Do You Know Which Is The Safest Seat On A Plane: Front, Middle, Or Rear? Here’s The Answer

Air transport is widely regarded as the safest means of transportation. However, the occasional accidents, such as the recent incidents involving Azerbaijan Airlines and Jeju Air’s Boeing narrow-body aircraft, serve as reminders that no system is entirely foolproof. This has sparked curiosity about the safest seats on an airplane. In this article, we will explore if seat selection can influence passenger survival in rare emergencies.

Do you know air travel is the safest mode of transport?

Transportation-related fatalities show a stark disparity across different modes, with road travel topping the charts as the deadliest. Globally, road accidents claim over 1.3 million lives annually, which showcases its high-risk nature.

In the United States, road travel records a fatality rate of 1.18 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles, as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Rail travel, while significantly safer, still accounts for 0.04 deaths per 100 million passenger miles. By contrast, air travel remains the safest, with an all-time low fatality rate of just 0.003 deaths per 100 million passenger miles, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

While similar data for India remains unavailable, it still gives a greater idea about how fatalities differ in various transportation modes.

Now, it is true that the safety record of aviation has seen continuous improvement over the years. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) revealed that the global air travel fatality rate dropped to 17 deaths per billion passengers in 2023, a significant decline from 50 per billion in 2022. This decrease reflects advancements in technology and rigorous safety protocols. Yet, the infrequent nature of aviation accidents becomes a matter of great concern.

The recent air tragedies in Kazakhstan and South Korea serve as stark reminders of the risks involved. On December 25, an Azerbaijan Airlines flight en route to Russia crash-landed near Aktau in Kazakhstan, resulting in 38 recorded fatalities.

Just days later, on December 29, a Jeju Air Boeing narrow-body aircraft crashed during an emergency landing at Muan International Airport in South Korea, claiming 179 recorded lives and leaving only two survivors, both crew members. The South Korea crash with this many deaths is now being referred to as the country’s worst aviation disaster.

It is interesting to note that the survivors in both crashes were located in the aircraft’s tail section. In the Azerbaijan Airlines crash, many were pulled from the rear fuselage, while in the Jeju Air tragedy, the only two surviving crew members were rescued from the tail. This pattern raises critical questions about rear seats of an airplane inherently offering greater safety or not.

Do seats on aircraft influence safety?

A lot of research has been done in order to understand if seats on aircraft influence safety or not. A study by Popular Mechanics analyzing accidents between 1971 and 2005 found that passengers seated at the back of the plane had a 40% higher survival rate compared to those in other sections.

Similarly, a report by the US National Transportation Safety Board indicated that survival chances increased from 49% at the front to 69% at the rear, with middle seats near the wings offering a 59% chance.

This trend is attributed to the distribution of impact during crashes. Front seats are more vulnerable as they often bear the brunt of the initial impact in incidents like nosedives or runway overruns, as seen in the 2010 Mangalore crash. However, there are exceptions, such as the 1989 United Airlines crash, where most survivors were seated in the middle and rear sections.

Here’s what the 2015 TIME Report reveals

A 2015 study by TIME analyzing 35 years of plane accidents identified the middle of the rear section as the safest spot, with a mortality rate of 28%. The center section of the plane followed, with a mortality rate of 44%. Rear seats often benefit from their proximity to emergency exits, thereby providing faster evacuations. However, they are not without risks because if the tail strikes the ground first during a crash, fatalities in this section could be higher.

Middle seats near the wings may also offer relative safety but face potential dangers due to wing explosions, as the wings double as fuel tanks in most modern jets. Emergency exit rows, regardless of their location, are considered advantageous for faster evacuation, which can be critical in survival.

‘No section of an aircraft is inherently safer than another,’ says the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Based on all the aforementioned, can we say that there is a specific seating arrangement that can help prevent such a catastrophe? Well, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says that no section of an aircraft is inherently safer than another and it is a true fact. No one knows what type of incident may occur.

Circumstances, impact, and magnitude all play crucial roles in determining outcomes, making it impossible to predict them in advance. While seat placement might provide a slight edge in specific scenarios, it is not a guarantee of safety.

Even a developed nation like South Korea, known for its advanced infrastructure and robust safety protocols, is not entirely immune to catastrophic air mishaps. Recent scrutinies suggest a bird strike and adverse weather conditions as potential causes. As per the reports of BBC, the aircraft landed without deploying its front landing gear, overshot the runway, collided with a concrete structure, and burst into flames.

Also read: 11 Curious Questions About Airplanes That You Never Knew

Meanwhile, developing nation, Azerbaijan also experienced a similar disaster where the Embraer 190 jet had diverted due to adverse weather conditions and possibly encountered a bird strike. It is interesting to note that speculations about a missile strike have also emerged, but investigations are ongoing.

This implies how despite the stringent regulations, and cutting-edge technology, unforeseen circumstances such as extreme weather, technical failures, bird strikes, or human error can occasionally lead to tragic incidents. These rare occurrences serve as a stark reminder that air travel, while exceptionally safe, is not infallible.

Ultimately, while it is impossible to eliminate all risks, a relentless focus on greater safety practices can help imbibe confidence among passengers. This balance between preparedness and innovation reinforces trust in the resilience of modern aviation systems.

What are your thoughts on the seating on an airplane? Do share your thoughts via the comments below.