Aeroplane Seat Belts

Which advanced passenger seat belt safety design do you prefer -

  • Air Bag

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other (please specify)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    12
  • Poll closed .
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dk4

Established Member
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Mar 23, 2010
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With advances in seat design, and designers' armed with better technology to understand likely passenger head, neck and body impacts during abnormal events, there seem to be two schools of though emerging on better seat belt safety design.

Specifically; the seat belt airbag, or the three point over the shoulder seat belt.

In Australia, for example, we have seen both types deployed on A330s in business class, with Qantas fitting three point over the shoulder belts to their fleet, and Virgin opting for the airbag style on their former fleet.

Which do you prefer and why?
 
Good question.

The type of seat belt is often tied to the type of seat. Reverse herringbone tend to have airbags. Forward facing staggered seats tend to have shoulder harnesses. (There are some exceptions, of course).

Airbags can be chunky when trying to sleep, but the seats they come with are generally better for someone tall, like me. Shoulder harnesses are also a problem because of my height. But at least it's only for critical stages of flight (do not understand why some vloggers have their three-point belts attached during flight!)

best of both worlds is a full-forward facing seat, no staggering. Standard seatbelt with no airbag or harness. But most airlines don't like them because they are very inefficient in thems of using space.

(As an aside, shoulder harnesses always worry me in terms of supporting my neck during an emergency... but a friend who's an expert in car seatbelts assures me it's safe!!)
 
I really dislike the airbag seat belts having used them on CX planes.

The 3 point belts used on QF J are quite good.
 
The Air Bag on Qantas 789 Premium Economy seat belts means many PAX cannot sit the tray table flat while wearing the seat belt.

Photo from a member:

1609803306145.png
 
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While I'd hesitate to call it an 'advanced' design - I would prefer the three point harness over the air bag.
 
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