Why do seat backs have to be up?

The FAA requires that seat backs be upright for take off and landing to provide as much room as possible for the people behind you to get to the aisle in the event of an emergency evacuation. This requirement has been in place for decades.
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Why can't you lean your seat back during takeoff?

In the event of an emergency, an unlocked seat has more force during impact, and the thrusting forward of that seat can cause passenger injury." Like a catapult, the farther back the seat, the greater distance your head would travel during an impact, and the more force would be generated.
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Why are rear facing airplane seats safer?

In the event of a crash, facing backward sounds much safer: Forces are applied on a much larger surface (your whole back is in contact with the seats, instead of just a seatbelt and maybe the opposite seat) Most passenger are already in position in case of an unpredicted crash.
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Why do armrests have to be down?

The reason why flight attendants tell you to put the armrests down during takeoff and landing is because they can cause serious injury if the plane comes to a sudden halt. This was explained in detail by former cabin crew safety trainer, Sebastien Bouevier.
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Is it better to sit on the wing or behind it?

“The smoothest place to sit is over the wings, nearest to the plane's centers of lift and gravity,” explained Patrick Smith on the Ask the Pilot site.
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How It Works: Seat Back Adjuster



Where is quietest on a plane?

The front section, especially seats that are placed before the jet engines are the quietest area of the plane. That's why business class and even AirAsia's quiet zones on the A330 are often placed at the front section of the plane. Other things to consider is the proximity to the washroom.
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Where is the loudest place to sit on a plane?

Research found that the noise experienced in window seats was four decibels higher than the middle and aisle seats. Meanwhile, at the back of the aircraft, there is a lot of low frequency noise, says Kochan.
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Why is there a tiny hole in airplane windows?

It's hard to believe that those tiny holes, known as bleed holes, in window panes are meant for safety purposes, right? But that's what they are there for. The holes are specially designed to regulate the air pressure change inside the plane cabin as they get higher up to an altitude of 33,000 feet.
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Why do all airplane windows have a tiny hole in them?

Believe it or not, holes in window panes are meant to keep us safe. Known as “bleed holes”, they help regulate air pressure changes as planes climb to cruising altitudes of up to 33,000 feet. At high altitudes, air pressure and oxygen levels reduce.
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What would happen if an airplane window broke?

A broken window would cause the air inside to rush out rapidly, causing little objects like phones and magazines (and even larger ones, like people) to be carried away. This is all due to the high-pressure difference at high altitudes.
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Is sitting backwards safer?

Many of our customers are new to the idea of rear-facing car seats, however, the concept has been around since 1988. We have always recommended rear-facing seats because they are that much safer than forward-facing car seats.
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Why do airline seats face forward?

Forward-facing seats are the norm

Since air travel began, forward-facing seats have been the standard configuration. (Of course, there are exceptions like Southwest's lounge seating which it installed until 1997).
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Is it safer to sit backwards?

Facing Backward: Keeping Kids Safe In Cars Federal safety officials are holding a forum to explore car seat safety. That's because car crashes are the biggest killer of children in the U.S. Studies show that children in rear-facing car seats are five times safer than those who face forward.
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Is it rude to recline on a plane?

"Airplane etiquette is you only recline when necessary, and if you must recline, just put the seat back a little bit to get the comfort you need without encroaching too much on the person behind you," Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst, shared with The New York Times.
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Is it rude to recline your seat?

While having the seat reclined on a plane may offer you some comfort, don't keep it that way when it's time for your flight's meal service. That'll mean a cramped dining experience for the passenger behind you. YES, it's very rude.
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Why do tray tables have to be up when landing?

“Basically, [tray tables are] to be up for takeoff and landing so that [they] won't block you from evacuating in the event of an emergency,” former flight attendant Kelly Kincaid told T+L. Takeoff and landing are the most critical phases of a flight.
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Why do planes fly lower at night?

Planes don't fly lower at night; they have the same cruising altitudes as to what they fly at during the day. There is no safety reason for aircraft to fly lower at night, it is perfectly safe for them to do so.
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What happens if a bird hits a plane?

Bird strikes can sometimes result in loss of thrust in the engine(s) or the cracking of the surface of the canopy or windshield. These cracks can sometimes disrupt the air pressure inside the cabin and result in altitude loss or other flight-related problems.
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Why do international flights take-off at night?

Night curfew

These countries have been following night curfews since the 1960s, when aircraft engines were very noisy, and, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the curfew was primarily a result of local protests about noise pollution at night.
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Why do they turn the lights off in a plane when landing?

The "dimming of cabin lights" only happens when it is dusk, dawn or dark outside the aircraft. This is a safety measure, and is to ensure your eyes are adjusted to the gloom enough to see the floor lights leading you to safety along the aisle in the event of a crash or emergency evacuation.
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Why do you have to shut blinds on a plane?

Answer. Answer: It's a CAA regulation that blinds have to be up during take off and landing, so that if there is an emergency, the Emergency Services can actually see into the aircraft.
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Does Air Force One have an escape pod for the president?

Air Force One is shown as being equipped with a one-person escape pod for emergency use by the president of the United States in at least four films, Escape from New York, Air Force One, Bermuda Tentacles, Big Game, as well as the Fox animated series Bob's Burgers. The actual Air Force One does not have an escape pod.
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Where should you not sit on a plane?

But the worst place for safety purposes is in the middle.

"From a safety standpoint, however, the worst seat to sit in if there were a plane crash is a seat in the middle row in the middle section of the plane. The fatality rate for that section of a lot of analyzed crashes is quite high," O'Donnell explains.
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Which airline has the biggest seats?

Jet Blue is the leader in the “most pitch” and “widest seat” contest because the majority of their economy and coach class seats are roomy.
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Do you feel more turbulence in the back of the plane?

Because the center of lift and gravity on a plane usually isn't at the midpoint of the plane in terms of length, the front of the plane suffers less turbulence than the rear.
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