- [Narrator] Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard this Be Amazed flight. As we take to the skies today, I'll be letting you in on a few little-known mind-blowing facts about all things aeronautical. From the truth behind bad airline food, to how picking the safest seat might save your life. Here are some of the craziest flight secrets that are never told to passengers. (upbeat music) Prepare for boarding. Boarding is one of the most stressful parts of airplane travel. We've all been there. You've been through airport security. You finally get to the gate, only to see a huge line of passengers waiting to board your flight. What most people don't realize is that there's not really much point to rushing to join the queue. As the majority of airlines pre-assigned specific seats to passengers. And while some airlines like to call passengers in groups for boarding, you don't necessarily have to adhere to this rule. Boarding last

is the easiest way to minimize the amount of time you spend hold up on board. So, assuming your hand luggage isn't overly large and hard
to fit in overhead storage, there's not really any point in standing, waiting in a line, waiting for a seat. It's already got your name on it. By boarding towards the end,
there are also fewer people clogging up the gate area and jet bridge, speeding the process up overall. While you wait, why not take a
glance at your boarding pass? The six-digit alphanumerical
code that appears on most boarding passes is
called a Passenger Name Record, which is used to identify
individual passengers. Just in case there's
more than one passenger with the same name, this
code, which is recorded in the database of computer
reservation systems that contain flight
itineraries for each passenger, can reveal a lot about you, including your date of birth and contact details. This is one of the main
reasons you should never throw

your boarding pass away
in a public trash can. Among other things, the database, this code corresponds to
holds credit card information, passport details, as well as
IP addresses if booked online. But if a code connected to all your personal information seems scary. Hopefully you'll never find this next code on your boarding pass. Passengers who find the four S's code on their ticket may find themselves going through additional security checks. Why? Well short for Secondary
Security Screening Selection. This code is added to boarding passes of passengers who
airlines deem suspicious. As we all know, airports
take security very seriously. And some things that might
look totally innocent to us are seen as suspicious
for airline officials. Last minute flyers, one
way fares or buying tickets using cash, can all look a little suss to the guys at the airport security desk. So try not to panic, if you see that code on your boarding pass, that is if you don't
have anything to hide.

striking solutions. Airplanes are pretty hefty pieces of machinery. It's crazy to think that an average-sized commercial aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of about 175,000 pounds, which includes 90,000 pounds of fuel, as well as 45,000 pounds worth of passengers, crew, and cargo. Despite their size, airplanes still run into some problems in the air, often due to the other stuff that tends to dwell up there in the sky. It goes without saying that collisions between planes and birds don't often end well, for the bird that is, but they can still do some damage to an airplane when hitting it at speed, as you can see here with this Turkish Airlines plane that collided with a bird in 2015. Luckily, the passengers were all fine, but the bird not so much. There are over 13,000 airplane bird strikes annually in the U.S., sometimes severe enough to take out plane engines.

And as you can imagine, walls and fences aren't very effective in keeping birds away from aircraft runways. So, airports have to get creative to prevent bird-related accidents. One such method used at Virginia's Reagan National Airport is firing blanks out of cannons to scare feathery friends away from the airport, while other airports make their environment less bird-friendly by filling in ponds and replacing grass with gravel. Salt Lake City's airport, meanwhile, reduces its winged trespasser problem by using pigs to root around and eat gull eggs. Other airports like France's Lourdes-Tarbes-Pyrenees Airport light up LED screens with big pairs of googly eyes to scare off birds of prey, acting as a kind of aviation scarecrow, but it's not just birds that airports have to worry about. Extreme weather isn't really something that can be scared off with a dirty look from a pair of LED eyes.

Hailstorms are one of the most dangerous weather conditions for an airplane, and they can cause some pretty crazy damage. This jet's nosecone took a real battering from hailstones that were as big as golf balls. After flying through a hailstorm, the windows were so shattered that the pilots had to land the plane almost completely blind. Miraculously, no one was hurt, aside from the airline's wallet, who had to pay for repairs. Hailstorms are one thing, but some nervous flyers also worry about the possibility of lightning striking an airplane. While that might seem highly unlikely, it's actually estimated that each airplane in the U.S.'s commercial fleet is struck lightly by lightning at least once per year. While that may seem terrifying, it's actually not as dangerous as you'd think. Before an aircraft goes into service, it undergoes lightning strike simulations that test its conductivity. This ensures lightning can travel uninterrupted.

