Cabin safety question: seatbelt extensions policy

[jeta1]

Question for CD or any cabin safety regulator. I was recently on a charter flight (737-800 out of Punta Canada...) when a large passenger across from me pulled out a personal seatbelt extension and asked the flight attendant is the flight attendant had any problem if she used it. The FA said "I have no problem with that at all". I recalled an article in the ASL on this, googled the topic and quickly found it on page 4 of ASL 1/2013. It said:

"Cabin Safety: Passenger-provided Seat Belt Extensions

Operators are reminded that the use of passenger-provided seat belt extensions shall not be permitted as these devices may not comply with current standards for design, strength, compatibility of fittings to existing seat belts, or inspection requirements. Since operators are already required by regulations to only use safety equipment that meets existing standards, it is therefore their responsibility to plan accordingly by always having an adequate supply of approved seat belt extensions for each aircraft type they operate, for use by passengers who may require them."


So according to this, in theory, that FA should not have allowed, and he should have provided the passenger with an airline approved model. Can anyone provide clarity on whether the event was a "minor violation of a little-known rule", or perfectly OK because if fact there is no such rule?

[PilotDAR]

Good call jeta1! I have similar concerns, and have sent a message to TC on the subject. It is even more alarming when I see them used in exit rows. Those seats are only required to demonstrate compliance for a 170 occupant. A person who needs a seatbelt extension is probably also overloading the structure of the seat, and those sitting in that same row are vulnerable to a possible failure, should it happen during a crash.

[CD]

Similar message provided by the FAA:

Information for Operators InFO 12012

Subject: Use of Passenger-Provided Seat Belt Extenders

Purpose: This InFO serves to inform operators that seat belt extenders marketed to the public as Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved should not be permitted for use.

Background: Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) parts 91, § 91.107; 121, § 121.311; and 135, § 135.128 require a seat belt secured about each passenger during specified phases of flight. Seat belts and extenders provided by the airlines are inspected and maintained under each of the airline's FAA-accepted Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program (CAMP).

Discussion: Operators should be aware that seat belt extenders are being marketed to the public for their personal use while traveling . These extenders are marketed as “FAA PMA approved.” Some are categorized as specific to each airline and others are sold under the heading “Universal, adjustable & FAA-safe” and are sold “for use on all airlines”. While these extenders may have a label that indicates they are FAA-approved and conform to TSO-C22g, they are not inspected and maintained under each airline's FAA-accepted CAMP and should not be used. In order to support compliance with 14 CFR sections regarding the use of seat belts, assigned crewmembers should be aware of the possibility that passengers may attempt to use these extenders while on board their aircraft.

Recommended Action: Operators should include instructions and procedures regarding passenger provided seat belt extenders in the crewmember manuals so that assigned personnel (pilots or flight attendants as appropriate) can adequately perform their assigned tasks. Directors of safety, crewmembers, program managers, training managers, directors of maintenance and aircraft mechanics, should be aware of the safety issues and mitigations discussed in this InFO.

[fish4life]

It's a safety issue in general if your that big your shouldn't be allowed on the airplane. These seats were never meant for people that big and since they are eating themselves into needing it they should diet themselves out of it if they want to fly again. Why should someone get possibly crushed or trapped behind some obese person in the event of an emergency. Good luck trying to fit some of these people out of an emergency exit over be wing anyway. You can't smoke on airplanes anymore and that's a personal choice weighing 350+lbs for 99% of the population is a personal choice of poor diet and no exercise choice to.

[Donald]

[jeta1]

Thanks for the responses.. the photo (yikes).... and thank you CD for the FAA bulletin. Still, just for clarity, did the Flight Attendant violate a rule or not? My view is if it ain't specifically prohibited in the CARs, then, by default, it is permitted. Rules never seem to be Black or White with TC, lots of gray areas. (What is TC's favorite book? 50 Shades of Gray.)

[PilotDAR]

did the Flight Attendant violate a rule or not?

Darned if I can figure that out, but I think not. I do wonder if the pilot's W&B was accurate. It's interesting that everything about the weights carried aboard an aircraft is subject to a limitation - except passenger weight. I once challenged TC about this, and was told that "it is too political, TC will not get into limitations on occupant weights".

But the seatbelt has a stated capacity, and there is a requirement that "items of mass" in the cabin be restrained against a 9G crash force (18G for never planes). That heavy person is an item of mass, who could be a thread to other occupants. TC should be enforcing compliance with the requirement to assure the safety of other occupants.