Top Airline Safety Questions- PART 2

The most important questions about airline safety answered in this easy-to-follow run-down:

3.      What kind of emergency am I most likely to face?

For every accident, there are dozens, even hundreds of unusual circumstances that can happen during a flight.

For a passenger, the most likely emergencies that you will face where you will have to do something is an evacuation of the aircraft using the emergency slides or using the emergency oxygen system. In most cases, the evacuation is ordered as a precautionary measure, not because the passengers face imminent danger.

Emergency oxygen masks may be deployed automatically or be deployed manually by the flight crew. In most cases, deployment of the masks does not indicate that the passengers are in imminent danger.

An example of an emergency evacuation that went very well, was the 2005 Air France crash in Toronto. The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Paris to Toronto. The aircraft encountered heavy thunderstorms upon arrival in Toronto. The crew was able to land, but was unable to stop the aircraft on the runway. The aircraft departed the runway and rolled into a gully where the aircraft broke up and caught fire. All passengers and crew were able to successfully escape the burning plane. None of the 12 crew members and or 297 passengers were killed.

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Top Airline Safety Questions- PART 1

The most important questions about airline safety answered in this easy-to-follow run-down:

1.      Where is the safest place to sit on an airplane?

The short answer is there is no safest seat.

In an aircraft accident where the plane is seriously damaged or one or more occupants are injured or killed, the severity of the injuries depends on many factors, some of which may not be apparent until an accident occurs.

For example, there have been many accidents involving heavy smoke or fire where survival depended on the ability of the passengers to not panic and to quickly remove themselves and others from the aircraft after landing.

2.      Which aircraft model is the safest?

In general, all aircraft in a particular class have to adhere to the same set of standards. When safety concerns arise because of one or more accidents associated with a particular model, the civil aviation authorities of the major industrialized countries will usually require that the issue be addressed in all relevant aircraft models.

For example, fatal airline accidents due to wind shear in the 1970s and 1980s in the U.S. led to a number of innovations in aircraft and ground wind shear detection systems and also in flight crew training which has led to a reduction in the risk of accidents from that weather issue.

While accidents of any kind are rare, you can get a better idea of how safe an aircraft model is by comparing how often passengers die in a plane crash involving that particular aircraft model.

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Traveling with a senior doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. All you need is a little planning and foresight, after which, you can arrive at the airport, bus station or train depot with your relative, confident that you are in control over the situation, and are prepared should any emergency arise.

Be sure to keep a close eye on all jewelry and personal belongings while traveling. Many criminals have no qualms stealing a senior’s wallet or purse while he/she struggles to go to the washroom or attempt to eat a meal. Be aware of your surroundings and of everyone around you and your relative. Safety while traveling is paramount, so avoid flashy jewelry and long straps or lanyards that a thief can use against you.

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The world’s population is aging and more attention is now being focussed on the needs of the elderly. This month’s posts will focus on traveling with the elderly, tips, must know facts and other information that I hope will be helpful the next time you have to travel with an elderly parent, grandparent, relative or friend.

Before any trip with an elderly friend or relative, it is prudent to consult their physician. They will be able to advise you on the best mode of travel and even the safest route, which often times may not be the fastest, but it is always better to be safe than sorry where health is concerned.

It is useful to bear in mind that older travelers are also more sensitive to changes in the climate and environment. The most important consideration is to ensure that the conditions of travel are suited to his or her physical condition.

Many airlines do not allow oxygen tanks to be transported, either as baggage or with the afflicted person. Therefore, if you are traveling with someone suffering from a respiratory condition, you will need to make alternate plans. The same holds true of certain cardiac ailments or those on certain medications, so do check with the airline before you book.

Many airports have made concessions for elderly passengers by providing free wheelchairs and transportation services to get them from the ticket counter to the gate and back. Just be sure to alert the ticket agent of your need and it’s more than likely that you’ll receive excellent service from enthusiastic assistants. Don’t over-estimate the ability of your elderly relative walk through the airport from gate to gate. Even a short distance can wear out someone using a cane or suffering from a physical ailment.

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Mistake #07: Relying totally on the guide book

The whole point of traveling is to explore the unknown and bask in the exotic foreign culture, food and people of the country that you are visiting. So put your guide book aside and explore. Talk to the locals, talk to other travelers, compare notes, and go with your gut. When I traveled to India, I made friends with a group of locals and had an absolute blast experiencing life as a local by watching a hindi movie (with subtitles), eating at restaurants only frequented by locals, shopping at niche stores only known by local fashonistas. So make friends and enjoy yourself. Limiting yourself to a guide book is probably one of the worst things you could possibly do! Bottom line, you are paying good money on your holiday, so go explore, toss that guide book aside and make some friends and enjoy!

Mistake #08: busting the budget

When traveling its so easy to spend far more than you have allocated. Recently when Iw as in Thailand, my friends told me that I would only need approximately 50USD a day on shopping and other expenses. So based on their advice, I allocated USD50 a day into the seven days that I would be in BKK. Unfortunately, I ended up blowing my entire weeks’ budget on the first day. Bottom line, stick to a realistic budget and have some emergency cash in case you need it for a purchase that you can’t live without. Know your limit and what you can afford. Going beyond what you can afford and getting into debt is not worth it.