Every traveler should know and understand that an airplane is one of the safest forms of transportation. Just think about the training pilots receive before they get access to the helm. Also, flight attendants have an essential function onboard, and it's not about handing out food. However, even in the air, unforeseen situations happen, so you should always be on your guard. In this article, we'll tell you what steps each of you can take to keep yourself safe during a flight. Read carefully, so you don't miss anything.
What can you do before the flight?
It all starts the moment you step on the plane. After you find your seat, count the number of rows that separate you and the exits at the front and back. That way, you will know where you should go in case of an emergency evacuation.
Even before departure, flight attendants explain safety procedures to passengers. Many people neglect these explanations, and in vain. Even if you often travel and have heard these explanations many times, pay attention to the flight attendant. In a stressful situation, you can absolutely forget about the most basic precautions. If you listened carefully to everything the flight attendant told you, the chances of doing everything right are significantly increased.
Seatbelts, which every passenger should wear, are different from those in the car. Before the flight, unbuckle and re-buckle your seat belt several times. That way, if you need to unbuckle your seatbelt quickly, you will not have a problem. Statistically, many people can't handle the seat belt, so they end up not getting out of the plane in time.
Put all your bags in a locker or under the seat in front. All of the most important things like a phone, passport, and wallet are worth keeping with you, and you can get them in a small purse. The fact is that your bags can cause injury during an evacuation and slow down the flow of people. That's why you should only leave your passport and phone with you. This will eliminate the temptation to take your bag with you during an evacuation.
In addition to the explanations from the flight attendant, there is an illustrated instruction in front of each seat about how to behave in an emergency. Look through all the pictures carefully. There are usually instructions on what body position to take in case of an emergency landing. This will allow you to avoid injury if this happens. Believe me, when people on the plane panic, this knowledge will really come in handy.
Before you gain altitude and before you descend, keep your shoes and clothing on. In the event of an emergency, you will not have time to get dressed and put your shoes on, so make that provision in advance.
It would be best if you did not consume alcohol before and during the flight. Alcoholic beverages reduce brain performance and significantly slow down the reaction time. Thus, it can lead to dire consequences.
What to do in an emergency?
If you find yourself, for example, in a smoky plane and something happened to the engines, there are a few recommendations.
First of all, try not to panic. Of course, we understand that it is difficult to remain calm when your life is in danger. However, always remember that panic only makes the situation worse.
Do not take any extreme action. Flight attendants and pilots have been trained many times, so you have to listen carefully to their instructions. At such a moment, it is worth trusting professionals whose goal is the preservation of passengers' lives.
If you have studied the illustrations at each seat in advance, try to assume the body position in the picture. Also, cover your head with your hands if objects start falling from above. People usually don't know that clutching their fingers together is not an option because it's easier to injure your hands if you do so. First, place the leading hand on your head, with which you will then unbuckle the belt. Put the other hand on top of it. This way, you protect your head, and you can quickly unbuckle the belt and get out of the seat.
What should I do during an evacuation?
If the airplane cabin is full of smoke, you should lower yourself to the floor because the smoke will rise. Then it would be best if you crawled to the nearest emergency exit. There are LEDs in the airplane aisle for such an eventuality that allow you to find your way.
Leave all bags and belongings where they are. If you suddenly decide to take your briefcase, you could seriously slow everyone down. This will become a serious problem since you have 90 seconds for the entire evacuation. At a moment like this, you have to think first and foremost about everyone on board.
When you find yourself in front of a slide, immediately jump on it and go down so as not to slow down traffic. Often flight attendants have to help passengers down as quickly as possible as they begin to take a long time to settle down. Remember that there are people in the cabin who also have to get out of the plane at this point.
When you come down and hit the braking lane, you need to get up quickly and run out of the plane. This is where the points we talked about earlier become important. If you're not wearing shoes, there's a significant risk of damaging your feet. Also, if you do manage to take your bag with you, it can hurt your arm or something else with such a hard and fast descent.
Don't stop near the plane when you descend, and be careful. Even after landing, you will not be completely safe. There will be cars with rescuers and other airplanes passing near you at high speed. In this case, you have to understand that you may just not be seen, so be careful.
But being careful is always worth it, especially if you are at the helm yourself, but not the plane, but your car. Think ahead of your route and choose the safest way to the airport. To be sure that you can find a place for your car at parking at airport, book a place in advance on the website. You can also inquire about discount airport parking to save your money. However, if you want to use cheap parking all the time, you should consider parking near the airport. On our website, you can find out more about these parking lots. They are a great alternative to airport parking.
Conclusion
At the end of the article, I would like to remind you that planes are really safe transport once again. You can always be sure that both pilots and flight attendants know what to do in an emergency, although these occur very rarely. Always be concerned about your safety, and don't forget that other people's lives may also depend on your actions.
