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Experts say seat location doesn't guarantee survival

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Sitting near exit can aid escape, but not always 11A

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Safety briefings and compliance crucial for survival

By Joe Brock and Lisa Barrington

LONDON, June 13 (Reuters) - The survival of a passenger

who escaped through an exit door seconds after his Air India

flight crashed killing everyone else on board has prompted

speculation over whether his seat, 11A, is the safest.

Aviation experts say it is not so straightforward because

aircraft vary widely in seat configurations, crashes are unique

and survival often hinges on a complex interplay of factors.

"Each accident is different, and it is impossible to predict

survivability based on seat location," said Mitchell Fox, a

director at Flight Safety Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit.

Ramesh Viswashkumar said his 11A seat was near an emergency

exit on the London-bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that

crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday and he managed to walk out.

Sitting next to an exit door might help you survive an

accident but it won't always be 11A because aircraft can have

dozens of different configurations.

"In this particular instance, because the passenger was

sitting adjacent to the emergency exit, this was obviously the

safest seat on the day," said Ron Bartsch, Chairman at

Sydney-based AvLaw Aviation Consulting.

"But it's not always 11A, it's just 11A on this

configuration of the Boeing 787."

A 2007 Popular Mechanics study of crashes since 1971 found

that passengers towards the back of the plane had better

survival odds. Some experts suggest the wing section offers more

stability.

Sitting next to an exit door, like Viswashkumar, gives you

an opportunity to be one of the first out of the plane, although

some exits don't function after a crash. The opposite side of

the plane was blocked by the wall of a building it crashed into,

he said.

In January of last year, a panel missing several bolts blew

off the side of a Boeing 737 MAX mid-flight, creating a gaping

hole and damaging the adjacent seat. Fortunately, no one was

seated there at the time, and the incident resulted in no

fatalities.

Sitting by the aisle might offer you a speedier escape but

it increases the likelihood of being hit in the head by luggage

falling out of the overhead bins - a much more common occurrence

than major crashes.

SAFETY BRIEFINGS

Paying attention to the safety briefing at the start of your

flight - often dismissed as routine - is likely the best way to

improve your chances of survival, experts say.

Disciplined compliance with cabin crew evacuation advice,

including leaving bags behind, was a key factor in saving the

lives of all 379 passengers and crew aboard a Japan Airlines ( JPNRF )

flight in January last year.

The Airbus A350 aircraft had collided with a Coast Guard

plane at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, killing five of the six crew

members on the smaller aircraft.

Safety briefings typically cover critical instructions such

as how to fasten your seatbelt securely, adopt the correct brace

position and plan your evacuation route.

A common tip is to count the number of rows between your

seat and the nearest exit - vital knowledge if the cabin fills

with smoke and visibility is low.

Despite disasters such as the Air India crash, plane designs

have evolved to increase the likelihood of passengers walking

away from a rare plane accident, Fox said.

These include floor path lighting, fire detection and

extinguishers, less flammable cabin materials and improved

access to emergency exits.

"There have been remarkable advancements in airplane cabin

design that have improved the survivability of accidents on or

near the ground," Fox said.