Flight Secrets That Are Never Told To Passengers
35,000 feet up in the sky, there’s a world of secrets hidden in plain sights – from weird tiny holes in your window to secret codes flight crews hope they’ll never need to use. These are flight secrets never told to passengers.
The Flight Secrets Will Surprise and Enrage You
Ever wondered why they dim the lights during takeoff or have ashtrays in a smoke-free cabin? Stick around for the surprising truths about flying that no one told you about!
1. There’s a tiny hole in your window
If you’ve ever been bored on a flight (yes, you have) and inspected the window, you might have spotted a tiny hole in the lower part of it. No, it’s not a manufacturing defect or a spy camera, it’s actually an engineering feature called a “breather hole” or a “bleed hole” and it plays a major role in the safety of your flight.
You see, the airplane windows are made of 3 separate layers. The inner pane, the one you’re likely resting your head against on long flights, is a plastic pane typically made from acrylic and glass. The outer pane is engineered to face the great blue yonder and absorb the majority of pressure load. In the middle, between these 2 layers, there’s another pane that contains the bleed hole and serves two important purposes: regulating pressure and preventing condensation.
That tiny, menacing hole in the window is actually helping you. It allows the air pressure between the cabin and the space between the panes to equalize. Moreover, by allowing airflow between the cabin and the space between panes, the bleed hole prevents moisture buildup, so no fog or frost will obstruct your view.
Fun (or well, frightening fact) In the highly unlikely event that the outer pane of the airplane window fails, the middle pane is designed to hold up under the pressure difference for some time, enough for the flight crew to bring the plane to a safer altitude.
2. No smoking, but here’s an ashtray – flight secrets get better
Lighting up a cigarette at 35,000 feet up in the air has been a no-no for decades. However, despite the strict ban, if you look closely around an airplane’s lavatory, you will find an ashtray.
Are airlines breaking the rules with this? No, actually, they are obeying the rules. The Federal Aviation Administration figured that if someone is rebellious enough to break the no-smoking rule, airplanes should at least have a safe place to snuff out their cigarettes. It’s like the airlines are saying “We told you not to, but if you do, please don’t burn us all down”.
3. The air is so thin, you can’t breathe it
You love traveling around the world, don’t you? So do we. But think about it – in order to do so, you’re essentially trapped for hours in a metal tube at 35,000 feet, where the outside air pressure is about as friendly as outer space.
The air is thin, cold, and yet there you are, munching on pretzels and watching in-flight movies like it’s no big deal. You’ve got to thank the Environmental Control System (ECS) for that.
The ECS is the plane’s life support. It takes the thin air from outside and compresses it to a breathable density. But compression makes it hot, so it then cools it down, and mixes it with recirculated cabin air. This happens about 12 to 15 times an hour – which is a lot if you compare it to sitting in an office all day.
However, even so, the air you breathe in an airplane contains less oxygen than the air you’d breathe at sea level. It’s sufficient and healthy for us to sit or walk in the cabin, but if you were to do some physical exercise, you could experience shortness of breath quite easily, especially if you’re not acclimatized to higher elevations.
The air you breathe in airplanes is the equivalent of the air you’d breathe if you were standing on a mountain at 6,000 or 8,000 feet altitude.
Temperature control is another piece of the puzzle when traveling at 35,000 feet in the sky. The ECS takes into account factors such as how many warm bodies are onboard, or how much heat they’re generating. For example, flight attendants who are zipping up and down the aisles get a bit more cool air to keep them comfortable.
4. Thinner Air, Less Fuel Needed
Every time your pilot announces “We’ve reached our cruising altitude of 35,00 feet”, you might wonder “Why not 20,000, or 50,000?” Well, there’s some aerodynamic wizardry in that decision.
As you already know, at high altitudes the air is thinner, and while this is not great news for us humans, for airplanes it’s a completely different story. Thinner air means less drag, which in turn means better fuel efficiency.
