https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/why-are-airplane-seatbelts-so-weird https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/why-are-airplane-seatb... > There are a few rea

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/why-are-airplane-seatbelts-so-weird https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/why-are-airplane-seatb... > There are a few reasons why the lift-lever lap belt vanished from cars but not from airplanes. For one thing, a shoulder harness in a car is attached to the car’s frame, a very sturdy part of the car. In an airplane, it would have to be attached to the wall (“bulkhead”), which is less sturdy. You could attach it to the seat, but you’d have to reinforce the seat, which increases weight, which we don’t want. > The aircraft industry has made some minor steps towards upgrading this system, instituting belts that actually have little airbags right in them. But the venerable lift-lever lap-borne seatbelt costs about $50 each, and passes the FAA’s requirements. So they remain in our seats.