Aviation journalist warns why you should never wear leggings on a plane

Whilst most of us usually feel comfortable in our leggings, a flight expert recently revealed that one should absolutely never wear such apparel while they are on a flight- nor should they be taking their shoes off in the air. Christine Negroni, an aviation journalist, is famous for her articles regarding air travel for multiple decades and has also been the author of a New York bestseller- The Crash Detectives. In her interview with The Sun, the writer explained that it might feel too tempting- but one shouldn’t give in to that- especially if they are on a long flight. She believes that it was not worth the risk in the event of a disaster onboard. 

From Leggings To Lavatories- Airplane Myths Debunked

The aviation journalist wrote, “You might have to escape through a cabin fire or there could be a separate fire on the ground once you leave the aircraft. Everyone is wearing yoga pants on planes now, but I avoid all artificial fibers because they are more likely to burn and stick to you if there is a fire.” The writer has also warned the public against taking their shoes off because they could still face a disaster and the walk without shoes would be categorically more difficult. She continued, “If you escape an aircraft, the floor could be very hot or cold, it might be covered in oil or on fire, or in a cornfield- you won’t want to be barefoot.” [1]

The risk of actually being in a plane crash is infinitesimally low, but you still might want to avoid legging. However, there are actual myths out there when it comes to flying. Here are a few.

3 Myths About Flying

1. Waste disposal midflight

Is waste from passenger aircraft being disposed of mid-flight? Thats a big no. A veteran captain for Air Canada Dreamliner, Doug Morris, went on to explain that all the plane lavatories are actually serviced at the airports, on “most ground stops on long-haul flights and less so for short-hop flights.” According to the captain, the water from the lavatory is flushed straight to holding tanks which are situated at the rear of the airplane. 

This myth was dispensed by the captain in his book, This is Your Captain Speaking, where the Captain explained, “There is an access panel near the rear of the airplane to allow the holding tanks to be sucked of human sewage. What’s more, the job of emptying the tanks is sought after at many airlines among the ramp attendants, because if they get it, that becomes their only duty.”

2. Airplanes are cesspools of disease

Having been through a pandemic, one might assume that airplanes were the worse place to be when it came to getting il. However, did you know that the air in airplanes is constantly being filtered and replaced while in mid-air? As such, the recirculated air inside a cabin is less likely to spread air-borne diseases. According to Patrick Smith, the circulated air eventually settles in the lower fuselage of the plane. Whatever remains goes through filters, which then get injected with fresh air coming from the engines, and allowed to flow into the cabin.

The air is replaced every 2 to 3 minutes, as Boeing claims. To add to that, manufacturers describe the underfloor filters to be of similar quality as found in hospitals. According to Boeing, around 94% to 99.9% of all microbes get trapped here. [2]

3. Flying is unsafe

As alluded to earlier, statistically speaking, flying is very safe. Your chances of being in an accident are low, while your chances of living through an accident are considerably high. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, 95% of the passengers who had been in accidents on US airplanes between 1983 and 2000 have survived. Modern airplanes are even more strictly regulated, so have some faith in the metal cabin soaring through the air! On an annual basis, your chances of being killed in a plane crash are 1 in 11 million, while being killed in a car crash is 1 in 5000. [3]

Keep Reading: Flying is scary for most but this pilot had a life-changing experience at 23,000 feet in the sky.