Airport Secrets They Don’t Want Us to Know

Summary

This video script delves into the lesser-known aspects of air travel, from the calming effect of blue airplane seats to the importance of safeguarding boarding passes due to sensitive information. It addresses concerns like turbulence and updrafts, explains why pilots and co-pilots eat different meals for safety, and shares tips for stress-free travel, including luggage organization and the best airplane seat for a smoother ride. The script also dispels myths about airplane safety features like ejector seats and parachutes, providing insight into the real measures that ensure a safe and comfortable flight experience.

Takeaways

• 🛫 **Boarding Pass Security**: Don't discard your boarding pass in public places as it contains sensitive information that could be misused.
• 🔍 **SSSS on Boarding Pass**: The presence of 'SSSS' or a checkerboard pattern on your boarding pass indicates additional security checks for you and your carry-on luggage.
• 🛬 **Last to Board Strategy**: Experienced travelers often board last to avoid queues and aisle congestion, unless carrying bulky luggage that may not fit in overhead bins.
• 🚫 **Flight Attendant Door Access**: Flight attendants can unlock bathroom doors from the outside for safety and assistance purposes during flights.
• ✈️ **Turbulence vs. Updrafts**: While turbulence is common and usually minor, updrafts are more dangerous and can cause significant altitude changes.
• 🍽️ **Food Taste at High Altitudes**: Pressurized cabin air can reduce taste perception, leading airlines to add extra salt and spices to meals.
• 🎧 **Noise-Canceling Headphones**: Wearing noise-canceling headphones during flights may enhance the taste of food due to reduced ambient noise.
• 🛎️ **Flight Attendant Signals**: Different chime patterns have specific meanings, such as urgency or upcoming turbulence, to alert the crew.
• 💺 **Middle Seat Turbulence Reduction**: Sitting in the middle of the cabin can reduce the effects of turbulence, as this area is less affected than the front and rear.
• 🍴 **Pilot Meal Safety**: Pilots and co-pilots eat different meals to prevent both from being incapacitated by food poisoning during a flight.
• 🛋️ **Airplane Hygiene Concerns**: Headrests are often the dirtiest part of an airplane, with many harboring yeast, mold, and bacteria.

Q & A

Why do airlines often choose blue seats for their planes?

Airlines opt for blue seats because the color is considered to have a calming effect on passengers, helping even the most nervous fliers to relax. Additionally, stains, dirt, and scrapes are less visible on dark blue fabric, which is a practical reason for this choice.

What should you do with your boarding pass after you've boarded the plane to protect your sensitive information?

You should take your boarding pass home and feed it through a paper shredder to prevent someone else from accessing your sensitive information, such as your name and frequent flyer number, which could be used to check your future bookings, change your seat, or even cancel your flights.

What does the presence of 'ssss' or a checkerboard pattern on a boarding pass indicate?

The presence of 'ssss' or a checkerboard pattern on a boarding pass indicates that the passenger is selected for additional security checks, which may include a thorough inspection of their carry-on luggage.

Why might a passenger be chosen for secondary screening at an airport?

Some criteria for secondary screening include making a one-way reservation, paying cash for the ticket, or in some cases, the selection could be completely random.

Why do some experienced travelers prefer to board the plane last?

Boarding last can save time as there are fewer people in the jetway and aisle, reducing the time spent waiting for others to settle into their seats. However, if a passenger has a bulky carry-on bag, boarding last might not be ideal as overhead bin space may be full by the time they reach their seat.

What is the function of the small switch that flight attendants flip on the bathroom door before takeoff and landing?

The small switch prevents the bathroom door from flying open when it's not supposed to, ensuring safety and privacy for passengers.

Why are updrafts considered more dangerous than turbulence for a plane?

Updrafts, which are large air masses moving upwards often as part of a storm or other weather phenomena, can push an aircraft upward to dangerous altitudes and are difficult for pilots to see on radars, especially at night. This makes them extremely treacherous compared to turbulence, which usually only causes the plane to drop a few feet.

How can the pressurization of the cabin affect passengers' taste buds during a flight?

The pressurization of the cabin can cause passengers to lose up to 30% of their ability to taste sweet and salty things, which is why airline catering companies often add extra salt and spices to the dishes they cook.

What is the significance of the different chimes or dings heard during a flight?

Different chimes or dings have specific meanings in most airlines. For example, a single chime after takeoff indicates that the landing gear is being retracted, while three dings in a row signal more urgency. A high-low chime informs crew members that their colleague needs them in another part of the plane, and three low chimes warn of serious turbulence ahead.

Why do pilots and co-pilots eat different meals during a flight?

Pilots and co-pilots eat different meals as a safety precaution to prevent both of them from being incapacitated by food poisoning. If they still want to have the same dish, they don't eat it at the same time, allowing one to check if they feel okay several hours later before the other pilot has their meal.

What is considered the filthiest place on a plane and why?

Headrests are considered the filthiest place on a plane. Flight attendants warn that they are often not changed or disinfected between flights and can harbor a significant amount of dirt and germs.