travel smart

At some point in your life you must have heard stories about flying that make you go “ What? Really? Are you Sure?”!

Some of them are actually true like “There is no “Number 13” row on an airplane”. But most of the myths floating around are just rumours and aren’t actually true.

In fact, some myths are so scary that people don’t want to get on an airplane because of them, but we all know how safe air travel is.

Well, to bust those rumours and make you aware flyers, here are 10 popular air travel myths that are definitely not true.

1. Flying Is The Most Expensive Mode Of Travel

Well, let’s get this myth out of the way!

Of course in absolute terms it is expensive. A round trip from India to any European country can cost you almost 1/4^th of your month’s salary.

But when it comes to traveling, that is going from point A to point B, it’s actually pretty cheap.

According to a study conducted by the American Automobile Association, the average cost to drive per 1 km is around 60 cents (Rs 38.52), while flying sets us back only 10 to 15 cents (Rs 7.92) per km.

Let’s look at it from another perspective. If you go on a road trip from Mumbai To Bangalore(960Km) it will cost you around Rs 5500( Including Fuel and Toll cost). But a flight ticket on the same route will cost you less than Rs 2000 on a low-cost airline.

2. Airplane Doors Can Be Opened Mid-Flight

Don’t worry! if someone tries to open the cabin door while you’re cruising along at 35,000 feet, the door will stay shut.

The cabin doors can only be opened if the pressure on the inside and outside of the aircraft are virtually the same.

The air pressure at high altitude is dangerously low, which is why the cabin pressure is increased artificially inside.

3. Thunderstorms Increase The Risk Of An Airplane Crash

According to aviation experts, an aircraft is hit by lighting at least once a year.

But don’t worry! it will not burn and char your airplane. Airplanes are built to absorb over eight times the energy carried by a bolt of lightning.

The tiny pin-like devices you must have seen on the wings of your airplane, absorbs the electric energy and does not let it affect the passengers or the aircraft electronics.

Also, aircraft manufacturers build airplanes in such a way that they don’t tear apart in rough weather. The wings and the main body of an aircraft can withstand extreme wind pressure when flying.

4.Clearing A Computer’s Browsing History Will Yield Lower Fares

There’s a long-standing rumour that airlines and travel agents increase flight prices when you repeat a search.

Well, it’s not true!

The idea behind the hack is that when you’re searching for flights, airlines and travel sites take note of your movements and jack up the prices when you come back.

In fact, some travellers have claimed that the prices had increased when they came back to look at airfares for the second time on a website. However, most frequent flyers and travel experts have said that you will find similar flight prices whether your browser is cleared of cookies or not.

A famous travel search engine ‘Skyscanner’ conducted a study and found there is no such evidence of this. The study showed that it isn’t possible for a ‘cookie’ to influence prices because you’re anonymous according to the website till the time you don’t book a ticket.

5. Airlines Aren’t Affected If Their Airplane Crashes

Some passengers may think that airline companies are less bothered by safety and more so by profits.

In case you didn’t know, airlines have been investing heavily in research and development of new technologies that can make flying safer for us.

Plus, the airplane that you are flying in is worth around £100,000,000 and the compensation that an airline company would need to pay out would also cost millions.

6. Duty-Free Is Always Cheaper

The stuff they sell in duty-free, whether it be champagne, chocolate or cosmetics, can seem incredibly tempting.

However, it doesn’t always mean that you’ll get a good deal at the shop. Duty-free just means taxes won’t be collected. It doesn’t mean that prices are necessarily lower.

In certain countries, duty-free may represent excellent value for money, but in most, you’ll be shelling out more than the steepest retail prices in your hometown.

7. Flight Attendants Are On The Airplane To Serve You

Yes, they do push carts down the aisle to serve you drinks but consider that a bonus. Their real work is making sure passengers are safe and secure.

They go through years of training at the academy to handle emergency situations and make sure that you’re unharmed during a mid-flight crisis.

This means a crew member’s word is law on an airplane, and if one of them tells you to do something, you are obligated to obey.

8.If The Engine Fails The Airplane Will Immediately Drop

The thought of an engine failure causing the airplane to plummet can be a huge worry for any flier. But, In actuality, a plane can still manage to land without one.

An airplane is simply a big glider and they can be flown and landed without an engine. Plus pilots go through rigorous training to land this big glider.

Famous Hollywood movie “Sully” is based on a real-life event, where the captain glided the airplane across the Huston River when all four of its engines failed.

9. You Automatically Get A Jet-Lag When You Fly Internationally

Jet lag isn’t necessarily caused by a lack of sleep, but rather sleeping at the wrong time.

The best practice is to align your eating and sleeping as close as possible to the appropriate times for those activities in the local time of your destination.

This will help you avoid that dazed, drowsy feeling after a flight.

10. Flights Wait For People Who Check-In Late

Airlines have a very complex flight schedule which they have to stick to. Plus they have to incur huge losses when a flight is delayed.

They do consider people checking in late when they are scheduling a flight.

So unless there is a major issue and if you check in late, you’re at the mercy of the airline.