The safest seats on an airplane

Do you consider the safest seat to choose in an emergency while booking a flight? Most individuals prioritize comfort and convenience when selecting their seats. For instance, frequent fliers may reserve seats near the front to expedite their exit. Nonetheless, the middle seats located in the last row of the airplane are statistically the most secure. Despite this, they are often the least sought-after by passengers.

Statistically, air travel is considered the safest mode of transportation, as shown by the low number of fatalities of only 287 out of nearly 70 million global flights in 2019. According to the US National Safety Council's analysis, the likelihood of dying in a plane is approximately 1 in 205,552, which is significantly lower than the odds of dying in a car, which is 1 in 102. A TIME investigation of 35 years of aircraft accident data found that the middle rear seats of a plane have the lowest fatality rate at 28%, compared to the middle aisle seats which have a 44% fatality rate. This can be attributed to the fact that sitting in the middle provides a buffer with other passengers on either side in case of an emergency. While sitting next to an exit row provides the quickest exit, it may not always be the safest option as the wings of the plane store fuel. Sitting closer to the front of the plane can increase the impact of an emergency. Therefore, the last exit row is considered the safest option.

Although some factors, such as airspeed impact, can differ slightly among airplane types, the basic principles of flight are generally uniform across all planes. Typically, larger airplanes possess more structural material, which grants them greater strength to withstand high-altitude pressurization. This additional strength may provide some extra protection in case of an emergency, but the degree of protection depends heavily on the severity of the situation. It is important to note that this doesn't mean you should opt for the largest plane available for your next flight. Nevertheless, air travel still holds the top position in terms of safety compared to all other forms of transportation.