Why Certain Clothes And Shoes Can Be Safety Hazards In Aircraft Accidents

Always keep your shoes on and wear clothing made from natural materials.

As people prepare to fly off over the Easter holiday, an airline safety expert has warned that certain types of clothes and shoes could be hazardous in the event of an accident or emergency landing. While speaking to the British tabloid Sun newspaper, Christine Negroni said that passengers should rethink what they wear when flying.

No matter the reason for flying, the last thought on someone's mind is that the plane might crash. If, however, it is something you do think about, the clothes you wear could determine whether you survive.

With safety in mind, modern jet airliners are designed so that all the passengers and crew can evacuate within 90 seconds. Being an intelligent passenger and wearing the proper clothing is a good start. Start with your footwear and choose sensible shoes. Forget about anything with a heel or sandals and flip-flops and wear sports shoes that will enable you to evacuate the plane quickly.

While takeoffs and landings are the two most dangerous parts of most flights, taking your shoes off while on the aircraft is a silly mistake. In an emergency, you likely won't have time to put your shoes back on, and if you do need to evacuate, you don't want to find yourself barefoot in a field somewhere or even at the side of the runway. You may have to walk to safety, depending on your location.

When Aeroméxico Connect Flight 2431 crashed after taking off from Durango International Airport (DGO) on July 31, 2018, all 103 people onboard survived. However, they had to walk over rugged terrain to get to safety.

Long gone are the days of wearing a suit on the plane unless you are an airline employee flying non-revenue or someone flying to attend a business meeting. The trend today is to wear comfortable, loose-fitting garments. Women love leggings and yoga pants, and while they are very comfortable, have you thought about what they are made of?

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Legging and yoga pants are mostly made from synthetic fabrics like polyester, acrylic, and nylon. When they catch fire, the synthetic material does not burn like natural fibers such as cotton, silk, or wool and melts.

Like Napalm, the melting material adheres to your body, causing severe burns. The same goes for men's tracksuit bottoms and tops, as they are also mostly made from synthetic fibers. Never wear shorts but instead long pants and long sleeve shirts as it gives your body another layer of protection.

It may sound simple, but a high-priority piece of advice is to ensure you know where the emergency exits are and which one is the closest to you. Often during an emergency, the aircraft's cabin can fill with smoke making it difficult to see where you are going.

Based on the number of air rage incidents in recent years, one last piece of advice is never to get drunk before a flight or drink to excess during it. In an emergency, drunk passengers are a liability to themselves and everyone else on the aircraft.

Sources: Sun

Journalist - Mark is an experienced travel journalist having published work in the industry for more than seven years. His enthusiasm for aviation news and wealth of experience lends itself to some excellent insight, with his work cited in Forbes amongst other publications. Based in Alicante, Spain.