Aviation experts reveal the SAFEST place to sit on a plane and the simple advice that could save your life in the event of an accident

There are many rules and regulations when it comes to flying, but most people are most concerned with identifying the safest seat on board.

In January, Boeing 737 Max 9 planes were grounded for safety reasons, following a disastrous Alaska Airlines flight that was forced to make an emergency landing after a door plug came off and left a gaping hole. on the side of the plane.

The incident spurred a new wave of aviation safety and, although Passengers can’t control whether a door is thrown open or how a pilot lands a plane, the only thing they can say is where to sit, but where to choose?

While the “safest” seating position depends on the type of emergency occurring, it is commonly recommended to sit near the wing, at the rear, or even towards the back to be safer if the plane is involved in an accident.

However, according to Anthony Brickhouse, an associate professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, there really isn’t a “safest” place to sit per se.

Anthony himself tends to choose a seat at the back of the plane, saying it has been proven safer in the past.

Your next choice would be the seats near the wings.

Antonio told the Wall Street Journal that the wings of an airplane are “strong structural components” and make that area of ​​the airplane stronger and therefore more likely to “withstand” the event of an accident.

Time magazine said that by looking at the row positions, they found that the middle seats at the back of the plane had the best results, with only a 28 percent fatality rate.

The worst seats for safety were in the aisle in the middle third of the cabin with a fatality rate of 44 percent.

Graham Braithwaite, professor and director of transportation systems at Cranfield University in the United Kingdom, says airlines commonly suggest that passengers count the number of rows to an exit, even if the exit is behind them.

He added that this advice has saved lives in the event of an accident, citing a man who successfully escaped a British Airtours fire at Manchester Airport in England in 1985 because he counted the lines to the exit and was able to find the gate when the vain people filled with smoke.

Despite the Alaska Airline explosion, 2023 was the second safest year on record for airline safety, as evidenced by all airline incidents recorded last year on the Aviation Safety Network.

Aviation experts urge travelers to focus less on where they sit and more on airlines’ pre-flight safety instructions, since safety information regarding that particular plane may be different than other planes on the plane. those that have flown.

“It’s frustrating when I fly and I look around and very few people pay attention to me,” Anthony admitted.

Despite the Alaska Airline explosion, 2023 was the second safest year on record for airline safety, as evidenced by all the airline incidents recorded last year in the Air safety network.

According to this database, out of 35 million flights, there were 1,213 serious incidents, 134 accidents, five fatal accidents and 105 deaths.

Air travel is consistently ranked as one of the safest modes of transportation, according to a report published by airlineratings.com that finds the average number of airline accidents over the past five years is 13 accidents each year and 300 deaths.