When traveling by plane, it is important to follow the rules in place to make your trip as enjoyable as possible and to ensure your safety. Thus, flight attendants require you to strictly follow certain instructions, especially those related to raising window shutters during take-off and landing of an aircraft.
However, have you ever wondered why this rule applies to an airplane? Captain reveals what lies behind the habit.
Airplane windows – Source: spm
Airlines Restrictions
But before I explain it to you, this is what the organization that regulates airlines has to say.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the organization that oversees the operation of US air transportation, still sets the ground rules that transportation operators must follow.
The air operators are then free to enforce the rules they see fit to ensure the safety of passengers. Not only is it perfectly acceptable for airlines to make such decisions, they are encouraged to do so.
Why do you have to raise the window shutters during take-off and landing?
The retired captain explained why all airlines require aircraft window shutters.
It is essential that each aircraft be completely evacuated within a maximum of 90 seconds. This means that the crew only has one minute and 30 to direct passengers to emergency exits.
To prepare for a possible evacuation of the aircraft, flight attendants require passengers to raise the window shutters before takeoff and before landing. This is for a very simple reason.
Closing airplane window shutters – Source: spm
In an emergency situation, we have to look out the window to assess the conditions outside. If there is fire or water blocking the window, we will not use this outlet. We will direct people to another place. This may seem trivial. But in an emergency, every second counts when you’re trying to safely evacuate a plane in 90 seconds,” retired Captain John Cox explained in an interview with Business Insider.
Aircraft Pilots – Source: spm
What is important information to know about air travel?
1 – The lights go out on landing in preparation for a possible evacuation: At night, turning off the lights when landing accustoms the eyes of passengers to the darkness. Thus, in the event of an evacuation, they would be better prepared to orient themselves in the darkness of the outside.
2 – aircraft toilets can be opened from the outside: Usually under the sign is a reminder not to smoke, next to the toilet door there is a button that opens the toilet from the outside
3- Pilots sleep during flight: 43-54% of pilots working in Sweden, Norway and the UK admit to falling asleep during flight. In effect, the pilot and co-pilot take turns ensuring the controls.
4- Pilots eat separately in case of food poisoning : Pilots eat different meals and cannot share food to prevent them from getting sick.
5- The first 11 minutes are the most dangerous: In this time period 80% of accidents generally occur according to studies.
It is therefore essential to follow the flight attendants’ instructions literally in order to make your flight experience enjoyable and safe.
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