Take-Off seating regulation?

[Bogus]

Hi all,

This is my first time sending out a message so please bear with me!

This all came about because my wife recently got into a lot of hassle on a Qantas flight. She's 6 months pregnant and the seat assigned to her was the last row. She asked the cabin crew if she could change seats to which they said yes. Just before takeoff another stewardess approached her and said that she had to go back to her original seat "due to take off regulations regarding passenger seating weight distribution".

I could understand if it was something due to safety (knowing exactly which seats were occupied) or if it's a "small" plane but this is the first time I've heard about "weight distribution" on a 737.

The cabin staff turned very rude even when another passenger agreed to swap seats with her such that they had Security staff to escort her off the plane when they landed in Brisbane!!!

Cheers,

Aidan.

[sean1982]

This al seems very strange to me. I work on a 737-800 every day as cabin crew and pregnant passengers are normaly not allowed to sit in the last row at all beacuse it's an emergency exit row and only able bodied people can sit there.

Second of all, Yes there are some rules about passenger weight distribution written out by boeing called loading rules:

there's two rules:
1: block off the first 2 rows with less then 170 passengers (on the -800)
2: block off the first six and the last 4 rows with less then 130 pax (-800)

But it couldn't be that either because then the last row would have been blocked off ???

Strange

[SN30952]

Security staff to escort her off the plane?
Or assistance?

"due to take off regulations regarding passenger seating weight distribution".

Volumetric payload of this one is 21,390kg/ 47,100 lb
Configuration: 12 Business; 156 Economy

Volumetric payload of this one is 13,442 kg/29,634 lb
Configuration: 130 Economy or 12 Business; 106 Economy

Volumetric payload of this one is 15,540 kg/34,259 lb
Configuration: variable configuration

I don't want to be rude, Bogus, but what is your wife's weight?
At Qantas they say: We offer you more than just the seat, you'll enjoy a relaxing and comfortable trip in Qantas Economy. At Qantas we care about your comfort and safety. We have included the following information about your health inflight that we hope you will find helpful and useful.

There is a lot information of that kind on their website, but nothing about "passenger seating weight distribution".

But btw, the back of an aircraft, so the last row, are the safest seats in an aircraft. And no idea why one person would bring the balance in jeopardy....

[Bogus]

Thanks for the replies.

I talked to the missus an hour ago and she was very distraught. She actually said the "rear of the plane" So maybe it wasn't the very last row.

We're actually based in Hong Kong and 2 weeks ago we had a similar experience on Dragon Air from Taiwan back to HK. That time it was the very last row and the turbulance was making it difficult for the missus. The cabin crew found her a seat in Biz class and allowed her to sit there till we rolled into the terminal.

Don't get me wrong, she's not taking liberties and trying to get a Biz seat. On this Qantas flight the first stewardess placed her nearer the middle of the plane (still Economy class) and she was happy with that.

BTW, she's about 60kg now

The reason for the security staff was to escort her off the plane. 2 security staff, pilot, co pilot, chief stewardess, unpteen cabin crew checking what's going on, all surrounding my 6 months pregnant, 5foot 3, 60kg wife AND to be told by the pilot that she'd been disrespectful to his staff, refused to obey orders and banned her from taking Qantas again!

She had to fly back to Sydney by Virgin!!

I was sooooo mad when she told me over the phone.

Cheers for listening guys.

Aidan.

[5Y-KQV]

I may be pretty naive about regulations but i think the crew acted in a pretty wierd manner. The airline i guess also overreacted by banning her from flying Qantas.

Whats the world coming to these days Next thing we'll get to hear is that all passengers may have to be weighed during check-in so that cabin crew can assign seats in accordance with the loading rules of the aircraft, or even overeact by surcharging the heavy folks for "excess weight" before they board.

It really is a strange world we live in.

Cheers,

Walter.

[744rules]

Normally the seating will not be restricted, as long as the imbalance can be corrected by the deadload (= load in compartments such as bags and cargo).

Note that fuelload is very important for the balance as well, especially when the a/c has technical restrictions (ie non standard fuel distribution and tail cannot be used, .....

[sab319]

Whats the world coming to these days Next thing we'll get to hear is that all passengers may have to be weighed during check-in so that cabin crew can assign seats in accordance with the loading rules of the aircraft, or even overeact by surcharging the heavy folks for "excess weight" before they board.

Well they used to do that in the pioneering days of aviation...

[Advisor]

Qantas is busy with other jv's and new startups. So i guess it misses the point of customer retention.

Write to them. I'm sure they will respond with an apology. (They better)!

[SN30952]

BTW, she's about 60kg now

Dear Bogus, reading your reaction, i understand that your family is not the kind that creates havoc at the gate or in the airplane.
My question was pure technical.
And by this, I wish you and your wife a happy event and a beautiful child, who you will tell, when (s)he is in the age to understand, (s)he once flew on an airline that not longer exsists because its staff, security staff, pilot, co pilot, chief stewardess, unpteen cabin crew, lacked the 'savoir vivre' and that people therefor started to desert their aircraft in the middle of the first decennium of the century.

The reason for the security staff was to escort her off the plane. 2 security staff, pilot, co pilot, chief stewardess, unpteen cabin crew checking what's going on, all surrounding my 6 months pregnant, 5foot 3, 60kg wife AND to be told by the pilot that she'd been disrespectful to his staff, refused to obey orders and banned her from taking Qantas again!

Imagine what an aussie hooligan can expect, when sent off a Qantas aircraft!!

She had to fly back to Sydney by Virgin!!

Sir Richard promises lower fares and he has the better service, to HKG and Europe.
You don't hear anybody complaining, Bogus. Forget Qantas.

....
Dragon Air from Taiwan back to HK. That time it was the very last row and the turbulance was making it difficult for the missus. The cabin crew found her a seat in Biz class and allowed her to sit there till we rolled into the terminal.

Hope she carries a medical certicficate, approved by the airline she'll use in the coming days, because pregnant persons are only allowed on board with such doctor's paper.

Here is how the Aussie press react on Sir Richard's announcements:
Four visits and four stunts but, Sir Richard, we want numbers not figures
Sir Richard was here (in Australia) for the launch of Virgin Blue, the tie up with Patrick boss Chris Corrigan, the launch of Virgin Mobile, Virgin Credit, and this week, the launch of Virgin Atlantic flights from Sydney to the UK.

Do I see there some hostile feelings? If so, then Virgin is seen as a threat to the national carrier, who's arrogance seemed intouchable, till now.

[C-117]

Sort of related but more an OBTW - Several carriers (especially U.S. flag) will not allow "obviously" pregnant, non-U.S. citizens to board aircraft destined for the U.S. I'm sure most of us know why...