Never plan on an accident, but always be prepared to survive one

Although today’s airliners are designed to be the safest ever, two incidents in August remind us that we can quickly find ourselves in the same situation as passengers on the Air France landing incident in Canada or the survivors of the TANS Airline crash in Peru.

During my 40-plus years of flying, I have been amazed at some of the “costumes” travelers wear. Many of us remember when you put on your “Sunday best” to go to the airport. As archaic as that sounds, a wool suit, long-sleeve shirt and lace-up shoes are a lot safer for exiting a crashed airplane than the flip-flops, tank tops and shorts we see today.

Flip-flops may be the latest fashion but they afford no protection to feet that may have to carry you over broken glass, torn metal, burning upholstery and jet fuel, only to land onto a hostile surface outside the aircraft.

In the recent Boeing 737 crash in Peru, survivors who made it out of the burning aircraft had to hack their way through a swamp to safety. Imagine that ordeal in flip flops!

Tank tops and short-shorts may be cool, but they give you no protection from searing, jagged surfaces inside or outside a crashed airplane. Additionally, synthetic materials may burn and melt into the skin. The best bets in fabrics are light layers of cotton or wool.

In the 1999 American Airlines 1420 crash in Little Rock, as well as the recent Air France flight accident in Canada, survivors had to escape aircraft littered with debris and burning fuel. Their exits were onto rain-drenched earth in the middle of a storm—not a place for flimsy, fashionable clothing.

As our mentor Tom Davis used to say, “Most plane crashes are caused by the pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient distance from the ground.” That old joke rings true. It’s up to you to plan and dress for survival. You may not be the most fashionable person to board the plane but you may be the one who survives the crash.

Aviation attorney John C. “Rusty” Allman is a former airline captain for a major U.S. airline.

Top 11 Tips for Airline Safety

• Dress suitably for survival; no tank tops or flip flops. Wear lace-up shoes, long-sleeves, natural fibers and long pants.
• When you enter the aircraft take note of all the exit doors and window exits.
• Count the number of seat rows between your seat and the nearest exit in both directions, forward and aft.
• Plan how you would get out of the aircraft in an emergency.
• Read the emergency seat card in the seat pocket. You may learn something that could save your life.
• Pay attention to the flight attendant briefing, and visually identify the flight attendants. They may be giving you directions later.
• Think a minute on how you would place the oxygen mask on yourself then any child or companion with you.
• In case of an emergency, use a pillow and blanket to cover and help brace you.
Never, never try to retrieve carry-on luggage in the case of an emergency.
• If you have to use the evacuation chute, jump out feet first just like a playground slide and be ready to get away from the aircraft as fast as you can.
• Takeoffs and landings are the most critical areas of flight. Be on special alert during those times.