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Friday, September 7, 2007 12:00 AM

Ask the pilot

Lessons from a burning plane: What the media didn't tell you about a near disaster in Asia.

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  • Friday, September 7, 2007 08:03 AM

    Media inaccuracies

    While on the subject, I'm always amused by some of the snippets that make the news:

    "The Flight Attendants were freaking out and yelling at us" during an evacuation.

    They're supposed to do that. Got your attention, did it not?

    "We decompressed, the masks fell and then the airplane nosedived!"

    It's supposed to do that so you can get to an altitude as soon as possible where you can breathe. (Which for the record was the best part of my FA training and IMO, the ultimate thrill ride!)

    "The Flight Attendants wouldn't let us out the door!" often heard as "The Flight Attendants wouldn't open the exit!!".

    Believe it or not, the Flight Attendants want to get out just as much as you do - the sooner you are all out, they can get out. If they won't open a particular exit or are directing you away from an exit, theres a darn good reason for it. Opening a door and having you and everyone behind you plummet into debris or fire would be just about as bad as having you all die of smoke inhalation as you try getting out an exit that WILL NOT open.

    For the record, if airline staff tell you to do, or not to do something, its usually because theres a pretty good reason for it, not because they are just having a bad day.

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