A flight attendant has debunked some common plane myths, while also revealing the reality about drinking alcohol on a flight.
Virgin Australia flight attendant Brodie Capron shared a TikTok addressing the questions she gets asked most, from whether water is protected to drink, why you are feeling more drunk while within the air and where toilet waste really goes.
Ms. Capron, who has been within the industry for 2 years, often shares her experiences, along with her most up-to-date clip amassing half one million views.
Rumors have long circulated in regards to the supposed poor water quality of plane drinking water with its safety a widely debated topic.
Some argue you must only drink out of a sealed bottle, but Brodie said it’s indeed “protected to drink” – a minimum of on her flights.
“It’s filtered and it’s clean,” she said.
In relation to drinking alcohol, the Virgin crew member said to be mindful of how much you devour since you do get more drunk on an aircraft, something not many persons are aware of.
“[It’s] due to the lower oxygen percentage within the air, the consequences of alcohol are greater,” she explained.
“So ensure that you make good selections if you’re flying.”
Angus Kidman, travel expert at Finder confirmed that because of oxygen levels being lower at higher altitudes, passengers are likely to essentially feel the consequences of alcohol.
“So if you get on a plane, your body already has to work hard to compensate for that,” he told news.com.au.
“It’s busy producing extra red blood cells, and if you throw booze into the combination, it could cause problems before for those who were drinking on the bottom.
“Altitude sickness plus a hangover just isn’t a fun combination.”
He said people vary and a few cope a lot better than others.
“But the percentages are you aren’t David Boon and might’t address dozens of cans of beer on a long-haul flight,” Mr Kidman said.
“Realistically, the crew are not possible to supply them to you anyway, unless you’re in first-class.”
A Finder survey in December 2021 revealed almost one in five (17 per cent) of Aussies have been drunk on an airplane, with 2 per cent — nearly 390,000 people — admitting to sneaking in their very own drinks.
“Even for those who’re in party mode, ensure that you’re drinking a lot of water as well,” Mr Kidman said.
“And eat among the plane food too. It’s high quality to enjoy yourself on a flight, but remember you’re in a shared space. Moderation is a sensible policy when flying.”
Meanwhile, Ms Capron also addressed another commonly asked questions reminiscent of why window shades should be up for takeoff and landing.
“It’s so that everybody can see the engines and warn the cabin crew if something is fallacious,” she said.
For those wondering if poo and wee gets discarded mid-air, the reply isn’t any.
“It goes right into a sewerage tank then it gets emptied once we land.”
As for why passengers must placed on their oxygen masks first, Ms. Capron said it’s so you may then help others as you “won’t be very useful for those who don’t have oxygen on yourself”.
And people wondering if the doors could be opened mid-flight, Brodie said the reply isn’t any.
“The doors can’t be opened mid-flight unless you may have superhuman strength,” she said.
In 2017, a person reportedly tried to open a plane’s exit door during a Delta Air Lines flight from Seattle to Beijing, Yahoo reported.
A flight attendant broke a wine bottle over the person’s head, and the passenger was arrested when the plane was forced to show back to Seattle.
In line with Live Science, even when the person had been left to his own devices, he would have needed to exert greater than 23,589 kilos of force to open the door — akin to lifting nearly two African elephants.
