Commercial airlines around the world now carry nearly 2.5 billion
passengers a year, and despite the inherent dangers of rocketing through
the sky miles above the Earth in a very heavy piece of metal, these
travelers are amazingly safe. In fact, the odds of dying on a commercial
airline flight are as low as 9 million to 1! That said, a lot can go
wrong at 33,000 feet above the ground, and if you’re unlucky enough to
be aboard when something does, the decisions you make could mean the
difference between life and death. Keep in mind that about 95% of
airplane crashes have survivors, so even if the worst does happen, your
odds aren’t as bad as you might think.Wear long pants, a long-sleeve t-shirt, and sturdy, comfortable, lace-up shoes. Although you may want to be comfortable or professional-looking on a flight, sandals or high heels make it hard to move quickly within the wreckage. High heels are not allowed on the evacuation slides and you can cut your feet and toes on glass or get flammable liquids on or in your sandals if you wear them.
Loose or elaborate clothing also poses a risk, as it can get snagged on obstacles in the close confines of a plane. If you know you’re going to be flying over cold areas, dress appropriately, and consider keeping a jacket on your lap. You’ll need to be able to stay warm if you survive the crash. Even if that is not a consideration, the more of your body is covered during impact, the less likely you are to receive serious injuries or burns. Cotton or wool clothing is also preferable as it is less flammable. Wool is preferable to cotton when flying over water, as wool does not lose its insulating properties to the degree cotton does when wet.
Loose or elaborate clothing also poses a risk, as it can get snagged on obstacles in the close confines of a plane. If you know you’re going to be flying over cold areas, dress appropriately, and consider keeping a jacket on your lap. You’ll need to be able to stay warm if you survive the crash. Even if that is not a consideration, the more of your body is covered during impact, the less likely you are to receive serious injuries or burns. Cotton or wool clothing is also preferable as it is less flammable. Wool is preferable to cotton when flying over water, as wool does not lose its insulating properties to the degree cotton does when wet.
Book the right seats. Because the initial impact is most often survivable, the key to living to tell about a crash is frequently how quickly you can get out. To this end, it’s best to get seats as close as possible to an exit, and aisle seats are generally preferable. In addition, try to sit in the back of the plane. Passengers in the tail of the aircraft have 40% higher survival rates than those in the first few rows. [1]
Read the safety information card and pay attention to the pre-flight safety speech. Yes, you’ve heard it all before, and you’ll probably never need it, but if you keep your headphones on during the pre-flight instructions or ignore the safety card, you’ll be missing out on information that could be vital in the event of a crash. Don’t assume you know it all already, either. Every type of airplane has different safety instructions. If you're sitting in an exit row, study the door and make sure you know how to open it if you need to. In normal circumstances the flight attendant will open the door, but if they are dead or injured, you'll need to do it.
Make a plan. If the plane is going to crash, you almost always have several minutes to prepare before impact. Use this time to once again review where the exits are, and try to count the number of seats between your row and the exit row—that way you’ll know when you’ve reached the exit even if you can’t see it. Assess the situation as well as possible. Try to determine what surface the plane will land on so you can customize your preparations. If you’re going to be landing in water, for example, you’ll want to put your life vest on—don’t inflate it until you’re out of the plane—and if you’re going to be landing in cold weather, you should try to get a blanket or jacket to keep you warm once outside.
Keep your seat belt securely fastened at all times. If the plane crashes while you’re sleeping, you’ll be glad you kept your seat belt on. In any case, make sure it is placed around you snugly before impact. Every centimeter of slack in your seat belt triples the G-Force you'll experience in the crash, so keep it snug! Also, push that snug seat belt down as low over your pelvis as possible. You should be able to feel the upper ridge of the pelvis above the upper edge of the belt. Why? The pelvis is a very strong structure that handles force well. However, if your belt slides up into your stomach, you have a greater chance of sustaining dangerous internal injuries. (Note: this also applies to car seat belts.)
Brace yourself for impact. If you know you’re going to crash, brace yourself. Return your seat back to its full upright position and assume one of two "brace positions."
- If the seat or bulkhead in front of you is close enough to easily reach, place one hand palm-down on the back of that seat, cross the other hand palm-down over the first hand, and rest your forehead against your hands (don’t lace your fingers). It is also sometimes recommended to put your head directly against the seat in front of you and lace your fingers behind your head, tucking your upper arms against the sides of your head.
- If you don’t have a seat close in front of you, bend forward and put your chest on your thighs and your head between your knees. Cross your wrists in front of your lower calves, and grab your ankles. In either position, your feet should be flat on the floor and further back than your knees to reduce injuries to your feet and legs, which you will need in order to successfully exit the craft after impact. Place your legs as far under the seat as possible to avoid breaking your shin bones.
Put your oxygen mask on before assisting others. You’ve probably heard this on every commercial flight you’ve been on, but it’s worth repeating. If the integrity of the cabin is compromised, you have only about 15 seconds (often less if you’re a smoker or have circulatory or respiratory problems) to start breathing through your oxygen mask before you are rendered unconscious.
- While you may feel an impulse to first help your children or the elderly passenger sitting next to you, you’ll be no good to anyone if you don’t remain conscious.
- You can put somebody else's oxygen mask on even if they're unconscious.
Get out of the airplane as quickly as possible. It’s critical to get out of the aircraft without delay—if fire or smoke is present, you will generally have less than two minutes to safely exit the plane.
- Obey the flight attendants’ post-crash instructions. Flight attendants undergo rigorous training to make sure they know what to do in the event of a crash. If a flight attendant is able to instruct or assist you—sometimes they won’t be able to do so after a crash—listen to him or her, and cooperate to increase everyone’s chances of survival.
- Don’t try to rescue your belongings. It’s common sense, but still some people don’t seem to get it. Leave everything behind. It will only slow you down.
- Make sure the exit you choose is safe. Look through the window to determine if there is fire or some other hazard outside of an exit. If there is, try the exit across the plane, or proceed to another set of exits.
Get at least 500 feet upwind from the aircraft. If you’re stranded in a remote area, the best thing to do usually is to stay close to the aircraft to await rescuers. You don’t want to be too close, though. Fire or explosion can happen at any time after a crash, so put some distance between you and the plane. If the crash is in open-water, swim as far away from the plane wreckage as possible