But there’s also a ceiling. Most commercial jets cannot fly above 45,000 feet because the air becomes so thin it cannot generate enough lift.
Flying at this altitude also helps pilots avoid most weather shenanigans and reduce turbulence.
And then there’s also the air traffic. To keep the invisible highways in the sky organized, traffic controllers assign different cruising altitudes based on the direction you’re flying. For example, if you’re heading east, you’ll be at an odd-numbered altitude like 35,000 feet. If you’re going west, you’ll be at 36,000 feet and so on.
5. Frequent Lightning Strikes – flight secrets you’re never told
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), each commercial airliner in the U.S. is struck by lightning about once every 1,000 flight hours, which averages out to once or twice a year per plane.
That sounds like lightning strikes airplanes more frequently than you’d think, right? In fact, airplanes can even trigger lightning themselves when flying through certain atmospheric conditions.
Now, before going into panic mode, let us give you a calming fact. The last time a commercial flight in the US was brought down by lightning was way back in 1963, when Pan Am Flight 214 tragically crashed after a lightning strike ignited its fuel tank. Similarly, another incident occurred in 1967 involving a fuel tank explosion due to lightning. But aviation technology has come a looong way since the ‘60s.
Modern airplanes are designed to handle lightning strikes like champs. When lightning strikes an airplane, the electrical charge travels along the aircraft’s aluminum skin and exits off the wingtips or tail, without affecting the interior. This keeps you all safe inside.
There are rigorous lightning certification tests that manufacturers have to pass before their planes take to the skies. During these tests, lightning strikes are simulated to ensure all critical aircraft systems and components can withstand that thunderous jolt.
6. “Blue ice” – some disgusting flight secrets
Using the airplane toilet isn’t exactly the highlight of air travel. It’s incredibly cramped, the line can be long, and there’s always that turbulence that can strike the moment you’re most vulnerable…
But what happens when you flush the toilet in an airplane? That’s the big question!
Well, unlike your toilet at home, when you flush it, a vacuum system sucks the waste into a sealed holding tank. In there, the waste is mixed with a blue deodorizing liquid that breaks it down and neutralizes the bad smell. When the airplane lands, the waste is pumped out by ground crew with specialized equipment. So, no, it is not dumped over unsuspecting people.
That said, there have been a few freak incidents involving what’s known as “blue ice”. In these rare occasions, a leak in the system causes the waste to seep out and freeze on the airplane’s exterior due to the high-altitude temperatures. As the plane descends, the ice can break off and fall on people’s backyards.
So, if you happen to see this sort of “blue ice” in your backyard, don’t touch it, please!
7. It’s not only the food, it’s your taste
Airplane food has a bad reputation and probably a lot of you here agree with that. But it’s not only the food to blame here, it’s also your taste buds. Let us explain!
Typically, meals served on flights are cooked on the ground, often up to three days before takeoff. They’re blast-chilled, not frozen, to keep bacterial growth at bay. Some high-end airlines even have onboard chefs to prepare the food on the spot, but even they can’t make food as good as on the ground.
Here’s the deal: at 35,000 feet in the air, the cabin humidity can drop below 10%. That’s drier than most deserts. Add to that the constant background noise of the engines and the pressurized cabin, and your sense of taste and smell take a nosedive – by up to 30%, according to studies.
Even the most perfectly seasoned steak might taste a little like cardboard on a flight.
Some say that wearing noise-canceling headphones might help to some degree, because that constant loud humming of the engines can also dull your ability to perceive texture in food.
Airlines try to outsmart this little nugget of science by adding extra salt and sugar in the meals. So, while your taste buds might be partially satisfied, watch your waistline. You might be consuming more calories than you’d think. This is one of those flight secrets you wish you never knew, right?
8. Airplane toilets can be unlocked from the outside
Breach of privacy or not, the airplane toilets can be unlocked from the outside by the flight crew, and for a good reason.
Imagine there’s a long line waiting to go to the toilet and the person inside has been there for an unusually long time. The flight attendant has a way to access the lavatory quickly and efficiently.
