Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/07/28/honest-pre-flight-safety-v.html
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This is good advice and I’m glad for the summary. After years of travel I do all of the active precautions that are suggested almost by rote.
I’d recommend not taking your shoes off at all unless you’re in a fully reclining seat. One thing the video doesn’t go into is how filthy those floors are.
And remember the old pilot’s maxim: any landing you can walk away from is a good one.
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Too long, too many statistics, zoned-out before he mentioned to learn how the seatbelt release works.
My father was an aircraft radionics engineer and he used to fly a lot. He taught me to count the seats by placing my hand on each seat-back, not just by looking at them.
I’ve never heard before that opening the seat belt was an issue. And I can’t help but wonder if it is actually a problem, why it hasn’t been addressed?
The airline industry generally seems to be pretty attentive to such things.
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First point: Don’t take your shoes off at all - that’s just gross and disrespectful to your neighbors.
Second point: Never recline fully…Just. Don’t.
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Feeling a little smug. I’d long since realized that I have to mentally rehearse what I’d do, because I won’t be in a great frame of mind, coughing spastically, blind, and with a broken bone somewhere.
My mental game is that I’m in seat #1; placing a hand on it is one; rehearse then which seat is the number where I turn and go down the next row to the emerg exit. I read that stupid brochure every time and actually move my hands through the gestures to flip up the emerg door, or open the big lever on the main one, the pull-tab for the ramp is on the right. Always assume you’re blind from smoke. Always assume the nearest exit is where the fire is, have a plan B.
Yes, the odds on needing it are microscopic; it’s mostly something to do during a boring moment in my life; imagining the emergency (with me in the Mr. Prepared Boy Scout Hero role!) is a bit of harmless mental fun.
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And if you can use the plane again, it’s a great landing.
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I was talking about the real full recliners: the ones that convert to beds.
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Me too, most of them. I hadn’t heard of the seatbelt thing.
I’ve also heard that a big issue with survivorship is the danger of clothing flammability, so always try to wear natural fibers when flying, versus nylon or other stuff that might melt into you.
Ideally, I won’t be flying for a while now. But when I do, I’ll keep doing all this stuff.
Edited to change rayon to nylon. Thanks, @simonize.
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Oh, well then.,…carry on!
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I don’t know, everyone seems to be able to release their seatbelts awfully quickly as soon as the seatbelts light goes off when they arrive at the gate.
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Right, but like the video says, it’s a lot different when you are, and I paraphrase here, “losing your fucking shit.”
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Never heard this before, but, damn, that’s some good advice!!
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Regarding the overhead locker items-falling-out-and-injuring-people: couple of years back a good friend of mine had just landed at Heathrow. Usual deal, loads of people jumping up to grab their bags even though they’re likely to just stand in the aisle for 10-15 mins while the ground staff find the stand and hook up the jetway.
Anyhow, this particular time he waited a while, then as he stood up some idiot decided to open the overhead locker - which was one of the descending type. He got banged right on the top of the head with it, sat down and swore a lot, but ultimately thought no more of it.
Well, after several weeks of increasingly bad headaches, one morning his wife described him as having a completely grey pallour - ambulance was called, and it turned out he had a subdural hematoma - bleeding on the brain that meant they had him in theatre and were drilling holes in his skull half an hour after arriving in hospital.
So yeah, do be careful when opening those overhead lockers…
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Airlines: We’ve succeeded in making flying safer than staying home! We’re the best safety engineers ever!
Also airlines: We can’t figure out how to keep your seatmate’s saliva out of your lungs.
The few times I’ve flown not counting military aircraft I’ve always kept my seatbelt on unless going to the bathroom. I have seen the bottom of one of those drink carts during clear air turbulence and I was scary as F.
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Probably mentioned before, but my wife was on an Air France 747 that had a bomb threat. Cabin staff were in tears and of no use, according to her. Plane dumped fuel and did an emergency landing in Ireland, and she got to use the inflatable slide. Scary stuff.
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Actually, rayon IS a natural fiber. It is cellulose fiber, usually from wood pulp. It burns readily rather than melting. Nylon, on the other hand melts, and from personal experience, I can tell you that melting nylon sticks well to skin.
Edited to add. That said, Rayon, like silk, is more flammable than cotton despite being a natural fiber and probably something to steer clear of when flying.
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In addition to shoes and natural fibers, I recommend wearing long pants and having a sweater or long sleeved shirt available. You’ll want the protection if you end up using the evacuation slides. Those canvas burns hurt.
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