Travel trivia
Monday 07 April, 2008 | SuperLiving
Q:
Q: I HAVE often wondered when flying why they always ask you to open the porthole shutters when the plane prepares for landing? I can understand why you have to put up the tray tables and seat backs, but what difference does having the shutters open make?
Our expert is a representative from the Australian Federation of Air Pilots.A: The basic reason is so everyone in the cabin, and particularly the flight attendants, can see what’s going on in case of an emergency. It’s a matter of many sets of eyes, with many perspectives of the aircraft, seeing more than just a few sets of eyes.
This is particularly the case if there’s a need for an emergency evacuation – having an instant, clear and easy view of the exterior of the aircraft enables speedy decisions about which exits are the most appropriate to use to avoid things like spot fires, external obstructions or puddles of water or fuel.
When you’re flying at 30,000 feet these types of obstacles are not really an issue so you can close the shutters but as you head for the ground you need to be well prepared to deal with potential problems.
