Do plane safety instructions save lives?

When news of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight tragedy broke, the world came together to mourn the sudden loss of lives.

Amidst messages of condolences and shock that dominated social media when it was confirmed that 157 people had died were questions on safety in the airplane.

The conversation on whether it is possible to come out alive from a plane in case of an emergency was triggered. People wondered if the elaborate flight safety instructions issued by attendants before takeoff are necessary.

“We are told of emergency exits and how to come out of a moving plane whenever we are flying. Do those things ever work?” Mario Luvai asked on his social media platform.

His concerns were noted by other frequent fliers who asked if there are circumstances where passengers have successfully been evacuated from a crashed plane.

Captain Godwin Wachira, a flight instructor at the Flight Training Centre (FTC) in Nairobi clarifies that flight safety instructions only come in handy when the emergency is not as abrupt as the one that was experienced in the Ethiopian airline plane.

“Instructions on safety procedures are important and can save lives if the pilot is in control of the aircraft and manages to land it on the ground for people to quickly evacuate,” he says, adding that knowing the emergency exits allows the passengers to quickly make their way out of the flight in case it catches fire.

He says he does not remember any accident in Kenya where passengers had to use emergency exits from a flight, but says people should not rule out the possibility of the instructions ever coming in handy.

He dismissed the misconceptions many people have that in case an aircraft develops mechanical problems, a parachute will be provided and the crew and passenger will glide to safety.

“There are no parachutes. Only life jackets that can be useful in case the plane lands in a mass of water,” he says.

For most people, the idea that planes are fitted with parachutes that are often dished out as soon as the pilot realizes the aircraft is failing stems from several movies where characters are shown fleeing from a flight on parachutes.

“I have never been on a flight, but I always imagine if things go wrong, doors and windows will open and somehow, people will use parachutes to jump out,” says Brian Ogolla, a second year student at the University of Nairobi.

Wachira clarifies that safety emergencies are not restricted to the plane crashing. The guide book in all airlines also highlight what to do when the plane runs out of oxygen.

“If there is a loss of cabin pressure, the panels above your seat will open, and oxygen masks will drop down. If this happens, place the mask over your nose and mouth, and adjust it as necessary. Be sure to adjust your own mask before helping others. In the event of a water landing, life vests are under your seat,” reads part of the Kenya Airways guide.

Flight attendants have over the years expressed concern that people do not pay attention to the instructions; a fact that was reinforced when a flight with 149 passengers in a domestic flight in USA had to make an emergency landing. Almost half of the passengers were seen wearing their masks the wrong way in the evaluation video that was viewed after landing.

Bobby Laurie, who had worked as a flight attendant in the US went on social media to express his frustration on the danger of  people not paying attention to safety instructions.

“Put down the phone, stop with the selfies and listen,” read part of his post on twitter that has been shared by thousands of people.

The safety guide also gives instructions for people to switch off their phones and electric devices, saying the waves might interfere with the signals.

There have been instances where people survived a plane crash. In August last year, 103 passengers survived a plane crash in Mexico despite images of the plane consumed in smoke being captured moments before it touched the ground.

It was reported that the plane crashed a few minutes after take off and the engines got detached.

Aviation experts say that even though there are circumstances, such as the Ethiopian airline tragedy, where the crash is abrupt and the plane lands with great impact and bursts into flames almost immediately, people should never ignore safety guidelines.