Australian air travellers are unwittingly involved in mid-air safety scares every month. Picture: ThinkStock
Source: Supplied
EVERY time you board a plane the cabin crew run through their standard safety demonstration.
The briefing contains a lot of useful advice, but there are also things they don’t explain that could be the difference between life and death.
There’s a one in 90 million chance of being killed in a plane crash, with three-quarters of passengers surviving in even the most serious crashes, according to the US National Transportation Safety Bureau.
Knowing the best things to do in an emergency can help put the odds in your favour.
Here are 13 things you should know about plane safety:
You may want to check your life vest is actually there
In theory it should be there, but you should always check before take-off. According to travel website AirfareWatchdog.com, life vests are a popular souvenir for travellers.
You need to have a plan. A good plan
If the plane is going to crash, you need to have a plan. Try not to panic – the odds are still overwhelmingly in your favour. As most accidents happen during take-off and landing, focussing on your plan in the few minutes before these times could be beneficial. Make sure you’re ready for a quick exit – don’t remove your shoes, don’t put on a face mask and don’t wear earplugs or earphones.
Assess the conditions of where you’re likely to be landing – if it’s in a cold climate you should put on whatever you can to keep warm. If you’re heading towards the water put on your life vest once you’re out of the plane. Doing so before leaving the plane will just restrict your movement.
Why you need to count the rows to the nearest exit
If your plane crashes, aviation experts often refer to the first two minutes as golden. If a survivor can stay calm and stick to their plan in this time, they have a pretty good chance of escaping alive. Knowing how far it will be to your nearest exit is key – always do as you’re told and count how many rows you’ll have to go to get out of the plane in an emergency.
How to adopt the brace position properly
Make sure if you need to brace for impact that you put your hands on your head, your weaker one over the other stronger one. That way, if something falls on you the stronger hand is likely to be ok as it’s been protected – and you’ll need it to unbuckle your seat belt when the time comes.
If you manage to get out of the crashed plane, find shelter fast
Run as fast as you can and put whatever barrier you can between yourself and the plane in case of an explosion e.g. a tree, hill or building.
Apply your own oxygen mask before helping others
If the cabin loses pressure, you’ll only have about 15 seconds to start breathing through the oxygen mask before you lose consciousness. If you’ve got yours on, you can help anyone else who hasn’t made it in time.
Keep your seatbelt fastened low and tight around your waist
The tighter your seatbelt is, the lower the G-force you’ll experience in the event of a crash. And if it’s too high, you could suffer serious internal injuries – the pelvis is a strong bone that can withstand a fair bit of force. Many injuries happen due to turbulence throwing passengers out of their seats. For example, passengers were flung to the roof, then back down again on a Qantas flight last year.
Turn off your electronic devices during take-off and landing
Probably the most-debated rule of flying, the consensus seems to be that there is a risk of interference with plane equipment, and it’s best to err on the side of caution. Scientific American reports that it’s likely that they’re allowed on while the plane is cruising because there’s more time for the crew to diagnose and fix any problems.
Why do airlines dim the lights during some landings?
The cabin lights are dimmed during night-time take-offs and landings to help your eyes adjust to the dark, whether it be a dark runway or a smoke-filled cabin.
Make sure you stay low if it’s smoky
If there’s smoke make sure to stay as low as you can while getting out as quickly as possible. The smoke is likely to be highly toxic and more likely to kill you than flames.
Just how heavy are the exit doors?
Why should you care? Well, if the flight attendants are injured and you’re close by, you may be called to open it. Some exit doors weigh 18 kilograms, but feel even heavier when you’re trying to open them while seated. A handy tip from Airfarewatchdog.com is to use your knew to rest the door and then swing it out and throw it on the wing.
Drinking alcohol may not be wise
You want to be able to react and make decisions as quickly as possible in an emergency, so avoid the alcohol.
Why are there handles by the door?
In a panicked emergency evacuation, passengers can push flight attendants out of the way and down the slide. They’re meant to be manning the door.
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