Which cue indicates the aircraft is on approach?

Which cue indicates the aircraft is on approach?

• A. Flight deck will signal seat belt sign on/off multiple times and chime can be heard 3x (approx 10 minutes prior to touchdown)
• B. Captain announces approaching
• C. ATC will inform you of approach
• D. Cabin crew monitors flight instruments

Answer: (A)

In-flight cues from the cockpit that signal the approach phase are the most reliable in the cabin. When the flight deck turns the seat belt sign on and off, and a chime is heard multiple times, it’s a clear, observable signal that descent and landing are imminent. Doing this about ten minutes before touchdown gives the cabin crew time to secure the cabin, brief passengers, and prepare for landing. The seat belt sign is specifically tied to safety during approach and landing, so its activation is the strongest indicator that the aircraft has transitioned from cruise toward the final phase of flight. Captain announcing approaching or ATC informing you of approach are useful, but they depend on who’s listening and may not be conveyed with the same immediacy and definitiveness as the cockpit’s seat belt sign changes. Monitoring flight instruments is ongoing, not a distinct cue of entering approach.

In-flight cues from the cockpit that signal the approach phase are the most reliable in the cabin. When the flight deck turns the seat belt sign on and off, and a chime is heard multiple times, it’s a clear, observable signal that descent and landing are imminent. Doing this about ten minutes before touchdown gives the cabin crew time to secure the cabin, brief passengers, and prepare for landing. The seat belt sign is specifically tied to safety during approach and landing, so its activation is the strongest indicator that the aircraft has transitioned from cruise toward the final phase of flight.

Captain announcing approaching or ATC informing you of approach are useful, but they depend on who’s listening and may not be conveyed with the same immediacy and definitiveness as the cockpit’s seat belt sign changes. Monitoring flight instruments is ongoing, not a distinct cue of entering approach.