Is Your Seat Choice Really Affecting Your Safety on Flights? Aviation Pro: "Not So Fast!"
Assertion: Reserving seat 11A is not equivalent to purchasing life insurance.
Daily Press Agency (dpa) exposes a misconception: not all aircraft seats are created equally safe. Despite common beliefs, the differences aren’t as significant as you might think.
About the Myth of Seat Safety
Expert opinions suggest that variations in seat safety across an aircraft are minimal. Although flying is statistically extremely safe—the odds of perishing during a commercial flight hover around 1 in 13.7 million[1]—the choice of your seat can subtly impact survival in statistically rare crash scenarios.
The (Relative) Safety of Rear Seats
Aviation experts point to seats in the rear third of the plane as having lower fatality rates in crashes[1]. The front of the aircraft often experiences the bulk of the collision, leaving the rear compartment relatively secure in low-energy crashes like landing mishaps[1][2].
Seats Close to the Wings
These seats are commonly reinforced for structural support, providing potential safety benefits[1].
Advantages of Exit Row Seats
Perched in an exit row may offer enhanced survival odds due to the expedited accessibility to emergency exits[3].
General Safety Guidelines
Despite variations in safety amongst seats, situational awareness and strictly adhering to safety instructions are paramount for survival, regardless of seat placement[1][2][3].
In Summation
While sameness can’t be guaranteed, a definitive study proving which seats are safest in a crash hasn’t been carried out due to the unique nature of each crash scenario[3]. So, shirk the self-imposed anxiety over choosing the “safest” seat, and instead pay heed to the advice of experts: prepare yourself to react swiftly when the unexpected happens and follow the guidance provided by the flight crew.
[1] https://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20170703-are-some-airplane-seats-safer-than-others[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/07/travel/airplane-safest-seat.html[3] https://www.airlinepilotcareers.com/airline-pilot-stories/safest-seats-on-airplanes[4] https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190801-the-physics-of-airplane-crashes
- Choosing a seat in the aviation industry may subtly impact survival in crash scenarios, but a definitive study on the safest seats has not been carried out due to the unique nature of each crash scenario.
- While some seats, such as those in the rear third of the plane and those near exit rows, have been suggested to offer potential safety benefits, general safety guidelines, like situational awareness and strictly adhering to safety instructions, are paramount for survival, regardless of seat placement.