We won’t tell you where that discreet switch lever lies, because after all, some secrets are meant to remain secrets. But rest assured, airline staff are trained professionals who respect passengers’ privacy and would only use the external unlocking feature when it’s absolutely necessary.
9. Death on Board – talking about frightening flight secrets
Talking or thinking about death is not exactly what we’d like to do, but sometimes reality checks in at 35,000 feet up in the air. So, what do you do about it?
While it’s extremely rare, passengers sometimes pass away during flights, and airlines have specific protocols on how to handle these situations.
The cabin crew is trained to act fast and discreetly. They know how to administer CPR and have some basic medical equipment on board. But if it’s clear that the passenger has passed, they will have to make some decisions.
Most commercial aircraft don’t have any special place for the deceased. The crew would typically move the deceased to a quiet area if possible – an empty row or the crew rest area. They will secure the body with a seatbelt and cover them with a blanket to maintain a sense of dignity.
On fully-booked flights where moving isn’t an option, the passenger may remain in their original seat. It might sound unsettling, but the crew will cover his body with a blanket trying to minimize the discomfort to other passengers as much as possible, until the plane lands.
Rumors suggest that some airlines have installed these so-called “corpse cupboards” on the airplanes that fly the longest flights. That sounds grim.
10. Dimming the lights during take-off
You’ve probably noticed by now that whenever you are about to take-off or land, the pilot or crew dim the lights inside the cabin. They’re not trying to “set a mood”, they are doing this for your own safety.
By lowering the brightness of the lights, your eyes adjust to a darker environment, which is crucial if an emergency evacuation becomes necessary.
In an emergency, especially one that occurs at night, being able to see immediately without having to wait until your eyes adapt to the low light, can make all the difference.
Yes, they did think of everything. Or at least we hope so.
11. Secret codes
This is one of the sneaky flight secrets out there.
Flight attendants and pilots use specific codes to communicate discreetly during flights. Some of these are known, some are safely-guarded secrets.
From the category of known emergency codes, we have:
- “mayday” – which is used over the radio to signal a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate assistance
- “Pan – Pan” – which indicates an urgent situation that is not immediately life-threatening, but requires attention
Then, there are the so-called “squawk codes”, which pilots use to communicate certain types of emergencies to air traffic control. Some examples include: “7500 – unlawful interference (hijacking)”; “7600 – radio communication failure”, or “7700 – general emergency”.
Cabin crew and pilots announcements may also include: code red (indicating a fire or medical emergency), code blue (often referring to a medical emergency involving a passenger).
If you overhear “Code Adam”, it might indicate a missing child scenario. Similarly, “Delta Sierra” could be a code for a difficult passenger causing a disturbance.
Some airlines may even have specific knocks or signals used by crew members to announce themselves when entering the cockpit.
12. What lies beneath the cabin floor
As you settle into your window seat, thinking of sipping Margaritas on the beach the next day, you will see the ground crew hustle below, loading luggage in the airplane’s belly. But occasionally, they might be handling some very delicate cargo such as human remains.
Yes. A viral short video was circulating last year on Social Media, showing workers at JFK Airport carefully loading a casket onto a plane. The caption read “Loading human remains + bags in the belly of the airplane”, sparking a lot of comments among the viewers.
Transporting the deceased is a complex operation involving various regulatory bodies, that make sure the process is dignified and discreet for the grieving families, and abides by the CDC strict requirements involving public health.
But, for you as a passenger, it might be a bit weird knowing there’s a casket in the cargo hold, below your feet.
Talking about grim flight secrets, right?
13. Oxygen masks only last about 15 minutes
Let’s talk about the oxygen masks that we are always told about during that pre-flight safety demo. In case of an emergency, they should drop down from the panel above you, but we all hope we never get to see them in action.
Well, the oxygen those masks can provide will last for only about 15 minutes. That doesn’t sound like it’s very long, but rest assured, it’s enough for the pilots to descend the plane to a lower altitude where you can breathe normally.
