Seatbelt sign
The illuminated sign controlled by the pilots that obliges passengers to sit and belt up — and tells crew what service is allowed.
Definition
The seatbelt sign is the cabin sign the pilots switch on for taxi, take-off, landing and any time they expect turbulence, and off when the ride and the phase of flight allow. While it is on, passengers are required by regulation to be seated with belts fastened, and crew are expected to enforce it and to limit or stop service. Many airlines also use the sign's chime as the signal for the sterile-cockpit period and for crew to take their seats.
What it means for you
Enforcing the seatbelt sign is one of the most tedious and most important parts of the job: the passenger who stands up during the descent is the passenger who is thrown when the aircraft hits a bump. Airline procedure tells you what you may still do with the sign on — usually a limited service, no hot drinks — and when the separate "cabin crew, take your seats" instruction means you sit down too.
In practice
On a Delta flight over the Rockies the sign comes on with a double chime; the crew finish the row they are serving, stow the hot pots and take their jumpseats until the captain's call releases them.
Related terms
4 terms- TurbulenceSafety & trainingIrregular air movement that shakes the aircraft — the leading cause of in-flight injury, mostly to unbelted passengers and working crew.
- Cabin secureSafety & trainingThe crew's confirmation to the flight deck that the cabin is ready for take-off or landing: seatbelts, galleys, exits and crew seated.
- Sterile cockpitSafety & trainingThe rule that bans non-safety contact with the flight deck in critical phases of flight — taxi, take-off, landing and below 10,000 ft.
- PA announcementAircraft & cabinAny announcement over the aircraft's public address system — safety ones scripted by the operations manual, the rest by the purser.