AN aviation expert has revealed the common mistakes passengers make when an in-flight emergency hits – and they could cost you your life.
Safety onboard is super important, especially when it comes to an evacuation.
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Speaking to The Straits Times, Mr Gary Ho, a senior lecturer in aviation management at Temasek Polytechnic, offered suggestions on how passengers can do their part to ensure an emergency evacuation goes as smoothly as possible.
The former air traffic controller revealed: “The whole point is to get people out of the plane as soon as possible.
“It is proven that the longer you stay in there, the greater your chances of survival diminish.
Mr Ho added that you should keep your most cherished belongings where you can easily reach them.
“I always advise my friends to keep their passport, phone and cash with them,” he said.
“You don’t want to waste time by opening the overhead bin and rummaging through your bag.”
He also advised that passengers who want to sit in an emergency exit row should be fit enough to operate the plane door as it can weigh more than 15kg.
Otherwise, they could end up being a hindrance during an evacuation.
“If you can, travel light,” said Mr Ho, adding that wearing trousers as opposed to shorts and a long-sleeved shirt that covers your arms could prove beneficial as they’ll offer protection against abrasions if passengers need to use the emergency slide.
This is because such slides are designed to be rough in texture, so people can slide down at a safe speed.
Finally, Mr Ho called on passengers to listen to the instructions of the cabin crew in an emergency.
“The crew are there for your safety, not just to be waiters,” warned. “They can really help you to survive.”
His comments were made in response to an incident that occurred during the evacuation of an Air China flight, which had to perform an emergency landing at Changi Airport in Singapore on Sunday following an engine fire.
As passengers aboard Air China flight CA403 evacuated the plane, a man was filmed going down one of the emergency slides while holding his carry-on trolley case before colliding with a child at the bottom who slid down before him.
While Air China said on Monday that the 146 passengers on board were evacuated safely with no injuries, a video of the man’s actions triggered an avalanche of angry responses on social media.
Meanwhile, a pilot revealed the common mistake passengers make when turbulence hits.
Speaking anonymously to the MailOnline, the pilot advised that it’s not only during turbulence that you should have your seatbelt fastened.
“Ideally you will have fastened your seatbelt before it started,” he said.
“I have seen videos of people not wearing securely fastened belts hitting their heads on the roofs of planes. The lights and air conditioning ports can prove very painful!”
If the turbulence is more severe, then it’s also a good idea to put your hot drinks on the ground, he added.
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