Seatback Pockets are for What?

The FAA admitted last week that airlines whose flight attendants had been telling passengers to keep their items out of the seatback pocket were ‘following their guidance‘. However, several carriers have never heard of this regulation and have no plans to enforce it. Even the FAA spokesman did not initially. Theories are that forbidding passengers to use seatback pockets “saves time for the cleaning crew.”

Overloading the pockets is a bad idea. On our recent Virgin America flight, we called the flight attendant’s attention to the fact two of the plastic tabs that held the pocket onto the back of the seat were gone. He advised us that it happened all the time. But sticking appropriate items into the pockets seems to make sense. It is a storage space for items one wishes to have on hand. For example, music player, a single book, etc.

It would be better to emphasize these pockets should not be overloaded. That, like the overhead and under the seat, anything stowed should fit neatly into the pocket.  We’ll continue to keep on eye on this, as are many others.

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