Passenger Safety Briefings

They must cover seat belts, but you’re free to go beyond that minimum. There’s no such thing as too much information.

Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots are legally required (FAR 91.107) to brief passengers on safety belt and shoulder harness use, but should significantly expand upon this minimum for overall safety and passenger comfort.
Effective passenger briefings must be tailored to the specific aircraft, its features (e.g., exits, controls), and the passenger's experience level (e.g., first-timers need more detail on boarding, door operation, and control interference).
A comprehensive briefing should include crucial emergency procedures, such as actions during an off-airport landing and the proper use of any special equipment like flotation devices, life rafts, or PLBs.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Sit down, shut up and hold on” might work as a passenger briefing in an action movie, but in the physical world, it falls short of adequate. Or even legal, for that matter.

The FAR in question is 91.107, Use of safety belts, shoulder harnesses, and child restraint systems. Its only real requirement is that, before takeoff, “each person on board is briefed on how to fasten and unfasten that person’s safety belt and, if installed, shoulder harness.” That’s it for Part 91 operators. (If you’re flying 135 and/or 121, see FARs 135.177 and 121.571.)