• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Pilot reveals 'one thing you must do' during any emergency situation on a flight

Home> News> Travel

Published 12:54 5 Feb 2025 GMT

Pilot reveals 'one thing you must do' during any emergency situation on a flight

There’s a seriously important step all passengers should know about when flying

Jenny Medlicott

Jenny Medlicott

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image

Topics: Travel, Science, TikTok, Viral

Jenny Medlicott
Jenny Medlicott

Jenny is a freelance journalist writing across a number of publications.

X

@JennyMedlicott

Advert

Advert

Advert

An airline pilot has revealed the 'most important' advice passengers should follow in the event of an emergency situation on a flight.

Anyone who has ever stepped foot on a plane will be all too familiar with the classic safety demo flight attendants have to give before take off.

Pull down the oxygen mask, the lifejacket is under the seat in front of you, the emergency exit can be found in this row, it all sounds vaguely recognizable.

The pilot explained how oxygen masks work (Getty Stock Image)
The pilot explained how oxygen masks work (Getty Stock Image)

Advert

But while we might be familiar with the preamble that comes before the journey, most of us are probably a little guilty of totally zoning out during it - no matter how convincingly we might pretend to pay attention.

However, an airline pilot has now revealed that we might actually be overlooking one of the most simple, yet crucial directions given during the demo.

Sharing a video on his TikTok account @PerchPoint, the pilot explained one of the most important things any passenger can do in an emergency situation is the act of ‘pulling down’ the oxygen mask.

This is because the act of pulling on the mask is what triggers generates the oxygen for passengers, as the supply is created by a chemical reaction rather than just some ready-to-use supply of oxygen tanks.

Advert

He explained: “The reality is, oxygen bottles inside aircraft, 99 percent of them are actually a solid chemical reaction.”

Walking viewers through the chemical reaction, he added: “Essentially, it’s a Sodium Chlorate type of mixture, where when you pull down on the oxygen mask you release a firing pin that creates a small explosion that ignites the candle that burns and the byproduct is oxygen.

“So above your seat is a much more complex mechanism of you pull down, you fire this off and then it starts burning to give you oxygen.”

Advert

Essentially, these masks are actually connected to what’s sometimes known as an ‘oxygen candle’.

And not only should we make a point of pulling on the mask, he also re-emphasized the importance of putting your own mask on first.

Masks drop down when a plane has reached a high altitude, affecting the oxygen supply on board. This means it’s vital that passengers secure their own oxygen masks asap because there’s only a small window of time before you begin to lose consciousness.

The pilot explained the science behind oxygen masks stored on planes (Getty Stock Image)
The pilot explained the science behind oxygen masks stored on planes (Getty Stock Image)

Advert

After that, you can help anyone else you need to because you're in the clear yourself.

The pilot added that while the burn from the chemical reaction ‘doesn’t last very long’, this doesn’t actually matter too much because once the masks are triggered, the pilots will immediately begin descending to a lower altitude, meaning the oxygen should be restored on board within minutes.

It’s safe to say the pilot's revelation left people in the comments totally shook, and also feeling kind of bad for neglecting the safety briefing.

One commenter wrote: “Wait lol, why does this feel like the most important part but we’re never told this.”

Advert

Another added: “I’m telling this to everyone that sits next to me on every flight, forever…”

Choose your content:

5 hours ago
6 hours ago
7 hours ago
  • 5 hours ago

    Ex-pilot of B-2 stealth bomber reveals disturbing truth of going to toilet on 44-hour mission

    Air Force colonel Melvin Deaile had to go for a wee every 60 minutes

    News
  • 6 hours ago

    People left stunned as woman breaks down exactly how much it costs to give birth in America

    You could put deposits down on several houses for that!

    News
  • 7 hours ago

    Doctor gives 'deeply concerning' warning after man injected himself with sperm to 'cure back pain'

    A man self-medicated by injecting himself with his own semen to 'cure' his back pain

    News
  • 7 hours ago

    Rosie O’Donnell issues scathing response to all the celebrities who attended Jeff Bezos’ $56,000,000 wedding

    "Seeing all these billionaires gathering in the gross excess of it all. The show of it," she wrote on Instagram.

    Celebrity
  • Pilot explains the real reason you have to turn on airplane mode during a flight
  • Pilot shares what really happens if you don't turn phones on flight mode during a flight
  • Pilot reveals what actually happens inside the cockpit during a long-haul flight
  • Flight attendant reveals the most disgusting thing passengers do on flights and it's extremely common