Airline Removes Life Vests to Save Weight, Fuel

What do I always say about corporations? It's all about the money. In this case, Air Canada's regional carrier, Jazz, has decided to remove life vests from its planes to reduce weight, and save fuel.

Canadian regulations allow airlines to use flotation devices instead of life vests as long as the planes remain within 50 miles of shore. Floatation devices = seat cushions, which is what passengers are now being directed to use.

Jazz doesn't fly over the ocean. It does fly over the Great Lakes, however. But the airline says its flights over water are minimal.

Sure, but if an unforeseen circumstance happens, what then? Taking a look at the placard (above, which is put into seat pockets in Jazz planes), you can see you would quite naturally have to hang onto the cushion.

Can you imagine a) doing that while you exit the plane, b) doing in that freezing water in the Great Lakes?

Granted, the odds are small they would ditch in the water, but it's nice (insert sarcasm here) to see an airline playing the odds with passenger lives.

One more thing, an interesting comment here:

I agree that many posters might be less than fully informed, but not all of us are. I worked full time in the aviation industry for over 7 years and fly every working day as part of my job. I have extensively researched flight safety issues and have sat on committees that deal with such issues. Flight Safety is a part of my daily responsibilities and I do not think that removing life jackets is a good idea. I have been trained in how to egress from a submerged aircraft and it would be impossible to take a seat cushion with you. At least if you had a life jacket you could inflate once you exited the aircraft. Holding onto anything in numbingly cold water would be impossible.

Makes us all feel a little better, doesn't it?