(SPOT.ph) When was the last time you boarded an airplane? As countries open their borders and ease COVID-19 restrictions, the air travel industry is slowly picking back up and registering passengers on pre-pandemic levels.
As an AvGeek (short for aviation geek or aviation enthusiast), friends and colleagues often seek my advice whenever they are planning travel that requires a ride on an airliner. Among the most frequently asked questions I receive from them: where is the best and safest seat on a plane?
My outright answer: The farthest seat at the back of a commercial airliner.
Why It's the Safest Seat on a Plane
While websites offering seat maps and seat reviews will say that being seated in the last row of an airline flight is a bad idea, I beg to differ. I’m the paranoid type of person when it comes to safety, especially when I am traveling. This is on top of the fact that I tend to be picky on the aircraft type to be utilized by my chosen flight—but of course, this is subject to constant change until the minute you get to board the aircraft.
Most people, especially the non-AvGeeks, prefer to be seated right next to an airplane window directly on top of the wings. These seats offer Instagram-worthy views, but when we talk about safety in an event of a flight emergency, your survivability is rather low (if not the lowest).
One thing that I find funny is the common misconception that sitting at the back portion of the plane means a more bumpy ride. Please stop comparing airliners with buses plying EDSA. When a commercial airliner is airborne and encounters turbulence, there is not much difference whether you are seated in the front, middle, or back portion. Based on personal experience, you will only get to experience more “bumpiness” when seated at the back of an airliner during touchdown.
You see, the fuel tanks of an airliner are located inside the wings and under the belly (that part where the two wings meet, structurally speaking). Notice that when we see photos of airplane incidents, more often than not it is the tail section (where we see the airline’s logo prominently painted) that remains intact—primarily because there is no fuel line there. It is for this reason that the flight recorders (black boxes) of commercial airliners are kept at the back portion of the plane. Also, if the plane nose-dives (God forbid), at least you are seated at the back portion and not in front.
According to a 2008 study on emergency exit usage after an accident published by the University of Greenwich, a passenger seated near an exit is more likely to get out alive of a plane. There are two exits at the back of the plane—both are fairly far from any fuel line. To add to this, Federal Aviation Administration’s data between 1985 and 2000 show that seats at the back of the plane had a 32% fatality rate, while those in the middle had 39%, and in front, 38%. You may say that these numbers (especially the differences) may be insignificant. But I will stay in my preferred seat—at the back of a plane.
Other Perks of Being Seated at the Back of the Plane
You’ll get to board first and disembark last.
Come boarding time, notice that airline staff call those who are seated at the back of the plane (highest row numbers) first and those who will be seated towards the front of the aircraft last. Getting first inside means that you will get ample and prime space in the overhead compartment.
You will never go hungry.
If you are flying a non-low-cost carrier, simply be nice to the cabin crew and you will be rewarded. Since you are seated very near the aircraft galley (the part of the plane where food items are stored and heated; beverages are chilled) away from the eyes of other passengers, there is a high chance that all your request for inflight amenities will be granted. As a bonus, there were times I was offered additional desserts and pastries during long-haul flights. Don’t take my word for it—try it.
The lavatory is just a hop away.
Oftentimes, passengers only see (and use) the lavatory in front of them (whether the one near the cockpit or the one somewhere in the middle of the plane). But modern airliners also have restrooms near the rear galley. Oftentimes, especially when flying long haul, only those seated at the back of the plane have the rear lavatory all by themselves during the entire journey.
Generally speaking, flying is still one of the safest forms of transportation. The next time you fly, you may want to consider these points and tips for when you choose your seat.
Robert "Bob" Reyes is an AvGeek (aviation enthusiast), planespotter (an AvGeek who loves taking photos of planes), and technologist (who represents the global non-profit Mozilla in the Philippines). He spent more than two decades of his life as an aviation support professional for a conglomerate and CTO of an aviation college.