PILOTS have revealed the five-second safety rule all passengers boarding a flight should know.
A group of former professional pilots said the flying hack could save in the event of an emergency.
GettyThis five-second safety trick could save your life in case of emergency [stock image][/caption]
Although planes are known to be one of the safest forms of travel, you should always be prepared on board.
Luckily for anxious travellers, pilots with years of experience have revealed the “life-saving” steps you should take in case of emergency.
Golden Rule Travel agent Hans Mast urged passengers to always have a look around the plane and identify the nearest exist.
Mr Mast told Travel and Leisure: “As soon as I board a plane, I always take note of the nearest emergency exit, counting the number of seat rows between my location and that exit.
“In the event of an emergency, visibility could be impaired, and having this mental map can be life-saving,”
The five-second tip could put you ahead of the crew in case of an sudden evacuation.
Former pilot Nick Eades added: “Awareness of your safety on an aircraft starts the moment you enter the aircraft, not once the cabin crew starts the safety briefing.
“The pilots may press the evacuation alarm even before the engines are started.
“As the captain of a 747, I had to complete a rapid evacuation of the passengers when an air conditioning truck attached to the aircraft caught fire.”
Having an exit plan ready can give you more time to react.
The flying pro explained: “Out of 400 passengers, only a handful reacted quickly enough. Had the fire taken hold, the outcome could have been catastrophic.”
However, beyond planning an exit plan, there are other ways to get you ready for potential emergencies.
And it all starts before you leave home to catch your flight.
Fellow ex-pilot Dan Bubb said: “I don’t overstuff my carry-on bag.”
“I’ve seen many passengers bring very large and heavy carry-on bags onboard the plane and try to unsuccessfully stuff them into the overhead bins.”
People who put too much stuff in their hand luggage could cause huge problems on the flight.
“This not only is time-consuming and prevents other passengers from getting to their seats, but extremely dangerous should those bags fall on someone,” he added.
Mr Bubb insisted passengers should always listen carefully to the safety instructions given by the crew members before take off.
“Even though I am thoroughly familiar with the flight attendants’ safety demonstration, I still pay attention to each one,” says Bubb.
It comes as other pilots revealed the reason passengers should wear long-sleeved tops on a flight.
This is because of the UV rays coming through the windows of the plane, which can be much stronger when up in the sky.