What Not to Do If You Sense There's an Emergency on Board Your Aircraft
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.
For the latest travel news, deals and points and miles tips please subscribe to The Points Guy daily email newsletter.
Image courtesy of James Lauritz via Getty Images.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees