On the Aircraft

Cabin Safety

Safety Briefings

Knowing what to do in an emergency could be the difference between life and death for you and your family. The safety briefing and the safety information card provided near your seat give vital information on the location of exits and emergency equipment. As this can vary from one aircraft type to another it is important to pay attention to the safety briefing and read the safety card each time you fly. You should check the location of your nearest emergency exit which may be behind you. Safety equipment will typically include life jackets, oxygen masks, seat belts/harnesses and floor lighting.

Seat Belts

You are recommended to keep your belt fastened throughout the flight, and must do so whenever the "seat belt" sign is on (during taxi, take-off, landing and during turbulence). You should adjust your belt so that it is tight but comfortable with the buckle the right way round so that it can be released easily. If you have a blanket over your lap and are likely to fall asleep, it is recommended that you fasten the seat belt over the blanket so cabin crew can see you have the belt fastened. After landing, you must wait until the "seat belt" sign goes off before undoing your belt at the end of the flight.

Smoking

Maldivian airlines do not permit smoking onboard therefore the ‘no smoking’ signs will remain on throughout the flight. Passengers are not permitted to smoke in toilets and these are fitted with smoke detectors. Tampering with an aircraft smoke detector is a serious offence and may lead to prosecution.

Healthy Flying

The air in the aircraft cabin is often quite dry (because it has low humidity) and this can lead to your lips, nose, eyes and skin feeling tight, dry or uncomfortable. Contact lens wearers may find that they need to remove their lenses. The dry atmosphere does not lead to dehydration and you do not need to drink extra water.

Being seated for a long time, such as on flights longer than about four hours, may increase the risk of developing blood clots in the veins in your legs (also known as deep vein thrombosis or DVT). You should try to walk up and down the aisles from time to time, when the seat belt signs are off and it is safe to do so as well as doing these exercises.

Be considerate – avoid travel if you are unwell and if you do develop a cough while travelling, make sure that you cover your mouth when coughing, dispose of any tissues safely and wash your hands.

Disruptive Passengers

Airlines have a right to refuse to carry passengers that they consider to be a potential risk to the safety of the aircraft, its crew or its passengers.

Unacceptable behaviour on board

• Passengers must not do certain things while on board including:
• Endangering the safety of an aircraft
• Smoking
• Disobeying a lawful command from the commander of an aircraft, and
• Acting in a disruptive manner (including interfering with the work of a member of the cabin crew).

If a member of crew deems behaviour disruptive, they have the right to take measures they think reasonable to prevent the passenger continuing that behaviour. When the aircraft lands, their actions may include:

• Making the passenger leave the aircraft; possibly under police escort
• Refusing to carry the passenger on the remaining sectors of the journey shown on their ticket, and
• Reporting the incident on board the aircraft to the relevant authorities with a view to them prosecuting for any criminal offences that may have been committed.