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:

FAR 91.107 requires a basic safety belt briefing for Part 91 flights, but pilots are encouraged to go beyond this minimum to ensure comprehensive passenger safety and comfort.
Passenger briefings should be tailored to the specific audience (e.g., first-timers, experienced passengers) and the unique features, exit routes, and potential hazards of the aircraft.
Essential briefing elements include normal operations (e.g., seatbelts, aircraft features, proper conduct), emergency procedures (e.g., exiting after an off-airport landing), and the identification and use of any special equipment (e.g., flotation devices, PLBs, oxygen).

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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.)