Buzz
Air travel is becoming increasingly popular. However, recent airplane accidents have made many people wary of this mode of transportation. In unavoidable circumstances where air travel is necessary, selecting a seat that improves your chances of survival in the unfortunate event of an accident is crucial.
What do experts say?
On July 8, 2013, the world debated the cause of the airplane accident in San Francisco when U.S. investigators stated that the aircraft malfunctioned before landing, while Asiana Airlines insisted the plane was functioning properly. This incident marked the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 777, manufactured by Boeing and introduced for service since 1995. It was also the first fatal commercial aviation accident in the U.S. since 2009.
The next day, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed another airplane accident within the U.S. territory, resulting in the death of all 10 passengers onboard. Most aviation professionals believe that “Survival or fatality in airplane accidents is unrelated to passenger seating.”
“No seat on an airplane is inherently safer than another.” – Excerpt from Boeing's official website.
“The safety question is outdated. Is there really any place or way safer to discuss?” – Spokesperson for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
“No seat can be deemed the safest.” – Quoted from Airsafe.com's website.
And the statistical results
The above conclusion is drawn from a study conducted by the American science and technology magazine, Popular Mechanics. The magazine conducted research on every airplane accident that occurred in the U.S. since 1971, along with data on the number of fatalities and survivors.
Of course, this factor must exclude incidents such as being shot down like MH17, as it was exploded in mid-air or situations of hijacking, deliberately crashing into skyscrapers in New York in 2001. Cases where airplanes experience severe accidents cannot ensure effective application of this. Not to mention numerous objective situations that occur during accidents.
However, for some minor accidents that occur during takeoff, landing, minor collisions, etc., only causing insignificant damage such as: fuselage fracture, wing damage, engine fire (promptly extinguished),... rather than extremely dangerous situations, survival chances still exist, even very high if passengers remain calm and follow instructions.
In 2008, the Daily Mail reported that scientists at the University of Greenwich (UK) studied about 2,000 fortunate survivors of 105 airplane accidents worldwide. The results showed that passengers seated near the aisle had a higher chance of survival than those seated by the window. Below is a diagram of safer seating positions with higher survival rates in case of accidents.
This final result also aligns perfectly with survey findings in the U.S., covering 20 accidents. Statistics showed that victims in 7 out of 11 incidents favored seats towards the rear of the aircraft, which is quite impressive. For instance, in the two airplane accidents of 1982 involving Air Florida in Washington, D.C., and the 1972 accident of Eastern Airlines at Kennedy Airport in New York, survivors were predominantly seated in rows near the tail of the aircraft.
Passengers seated at the very back of the aircraft have a survival rate equivalent to those in VIP cabins at 65%, with even better odds for those at the rear.
Evidence of 'survival' in catastrophic accidents
In the United DC airline accident near Portland, Oregon, in 1978, all seven passengers in the first four rows of seats perished. Only one instance was confirmed of a passenger in the front row surviving.
On August 12, 1985, a Japan Airlines aircraft crashed into a mountain 112 km from Tokyo. This is one of the three most catastrophic airplane accidents in world history. A total of 520 people died, and naturally, those in the VIP cabin perished first as the front of the aircraft crashed into the mountain first.
Fortunately, four individuals survived the accident, all seated at the rear of the aircraft.
In the event of a plane crashing into a mountain, passengers seated in the VIP cabin are still the most likely to escape, followed by those at the rear. Next are passengers seated near the wing exits.
Certainly, no passenger desires their flight to end in an accident. It's not necessary to insist on sitting at the back if you have to fly. What matters is that it suits your preferences. For example, if you enjoy admiring the sky, choose a window seat. If you want to minimize inconvenience when using the restroom without disturbing neighboring passengers, opt for an aisle seat. When given the chance to choose seating, it's best to rely on statistical data!
By Huy Ban Comprehensive
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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook
MytourSeptember 24, 2014
