The narrator of the video introduces a series of surprising facts about air travel, from the mechanics of boarding and the importance of seat selection to the unique challenges faced by pilots and flight attendants.
The narrator explains that while boarding last is the easiest way to minimize the time spent waiting on board, it's not necessary to rush to join the queue as most airlines pre-assign specific seats to passengers. The narrator also reveals that the six-digit alphanumeric code on most boarding passes is called a Passenger Name Record (PNR), which is used to identify individual passengers. This PNR can reveal a lot about you, including your date of birth and contact details.
The narrator also discusses the dangers that airplanes face in the air, such as bird strikes and hailstorms. The narrator mentions that airplanes are equipped with a secret way to unlock an airplane toilet from the outside, which can be useful in emergencies.
The narrator then delves into the mystery of airplane food, explaining that airplane cabins have humidity levels as low as 10%, which can affect our ability to taste and smell. To counteract this, some airlines increase the amount of salt and sugar in their food.
The narrator also discusses the rules for pilots and co-pilots about what they can and can't eat while on the job. The narrator reveals that pilots and co-pilots are warned against eating the same meals while working, as a preventative measure against mutual food poisoning.
The narrator then reveals that air travel is one of the safest modes of transportation, with the odds of dying in a commercial airline plane crash being a staggering one in 3.37 billion. The narrator also discusses the safest spot in the event of an incident in the air, revealing that middle seats specifically in the rear of the plane are the absolute safest place to be and give you a 72% chance of surviving a crash landing.
The narrator also discusses the small red or black triangles that can be found along cabin interiors, revealing that these are actually here to let cabin crew know which window will give the best vantage point to view the wings of the aircraft.
The narrator then discusses the sounds used mid-air to keep things running like clockwork. The narrator reveals that a singular chime can be the pilot warning flight attendance of upcoming turbulence, but it might also mean he wants a cup of coffee. Two consecutive chimes usually means that the airplane is approaching 10,000 feet, whereas three or more chimes indicates a more serious problem, such as an extremely ill passenger or a warning for extreme turbulence.
The narrator then discusses the luxurious service offered in
1. The narrator introduces a flight where they will share mind-blowing facts about aeronautical topics.
2. Boarding is one of the most stressful parts of airplane travel.
3. Most airlines pre-assign specific seats to passengers.
4. Boarding towards the end is the easiest way to minimize the amount of time spent waiting on board.
5. The six-digit alphanumeric code on most boarding passes is called a Passenger Name Record, which is used to identify individual passengers.
6. The database that this code corresponds to holds credit card information, passport details, as well as IP addresses if booked online.
7. Passengers who find the four S's code on their ticket may find themselves going through additional security checks.
8. Airplanes are pretty hefty pieces of machinery, it's crazy to think that an average-sized commercial aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of about 175,000 pounds.
9. Collisions between planes and birds don't often end well, for the bird that is, but they can still do some damage to an airplane when hitting it at speed.
10. Hailstorms are one of the most dangerous weather conditions for an airplane and they can cause some pretty crazy damage.
11. It's actually estimated that each airplane in the U.S.'s commercial fleet is struck lightly by lightning at least once per year.
12. When you flush an airplane toilet, a strong suction pulls the waste away using only a very small amount of water as a means to save weight and space on the aircraft.
13. There's actually a secret way to unlock an airplane toilet from the outside.
14. Airplane cabins have humidity levels as low as 10% while in the air, which is shockingly even drier than the Sahara Desert.
15. Airplane food tastes so bad due to the low humidity levels in the cabin, which affects our ability to taste and smell.
16. Some airlines drastically increase the amount of salt and sugar in their food to counteract this.
17. Donning a pair of noise-canceling headphones can make food and drink taste better in the air.
18. Pilots and co-pilots are warned against eating the same meals while working, as a preventative measure against mutual food poisoning.
19. Air travel is actually one of the safest modes of transportation and your odds of dying in a commercial airline plane crash are a staggering one in 3.37 billion.
20. Historically, those seats in the back third of a plane had a 68% average chance of survival compared with 62% in the front section and 61% in the middle third.
21. Aisle seats in the middle third of an aircraft are the worst places you can be in the event of a crash with a survival rate of 56%.
22. Middle seats specifically in the rear of the plane are the absolute safest place to be and give you a 72% chance of surviving a crash landing.
23. The tiny hole right at the bottom of the window is actually one of the airplane's mightiest safety features.
24. These small red or black triangles along cabin interiors are here to let cabin crew know which window will give the best vantage point to view the wings of the aircraft.
25. The beeping sound on a plane usually means to get back to your seat and fasten your seat belt.
26. Both the first-class and business class cabins of many airlines receive high-quality multi-course meals, sometimes even served with fine China and glassware.
27. On average, a business class ticket will cost around twice as much as a standard economy seat.
28. Flight attendants will reach what's known as a rest compartment, which is specially reserved for the cabin crew to get some well-earned shut eye.
29. Pilots often get their own private quarters at the front of the plane, which usually features two spacious sleeping compartments as well as to business class seats, a closet, and lavatory.
30. 84% of pilots said that their ability to fly a plane had been compromised due to tiredness.
31. If a passenger does pass away during a flight, the crew will usually have to wait until the plane reaches its final destination to remove the body from the plane.