A TRAVEL expert who’s flown more than 300 times in 10 years has revealed the 11 trade secrets passengers are never told.
Seasoned flyer Megan Gougeon took to YouTube to issue a series of travel tips to people about what to be wary of on planes.
5
Her advice has included pointing out what small holes in the aircraft’s windows are for – and where the dirtiest parts of the cabin could be.
Megan’s eight-minute video also advises against cuddling up to the in-flight blankets – and she says you shouldn’t be putting on socks either.
Her holiday hacks include booking seats “in the middle of the last row at the back of the plane”, suggesting these have the “highest survival rates” in crashes.
But she prefers to sit elsewhere, sacrificing safety for comfort – since back row seats can’t recline and are closest to the toilets.
Megan says booking direct flights instead of multiple connections will provide both comfort and safety, by guaranteeing a single seat.
She said this was because “most airplane accidents happen on take-off and landing so by choosing a direct flight, it means that you only have to go through this risk-prone part of flying one time”.
She also told how small holes at the foot of plane windows were something “airlines don’t like to talk about” – despite the benefits towards safety and comfort.
She told viewers the so-called “bleed holes” helped regulate cabin pressure to keep windows strong without getting fogged up.
The gaps come in the middle pane of three, meaning the outer window bears the brunt of air pressure – protecting the inner one from shattering if the outer one is blasted out.
She also urged passengers to full full attention when told by flight staff about take-off and landing procedures – such as stowing personal belongings, shutting tray tables and opening window shades.
She told how personal items “could be incredible dangerous if they end up flying through the cabin in an emergency” – while an open tray table could block people’s way if needing to escape.
She added: “The window shades need to be open so emergency personnel could get a good look inside the plane from the outside in the case of a crash landing.”
And she raised out other reminders she feels cabin staff could be more open about – such as the potential to use detachable seat cushions as “flotation devices if needed”.
She highlighted two toilet elements many might not notice – including self-contained removable ashtrays, which must be provided just in case passengers do break the rules by smoking on-board.
And lavatory signs have a “hidden latch” underneath, meaning they can be unlocked from the outside.
Her warning against wearing socks comes down to donning them without shoes when walking around the flight – due to not only “the unpleasantness of bathroom spills” but also “a variety of germs” that collect on the aisle floors.
She also recommended wiping down surfaces and carrying a tray table cover as other hygiene precatuons.
And she warned many aeroplane blankets and pillows on long-haul flights are “actually reused and they may only be clean for the first flight of the day”.
5
5
5
5
