The very first thing I thought when I heard of all the injuries sustained by passengers on this CO flight was they didn't have their seat belts on. I fly frequently and am always amazed by the number of passengers who don't buckle up. I wonder if these are the same people who don't use seat belts in their cars? Besides the flight staff, who necessarily are in the aisles assisting passengers, what possible excuse could all those who were thrown around have?

I was on a UAL flight into O'Hare about 9 years ago. We landed, and as we were pulling up to the jetway, an elderly woman unfastened her seat belt and opened up the overhead compartment. A flight attendant said into the microphone, "Ma'am, please return to your seat and fasten your seat belt until after the captain has extinguished the seat belt light."

The woman either didn't hear her, or didn't care. She began pulling her belongings from the overhead. Again, the flight attendant said, "Ma'am -- please return to your seat now! We have not arrived at the gate yet!"

The woman remained in the aisle, gathering her possessions.

The surrounding passengers told her to sit down, and the flight attendant repeated her message once again.

I'm certain it wasn't done intentionally, but as we taxied to the jetway, we came to a sudden, abrupt stop. We either hit something, or the captain had slammed on the brakes. Either way, the elderly woman became airborne and sailed about 8 feet forward and fell to the ground and began wailing. The seat belt light was turned off, and the flight attendant asked for everyone to remain seated while she checked on the woman.

An EMT crew was brought onboard to attend to the woman, who was obviously in distress. They put her onto a wheelchair, then transferred her to a gurney as soon as they got to the jetway.

As I departed the plane, the lead flight attendant told me that she believed that the woman broke her arm or wrist, and possibly her hip as well.

To this day, it's amazing to hear how many people unclick their seat belts as we taxi to the gate.

Seat belts seem to be of different lengths, and as a bigger person, sometimes they fit, and sometimes they dont. I solved the embarrasing problem of asking for an extender by buying my own. You can buy them online, just search for airline seat extenders, and carry it/them with you when you travel. I also carry them in the original mailer with my receipt in case there should be any questions. In the last four years, I have had no questions asked.

Usually, if the pilot knows there is turbulence ahead, he will ask everyone
to stay seated, leave the toilets, etc. until he gives the all clear sign. l Why am I always in the restroom when this happens?

gwenk, I believe that you may be misreading some of the remarks made. I think that janemilyd was suggesting that passengers in their SEATS did not have their seat belts fastened...this is why the message from the pilot as well as flight attendants always seem to include "please leave your seat belts fastened even while the sign is not illuminated". Obviously if someone is out of their seat to use the restroom or stretch their legs in the aisle, they couldn't have their seat belt fastened. I did not read anything self-righteous in their remarks.