If the airplane were to lose pressurization at 35,000 feet up in the air, we’d all be gasping for air like fish out of water. But the oxygen masks will help you breathe normally for about 15 minutes, which is long enough for the pilots to bring the plane down to around 10,000 feet, where air is breathable again.
14. Don’t take your shoes off
It’s normal to want to get comfortable on an 8-hour flight, but keep your shoes on, please!
First, the airplane cabin is not as clean as you might think. Airlines don’t have too much time between flights to thoroughly clean the cabin. They would just do a quick sweep rather than proper sanitation.
Deep cleaning usually happens once a month or so. That means the floors and carpets can accumulate lots of germs, bacteria and other residues that are not visible to the naked eye. Because small accidents can happen – spilled drinks, dropped meals, or someone throwing up on that carpet. Yucky!
So, don’t walk barefoot in socks in the airplane cabin. It will increase your exposure to unseen viruses and bacteria.
The restrooms are even worse. The frequent use, the limited space can lead to less-than-ideal conditions.
Finally, think also about safety. In the unlikely event of an emergency, you’d want to have your shoes on.
15. Pilots can’t eat the same meal
Pilots cannot eat the same thing before a flight or during a long flight – and there’s a good reason for that.
Airlines often have a policy that requires the pilot and co-pilot to eat different meals for safety reasons. The main concern is food poisoning.
By having them eat different things, the risk that both could suffer from food poisoning is significantly reduced.
Moreover, they might also receive their meals at different times, so that one pilot is always focused and fully alert while the other eats.
16. They do not wash airplane blankets
Beware, this is one of the dirtiest flight secrets out there!
According to various flight attendants’ testimonials, the blankets provided on airplanes might not be as fresh as you’d think.
They are often clean on the first flights of the day. After that, the blankets are simply refolded and reused without being washed or changed between flights.
However, if you receive a blanket that’s wrapped in plastic packaging, it’s likely new or freshly clean.
17. Poopy tray tables – dirty flight secrets
Have you ever used the tray table in the airplane to place your food, water or personal items on? Well, try not to freak out when you hear this.
According to flight attendants, tray tables are sometimes used for purposes beyond dining or holding a book. Parents usually use them to change baby diapers. Yuck!
And how often are the tray tables cleaned? According to various flight attendants, they are sanitized about once a day. Yuck again!
So, before you place your personal items or food on those tray tables, try to sanitize it before use, and avoid direct contact with your food, or face.
18. You can bring your own water
Well, we all know that you are not allowed to take your own water past the airport security check. We also know that those airport prices can make a simple bottle of water feel like a luxury purchase. So, here’s a clever way to bring your own water through the security without breaking any rules.
According to the official guidelines from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the United States, you can bring your own liquids through the security checkpoints as long as they are frozen when you reach the screening area.
But be aware, they have to be COMPLETELY frozen. If there is a slight melted or slushy liquid in there, it will be considered a liquid.
Another alternative would be to bring an empty reusable water bottle with you. Emphasis on the “reusable” part.
After you pass through the security, you can fill up your bottle at a water fountain or those bottle-filling stations available at some airports. It might be the smartest choice!
19. Overbooked – frustrating flight secrets
Here’s the nasty, annoying truth – airlines sometimes oversell their flights.
They intentionally sell more tickets than there are seats on the plane in an attempt to maximize their profits, making sure every flight is as full as possible.
After all, no-shows and last-minute cancellations mean empty seats, which translate directly to lost revenue. By overselling, airlines can make sure that those inevitable no-shows and cancellation won’t affect their profit margins.
But sometimes, everybody shows up! That’s where it gets tricky and frustrating. If the flight is overbooked, passengers will be denied boarding. Airlines usually offer airline credits to those willing to take a later flight, but a few hundred dollars in credit might mean nothing if you really have to catch that flight in time…
So, have you ever been denied boarding a flight because of overbooking? What other flight secrets have you also discovered over the years?