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What Not to Do If You Sense There's an Emergency on Board Your Aircraft

J. Scott Clark
J. Scott Clark
Contributor
April 21, 2019
•
3 min read
Rear View of Air Stewardess Explaining Aeroplane Safety to Passengers
What Not to Do If You Sense There's an Emergency on Board Your Aircraft
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Seeing fire shoot from the engine of a plane you're currently seated on, as happened recently on board a Utair Boeing 737 on its way from Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport (VKO) to the city of Makhachkala, is not something anyone wants to witness. However, in emergency situations like these, it's important for passengers to follow proper protocol — which in most cases does not involve exiting onto a plane's wing without any way of getting down, as the blog Live and Let Fly points out.

Patrick Smith, author of Cockpit Confidential and the website Ask The Pilot, tells TPG what the passengers on the Utair jet witnessed was likely a compressor stall. Smith explained that a compressor stall is a "mostly innocuous phenomenon where airflow through the engine is temporarily disrupted," and added that "passenger-initiated evacuations are never a good idea."

Smith points out that passengers taking matters into their own hands can put themselves in even more danger, referring to a flight a number of years ago where passengers, refusing to heed flight attendants' instructions, caused a stampede, which resulted in two people being seriously hurt.

One of the reasons it's so important to listen to the directions of the flight crew is because some incidents appear to be worse than they actually are. "Miscellaneous engine peculiarities, compressor stalls included, can sometimes put on a show," Smith said. "Aside from a bang, you might see a long tongue of flame shooting from the back, or even the front, of the cowling. Tough as it might be to accept, the engine is neither exploding nor on fire. This is the nature of a jet: any time the engine is running, fuel is combusting, and certain anomalies will unleash this combustion rather boldly."

Smith said that it's normally the cockpit crew who makes the call about whether or not something is an actual emergency, but that the cabin crew can make that decision as well if they determine a situation requires such an action.

The main way to stay safe when you fly is to listen to the crew. They are highly trained professionals whose main responsibility is the safety of the passengers. It's also a good idea to listen to the preflight briefing, even if you've heard it a thousand times. For additional pointers on handling emergency situations on board, check out TPG's guide to Staying Alive in a Plane Emergency.

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Image courtesy of James Lauritz via Getty Images.

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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
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  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.