Once you see this mistake on an American Airlines plane, you won’t be able to unsee it – and you’ll begin to notice it everywhere: “Use Seat Bottom Cushiom For Flotation”
@AmericanAir how did this pass quality checks?? #americanairlines #AA pic.twitter.com/4fS4kUJ4Sl
— ✨so much for (reed)dust✨ (@forever_on_high) May 24, 2025
Commercial airliners operating over water are required to carry emergency flotation devices for every passenger. In many cases, that “flotation device” is simply your seat-bottom cushion. 14 CFR 25.1415(e) mandates that on aircraft not certificated for ditching there must be “an approved flotation means for each occupant … within easy reach of each seated occupant and … readily removable from the airplane.”
If you need it, remove the cushion from the seat. Slip your arms through the straps on the bottom (or wrap the cushion against your chest). Kick your legs to keep your head above water.
Bear in mind that on some American Airlines aircraft, especially A320s, you’re looking for a cushiom and not a cushion.
This isn’t a new error, it’s just one that hasn’t been fixed even though I’ve written about it. And it points to the attention to detail I’ve long said has been lacking with American Airlines… but seems to be coming back in the design elements of their newer products.
I have to look at this egregious error for the next 2 hours on an American Airlines flight. The error is as far as the…
Posted by Aleta Sunshine on Friday, December 13, 2024
Everything safety-related is heavily regulated, inspected, and subject to ongoing monitoring. Everything except the notice to passenger, apparently. I’m the first one to come under criticism for typos. I don’t generally check for misspeallings prior to hitting publish. Of course, I am one person working solo part-time on this blog and not a company with 133,000 employees involved in safety critical activities.
Easy, there is a huge number of functioning illiterates in this country. starting at the very top.
Pot calling the kettle…
Not directed at or to Doug.
That could literally get that airplane and any more with the same placard grounded by the FAA. The placard looks to have been applied over an older one, which may have been damaged.
Some typos impair the meaning of the words being communicated. Those should be fixed. Other typos, like this one, are inconsequential. Fixing them takes money. AA rightfully should spend their money elsewhere. For example: severance agreements for their crappiest frontline staff who make the AA experience awful. This is costing AA a fortune because right now AA is forced to charge lower fares knowing their quality of service is well below DL and UA. Rarely can I complete a trip on AA without wishing cancer or death on at least one staff member and last time it was the receptionists at the JFK Greenwich Lounge.
Looks like AA or the FAA uses the same spell checker as Gary. To post an article pointing out a typo on this blog is SO ironic it isn’t even funny!
I am impressed at the rate, speed and thoroughness that Gary puts out daily content.
But this? I do not need / want to know.
So why stop here and do an expose’ and shame the person(s) that signed off on the printer’s proof? It must exist.
certificated??? I think the word you’re looking for here is certified.
Just add the alternate spelling to an online dictionary as a cheap fix. (sarcasm)
When I read the “headline” for this post, I initially missed spotting the typo (just as the sign-maker did, I presume).
Because I did not spot the typo, I initially EXPECTED this post was to going to refer back one or two recent posts, where passengers had been assigned seats with damaged, missing, or temporary-replacement cushions.
I suspect a damaged cushion (or a temporary replacement) is likely not certified as a flotation device..Also, one would think that a certified cushion would lose some effectiveness with age. I wonder if they have an expiration or a “use by” date attached to them somewhere (if so, it’s almost certainly not at a location where it can be checked by a passenger). I also wonder if cushion-suitably as a flotation device (and/or expiration dates on any flotation device) is something pilots (or co-pilots) spot check on their pre-flight walk arounds.
‘… put another log on the fire …’ it’s another fact to add to the fast-growing pile, every business should strive for excellence, AA is run like Aeroflot, the Russian flag carrier … as also a post this week about an AA-FA reply to concern about a completely broken seat, “I hope you survive the trip.” Can you imagine one of the other ‘major’ US carriers flying that spelling around, that the FA that said that still having a job? I recall things like that at Braniff in the 80’s. Braniff I and Braniff II.
No, it really is “certificated” not “certified.” Welcome to the FAA.
LMAO they were too cheap to build actual mockups of the oasis pieces of poopoo so what do we expect, proper spelling? Gotta save money for them stock buybacks right Dougie?
Thankfully, on my last American Airlines flight, my seat cushom [sic] was not soaked in urine or poop from a previous passenger. My dry butt is very grateful,
Gary,
Don’t know what you use when writing your blog, but surely it must have spell-checker, no?
Bad spelers of the wurld…UNTIE!!!
I’ve always said, you see what you want to see. I had an article that was proof-read by five persons, and, after being published, my brother picked it up and said, did you know that you had 3 typos on the first page?
more cushiom for the pushiom.
This blogger strongly believes In deregulation, but now wants the the FAA to be the spelling spelling police?? The hypocrisy of these people is thick.
Do some research Gary before you start bloging your click bait headlines. American Airlines still has a few Airbuses that are original America West aircaft and do not have life vest. These aircraft are limited to no more than 50 nautical miles from the nearest shoreline. I know, I fly them.
@Mark S – I am well aware of the legacy HP aircraft and the circuitous routes they wind up flying!
*Bottom* line — it is misspelled, and is wrong. American should ALL those little signs…because it looks shoddy.
I’m happy for @Ken A, both because his is dry, and also, because he’s got a cool pic to go with his post. Wear that live vest! Stylish!
@1990 I learned that when you add a picture on https://gravatar.com/, gravatar will display your phone on VFTW and other websites. But how do you add bold and italic styles to a post? When flying American Airlines, safety is first. Fun fact. Did you know that if you improperly discard an American Airlines urine-soaked seat cushion by tossing it into a Portland, Oregon, water reservoir, Portland will dump 38 million gallons of drinking water? The Associated Press reports that after a 19-year-old urinated into an open reservoir, so Portland, Oregon, dumped 38 million gallons of water. Reference: https://time.com/66459/portland-reservoir-pee/
I have seen a sign in a swimming pool that reads, “We don’t swim in your toilet, so don’t pee on our pool.” Perhaps American Airlines could add a sign that says, “Please don’t pee or poop on our seat cushons. Instead, use our complimentary toilets.”
It should read Gravatar will display your photo on VFTW.