Lifestyle: 5 interesting flight secrets

There are many aspects of flying and some ‘quirks’ and little secrets of flying that you might have never thought of.

Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 5 interesting flight secrets revealed.

No Sharing

Pilots are typically not allowed to share foods with each other to avoid potential contamination being shared between both pilots. This is because it will be very bad if both pilots got sick or suffer food poisoning from the shared food at the same time. Airlines don’t like to risk both pilots being incapacitated at the same time, so they typically don't allow pilots share their foods in the plane.

Mobile Electronic Devices Don’t Exactly Interfere With the Plane

You’re usually asked to switch off your mobile electronic devices while in the plane because it interferes with the pilot’s ability to get the information he needs if too many devices are running at the same time. The interference of hundreds of mobile electronic devices can cause pilots to miss a signal or communication from air traffic control. This phenomenon is similar to when you’re having problems connecting your mobile device at a stadium because too many devices are running in the same place at the same time, or when you find that your internet connection is faster at night and slower in the day when more people are connected to it.

Peeling Paint

If the paint of an airplane is peeling, it’s safety at that point is questionable. This is because one cause of peeling paint or paint chips on the body of airplanes is leaking hydraulic fluid, which is extremely caustic and strips paints.

Dimming The Lights

The interior lights of an airplane are dimmed before landing, even in the middle of the day, to let the passengers eyes adjust to the light outside, so in case passengers have to immediately evacuate the plane, their eyes can easily adjust to suddenly being outside. Dimming the interior lights, therefore, makes it easier for passengers to see their surroundings and escape safely if there is a need to.

Pilots Are Actually Quite Powerful

The airplane captain has similar power to a ship captain. The commanding pilot can order any trouble-making passenger to be handcuffed and handed to the police after landing, to be formally arrested. The commanding pilot can also write fines and even take the will of a dying passenger.