A physics teacher has shed light on the hidden dangers of inflating your life jacket inside an aircraft cabin during an emergency – it could have deadly consequences
Cabin crew demonstrate how to inflate a life vest – but you should never do this while inside the aircraft (stock image)(Image: Hispanolistic via Getty Images)
A physics teacher has explained the “horrific” risks that come when a life jacket is inflated by a person who’s still onboard a plane. When boarding any flight, the cabin crew run through a comprehensive safety briefing explaining to passengers where the emergency exits are, how to secure their seat belts, where to locate and how to utilise oxygen masks, how to operate life jackets, and more.
Life jackets are typically kept in a compartment beneath your plane seat. It’s crucial to only ever inflate the vest once you’ve exited – and are away from – the aircraft, by pulling down firmly on the red toggles. But why shouldn’t you inflate it while you’re still inside the plane?
Some people think it’s related to efficiency and movement – wearing an inflated life vest could make it more challenging and awkward to navigate through the aircraft.
There is some validity to that but the real reason is to prevent a far more alarming consequence. A physics teacher took to YouTube to clarify this in depth.
The footage shows a split screen, with the teacher at the bottom and demonstration clips in the upper portion to offer additional insight and understanding.
There was a clip of a plane passenger sitting in his seat who inflated his life jacket. The teacher began: “This passenger inflated his life vest during the safety briefing. But that was the exact death trap of some passengers on the Ethiopian Airlines flight.”
She then discussed the notorious hijacking of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961, which was seized while travelling from Addis Ababa to Nairobi by three Ethiopians seeking asylum in Australia. The aircraft crash landed in the sea and, of those aboard, 125 out of 175 died – including all three of the hijackers.
The teacher elaborated: “This aircraft was hijacked in 1996 and was forced to crash land in the ocean after running out of fuel. So during the chaos, some passengers panicked and inflated their life jackets inside the cabin.
“But why is that such a big deal? Think about how these vests inflate instantly using compressed carbon dioxide from that tiny cartridge. So the moment it inflates, it makes you buoyant – but isn’t that its job?”
This is where matters take a “horrific” turn. The teacher explained: “It is, but you don’t want it to do that inside of the cabin when the cabin gets flooded because you won’t be able to dive down and swim out of the aircraft.
“Instead, those passengers were pushed upwards by the water and got pinned to the ceiling. They were trapped by the very thing that was designed to save them.”
In the comments section, fellow YouTube users were keen to offer their perspectives. One person said: “No matter how good a tool is, it can be dangerous if not used properly.”
Another said: “What’s worse is that some people can end up preventing others from escaping because they don’t listen to the safety rules”.
A third person said: “It’s also a hindrance when moving through the narrow seat rows and crowded aisle.” While a fourth commented: “Panic really changes how people react in those moments!”
Another shared: “Thanks for the explanation! I was honestly confused why inflating life vests inside the plane was wrong. But this makes sense!”
Someone else added: “I was thinking that the inflated life vest would make it harder to move through the inside, but the actual reason is much more horrific”.