12 Shocking Truths About Flights Revealed By Flight Staff

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.