?? Multiply that by 3 (estimating that's the amount of G's pulled in true severe turbulence).

If they were *truly* holding the kid I think it's fine. The problem could be unexpected turbulence in which case it's highly doubtful the kid has any restraint whatsoever. Indeed that is a problem. If they had a seat they would likely be buckled.

MG

Actually it's much less than 3 G's. Forget the parent is experiencing the same turbulence, and the same movement as the child.

MG

 

[Gracie09]

Nah... It works. A child under two weighs how much?? Multiply that by 3 (estimating that's the amount of G's pulled in true severe turbulence).

If they were *truly* holding the kid I think it's fine. The problem could be unexpected turbulence in which case it's highly doubtful the kid has any restraint whatsoever. Indeed that is a problem. If they had a seat they would likely be buckled.

MG

Idk I think I would go with the recommendations of the faa, ntsb, pilot and flight attendant unions and say flying with and infant in his or her own seat in an approved car seat is the way to go. By your logic holding a kid in a car is safe as long as you hold it.

http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/Pages/Children.aspx

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

We're traveling with our almost 2yo son in Dec. and the thought of holding him on our lap was never even a consideration for us. Not for the reasons in this thread. But after reading this I'm reassured we made the right decision. On our 3 hour flight I think after the first 20-30 minutes it would get pretty uncomfortable. Especially in those small seats. It's also safer for the passengers around us. If a parents loses their grip on a child, child now becomes a ~30lb projectile. Same idea applies to someone in the back seat of a car not buckled in. Often they crush the person sitting in the seat in front of them:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...-rear-passengers-biggest-danger-in-crash.html

I look at it this way. He's free at Disney so the $300 round trip ticket is a small price to pay. And after all, he IS a whole person. Therefore he deserves a whole seat to himself.

 

[goofy4tink]

A few years ago, I was on the train from Boston to NYC. At New Haven, a young man boarded with his wife and young daughter. They sat behind us. Well...there was an issue with the train...a passenger had left her kids on the platform, so we had to back up and get the kids. Turns out the kids weren't babies and their aunt was with them...but I digress. As we traveled back to that station, we started talking to the young man behind us. Seems he was a pilot for one of the airlines, and was on his way to Newark to sub for another pilot..his wife (a former FA) and their young daughter were going to fly with him. He was concerned about making it to the airport in time at this point!!! But, as we got to talking, I asked him, and his wife, how they felt about lap babies. Imagine my surprise when they told me they do it all the time with their dd!!! I was astonished. But, they said most of their friends did the same thing...they had no issue with it. I asked them what about unexpected turbulence..'Oh, that just doesn't happen all that often. The babies are safe.' I just couldn't believe it. So, if that's the case, why bother with seatbelts at all?

 

[stitchlovestink]

Nah... It works. A child under two weighs how much?? Multiply that by 3 (estimating that's the amount of G's pulled in true severe turbulence).

If they were *truly* holding the kid I think it's fine. The problem could be unexpected turbulence in which case it's highly doubtful the kid has any restraint whatsoever. Indeed that is a problem. If they had a seat they would likely be buckled.

MG

Every child is different but my oldest DD (who is currently 6'1" in bare feet) weighed 42 (yes, forty two) lbs on her 2nd birthday. She was the size of a 4 y.o. in about the 50th percentile (by growth charts when she was little). Any day before her 2nd birthday she could've been a lap child but was the size of a 4 y.o.! Could you imagine if she went "flying" inside of the cabin??

I don't get it.... you sit in a car for hours on end traveling and you wear a seat belt (and one that is MUCH more restrictive IMO) but the one on the airplane is too uncomfortable for a few hours?? Okey Dokey!!

 

[KrazeeK120]

Nah... It works. A child under two weighs how much?? Multiply that by 3 (estimating that's the amount of G's pulled in true severe turbulence).

If they were *truly* holding the kid I think it's fine. The problem could be unexpected turbulence in which case it's highly doubtful the kid has any restraint whatsoever. Indeed that is a problem. If they had a seat they would likely be buckled.

MG

A child under 2 weighs how much...well, my 9 month old weighs 24 lbs. Who knows how much he'll weigh when he's 2? Close to 40 lbs, perhaps? I'm not a big or strong person (5'3, 110 lbs) and it's already hard for me to keep a tight grip on him for more than a couple of minutes. Little kids are squirmy.

He rides in a car seat in the car. He would do the same in an airplane. If a vehicle has seatbelts, everyone should be buckled in, IMO. Otherwise, what's the purpose of the belts??

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Don't get me wrong.. I whole heartedly agree a seat of their own with car seat is a better option.
I'm just saying that if attended to properly, a parent holding an infant can be a safe option.

MG

 

[maxiesmom]

Don't get me wrong.. I whole heartedly agree a seat of their own with car seat is a better option.
I'm just saying that if attended to properly, a parent holding an infant can be a safe option.

MG

And you would be wrong. Most people don't hold their child as tightly as they would need to be doing to keep them safe when encountering turbulence. Remember it usually hits without much warning, people don't clutch their children to them when they are just sitting on a flight.