Tips for Safe Air Travel by Plane

Fly Safer

Apr 18, 2006

Air Travel

Traveling by Plane

They say traveling by air is, by far, the safest way to go anywhere. This is true. There are far less deaths per year due to plane crashes than any by driving or riding in a motor vehicle. What is scary to most people is that they are totally out of control of the situation when in a plane.

If you visit the National Safety Council's Website, you can view your odds for dying in a multitude of different ways. It's a bit morbid, I realize, but it really puts things into perspective regarding air travel related deaths. According to this site, there were 653 deaths in air and space travel in 2002, as apposed to 20,623 deaths in cars, trucks, and vans.

Crashes

Surviving a crash will depend greatly on where you are seated, where the plane crashes, and the height from which the plane falls. Sometimes there is just nothing you can do.

There are a few things you can do to up your chances of survival in case of a crash, however. The first is to fly non-stop when at all possible, as most crashes occur due to problems landing or taking off. Sit near an exit if possible, and know where the exits are in relation to your seat.

Know exactly how to disengage your seatbelt. Also take some time to read about the oxygen masks that fall in front of you in an emergency.

The most important thing to remember in the event of a crash landing is to get out as quickly as possible, but do not push, shove, or panic. Listen to instructions if they are being offered and leave your possessions behind. Your life, and your family are more important than anything else.

Injury

The following tips are geared towards helping you avoid injury to yourself or your fellow passengers in situations other than major plane crashes.

Turbulence is a common occurrence in air travel. Planes deal with turbulence much like cars on the road deal with wind. Just as a driver compensates when heavy gusts hit their car, a pilot compensates when they hit air pockets in the air. A plane coming down due to turbulence is almost unheard of, but it can cause injuries to passengers on the plane.

Though the plane may not be going down, injury can occur during heavy bouts of turbulence. If you are told to put on your seatbelt at anytime during the flight, be sure to do so. You don't want to be thrown from your seat.

Be mindful of your carryon luggage. There are regulations regarding how big your carryon can be, and these have come about for a few very good reasons. Heavy and large bags cannot be stowed properly, and may shake loose and injure someone when the plane is taking off, landing, or experiencing turbulence.

If your bag is heavy, put it under the seat in front of you for storage instead of in the overhead compartment. These compartments have been known to pop open. When this happens, the luggage can fall out on your head, or others around you. If you see someone stuffing a large and heavy bag in the compartment over your head, don't be afraid to say something to a flight attendant. After all, it is your head it may fall on.

Keep your children secure in their seats. If you have young children, take a safety seat with you and have it strapped securely in the seat. Children can quite easily bounce around during turbulence and get hurt. Children do need to get up and stretch, especially on long flights, but be sure they are strapped in at the first signs of a bumpy ride.

The most important thing you can do for your safety is to cooperate with your flight attendants. Pay careful attention to their instructions at the beginning of the flight, even if you have heard them all before. They know what they are doing, and they are best equipped to guide you in the case of an emergency.

These easy tips not only help you keep safe during a flight, they help keep those around you safe as well. Keep your carry-on in a safe place and that you wear your seatbelt for as much of the flight as possible. There's no sense starting your vacation with a twisted ankle or a knot on your head, or ever worse, with a stay in the hospital.

Lesson 5

TRAVELLING BY AIR

Listening (How flying affects you) – BBC.

Discuss the texts and the vocabulary.

Answer the questions (“Tips…”):

Why is air travel considered the safest way to go anywhere?

What can be scary to people?

What can you do to up your chances of survival in case of a crash?

What are the rules to be remembered?

What injury-provoking situations can you find yourself in in a plane?

What can cause trouble and injury during heavy bouts of turbulence?

What is more advisable to do with your carry-on luggage?