How to survive a plane crash

The safest thing to do with your carry-on is leave it on the plane.

Flight crews ask you to keep your luggage clear of the aisles for a reason; in the event of an evacuation, you don’t want it blocking an escape route.

With as few as 90 seconds to evacuate a burning place, the precious time spent reaching for luggage could be a life and death decision for someone.

Organising your hand luggage is the first step to travelling light.

The safest place to sit on a plane is behind the wings.

A Popular Mechanics study of 20 commercial jet crashes with both fatalities and survivors found that passengers seated in the rear cabin (behind the wings) had a 69 percent chance of survival, compared with just 49 percent for those in first class.

But you don’t have to sacrifice leg room for safety’s sake: exit rows are perhaps the safest place to sit on the whole plane.

In the event of an evacuation, the closer you are to an exit, the higher the chance you’ll escape unscathed.

No, you’re not imagining it – airplane seats really are getting smaller.

The safest way to sit during a crash is to brace yourself (literally).

In a 2015 crash simulation, Boeing found that passengers who both wore their seat belts and assumed a brace position (feet flat, head cradled against their knees or the seat in front of them if possible) were likeliest to survive a crash.

Seat-belted fliers who did not brace suffered serious head injuries, and those with no seat belts or bracing died on impact.

You go through many hoops at the airport in the lead up to taking a flight, so it may seem shocking that your seat isn’t a guarantee. Know your rights as a passenger.

The first thing you should do during a crash is put on the oxygen mask the minute it drops.

During a loss of cabin pressure, the fall in oxygen can knock you unconscious in as little as 20 seconds.

Listen to your flight attendants: always secure your oxygen mask before helping others.

You can’t help if you can’t breathe.

Most importantly through any ordeal, be nice to the flight attendent.

The safest way to dress on a plane is un-flammably.

The US National Transportation Safety Board says that 68 perent of plane crash fatalities occur in post-crash fires, not in the initial impact.

Fortunately, here’s a scenario you can plan for days in advance while you pack your suitcase: on the day you’re flying, avoid wearing flammable synthetic fibres like polyester and nylon.

Instead, opt for natural materials like cotton or wool (good news if you’re a sweatpants-at-the-airport kind of person).

It’s also a good idea to favour long pants (like jeans) and a long-sleeved shirt for extra protection from flames and sharp objects.

Thinking about holidaying alone, but a bit concerned about the pitfalls? You needn’t worry if you consider these tips first.

The best shoes to wear on a plane never leave your feet. Hassle-free flip-flops might seem like a good idea for braving airport security, but in the chaos of a crash or evacuation, they’ll only slow you down.

Likewise, high heels can lead to stumbling, and may even be sharp enough to pop the inflatable exit slide.

Wear a pair of comfy flats or sneakers, and keep them on your feet through the whole flight.

Not only can loose shoes get in other passengers’ way and hinder your own mobility during an evacuation, but also remember that nobody wants to smell your stinky feet.

And statistically, that is a far greater threat to air travel than any crash.

With global air passenger numbers set to take off, aircraft quality and comfort have become top priorities.