Air travel is
surely one of the best and most convenient ways to travel. Not only does it
enable you to reach your destination faster than any other means of transport
but also lets you travel in luxury and class. No matter how frequently you
travel by air and how familiar you are with the way things work, there are many
secrets which the pilot and flight staff don’t want you to know. Behind all the
shiny exteriors and proper appearances there are several things which might
make you look at air travel in a whole new light. Some flight staff and crew members came
forward to reveal a few of the truths about flights and they are no less than
shocking. The following is a list of the 12 shocking truths about flights
revealed by flight staff.
1.Old Headphones
The first
shocking truth about flight travel is that the headphones that you are provided
are not necessarily new, even if they are packed in plastic wrappers. What
happens is that the old ones are collected, cleaned and then wrapped back to
hand over to the next set of passengers. It is very rare that new ones are
distributed each time to the passengers.
2.Sleeping Pilots
Another thing
that might come as a shock is that most pilots tend to sleep mid-flight. While
it is true that co-pilots are present in all flights but still the thought of
having your flight in the hands of a sleeping pilot is scary.
3.Oxygen Masks
Did you know
that the oxygen masks provided in-flights provide you only with about 15
minutes of oxygen supply? Well it may sound scary but thankfully, those 15
minutes are enough for the pilot to descend the aircraft till the oxygen levels
inside it are restored back to normal.
4.Dimming Of Lights
Have you ever
wondered why the lights inside an aircraft are dimmer when landing as compared
to the rest of the time? Well, it might come as a shock but this is done so
that in case of an emergency evacuation, your eyes can adjust to the darkness
and you can find your way outside the plane.
5.Flight Food
It may come as a
shock that pilots are not given the same food as the passengers and they are
not even allowed to share their food. This is done because in case there is a
problem of food poisoning, the pilot is not affected by it like the passengers
and so that he/she can land the aircraft safely to rescue the affected
passengers.
6.Flying Pets
While it may
seem convenient to fly your pets from one place to another in aircrafts, in
reality, they are exposed to a lot of loud noise out there on the ramp. The
loud noise is usually unbearable for humans and hence also for pets but flight
staff would never tell you this honestly.
7.Turning Your Electronics Off
While all
flights and crew members may tell you to switch your electronics including your
phone off, they may themselves use their mobile phones after making the
announcement. Moreover, turning phones is almost useless since doing so cannot
avoid bringing a plane down. However, the interference of cell phones can be
disturbing for the pilots.
8.The Powerful Pilot
Another
surprising truth about flights is that the pilot has a lot of power and
authority inside an aircraft after the gates have been closed. Not only can he
arrest people but can also ask for fines and also take the will of a dying
passenger.
9.Avoid Drinking Water
Avoid drinking
any water or water based beverage that isn’t packaged inside an aircraft since
you just cannot trust it. The water may not necessarily be clean and can lead
to infections etc. The water used may not be filtered and may contain germs.
10.Lock Mechanism For Lavatories
Another shocking
or rather surprising thing about air travel is that there is a way to unlock
doors of toilets from the outside. This can be done as there is a concealed
lock mechanism behind the no smoking badge on the door.
11.Landing Truth
It is not always
necessary that a rough landing is due to the fault of the pilot. This could be
due to presence of water, dew etc on the runway. What happens is that the pilot
has to touch down hard on the runway so as to puncture the layer of water and
prevent aqua planning.
12.Tipping Flight Attendants Helps
While it is true
that most people don’t tip flight attendants but tipping could actually help. Some
flight attendants may give you the next drink for free if you tip them when
they come with the first one.