across the plane's exterior shell, and back off into the sky through an extremity like the nose or a wing tip, leaving those inside totally unharmed, save for a ruined pair of underpants or two. Dump drop, have you ever used an airplane bathroom and wondered where exactly you're flushing your waste away to? Well, contrary to popular myth, plane toilets aren't allowed to be emptied into the sky, but of course, accidents do happen. When you flush an airplane toilet, a strong suction pulls the waste away using only a very small amount of water as a means to save weight and space on the aircraft. And the contents traveled to a large disinfectant-filled holding tank. At the end of a flight, the mixture is sucked into a tanker at the airport and then dumped. However, the frozen chunk of pulverized smurf you see here is made up of that delightful cocktail of human waste and the blue liquid disinfectant.

and was found at ground level. Having fallen from a plane in 2017. There were at least 27
documented incidents of blue ice meteors of this
kind in the United States between 1979 and 2003,
including incidents of blue ice falling through rooftops
under airport landing paths. While there is no mechanism
that would allow pilots or flight attendants to perform any kind of blue poopy
pranks, intentionally leaks sometimes do occur from
the plane's septic tank. So, if you ever find a
big chunk of blue ice in your backyard, trust me,
it's not a blueberry popsicle. Don't give it a lick, but
while we're on the topic of mile-high restrooms,
I'll bet you didn't know that there's actually a secret way to unlock an airplane
toilet from the outside. The next time a kid gets
locked in an airplane bathroom, or you just fancy being thrown off a plane

for being particularly
creepy with a stranger, you can easily unlock it from the outside using just one finger.
Most cabin bathrooms' exterior locks are tucked
behind a metal lavatory sign, just like this one, for flight attendants to use in the event of an emergency. To open it, just
lift the lavatory sign, slide the knob into the unlocked position, and then make a run for it
before the flight attendants catch you like the rascal you are. Food for thought: everyone
knows that the food on airplanes is notoriously awful, but have you ever stopped to wonder why? - What's the deal with airplane food? - [Narrator] In-flight meals are typically made on the ground by
industrial catering facilities close to the airport
and are usually prepared between 12 and 72 hours
before an intended flight. Contrary to popular
belief, most airplane meals are not frozen, instead
being blast-chilled and transported to the aircraft for flight.

attendants to heat and serve on board. Some luxury airlines even
have their own in-flight chefs and kitchens, like those found aboard some Etihad Airways flights.
All of this, and yet food in the air will never quite match up to the five-star
restaurants on the ground. So, what really makes
airplane food taste so bad? It turns out it actually comes
down to basic human biology. Airplane cabins have humidity levels as low as 10%, while in the
air, which is shockingly even drier than the Sahara Desert. When humidity levels are
at rock bottom like this, our sinuses get so dehydrated that it affects our
ability to taste and smell. After a bit of time in an airplane cabin, your tongue's ability
to taste sweet flavors drops between 15 and
20%, while salty flavors are dulled by as much as 20 to 30%. In an attempt to counteract this, some airlines drastically increase the amount of salt and
sugar in their food.

So you're probably consuming a lot more calories from that in-flight
meal than you think. If tasteless in-flight
meals are getting you down, there is actually
something you can do about. Turns out that donning a pair
of noise-canceling headphones is just the ticket to making food and drink tastes better in the air. Strangely studies have found
that loud background noise can actually dampen our
ability to taste food. So using noise-canceling
headphones to drown out the low-pitched drone
of the airplane's engine can help our senses
come back down to earth. But it's not only passengers
that have issues to chew over. When it comes to the
food served in the sky, there are some very specific rules as to what pilots can and
can't eat while on the job. And for good reason, pilots and co-pilots are warned against eating
the same meals while working as a preventative measure
against mutual food poisoning.

If something is badly wrong with one pilot's meal, making them sick, the other pilot can take over. However, there is a pecking order to pilot food. In some airlines, the pilot will receive a meal from the first-class menu, whereas the co-pilot may receive something from business class. I'll bet that makes for quite the awkward dinner date. Snakes on a plane, what with being responsible for hundreds of passengers' safety, it's no wonder that an airline pilot has often been named one of the most stressful jobs in the world. While the stress of the job is one thing. Just imagine having to spend hours stuck in a tiny cockpit with a co-pilot you really, really dislike. Well, turns out with such high stakes, avoiding pilots working with someone they don't like is considered in the industry to be a matter of life and death. To help reduce any airborne tensions each captain, first, and second officer

get a do not pair list on which they can list the names of co-workers with whom they'd rather not share a flight. Requests are submitted through a monthly schedule, and the approved list of flying nemeses is fed into the airline's scheduling system, which stops two adversary pilots from ending up in the same cockpit. While it may seem a little extreme, getting distracted by a workplace rivalry could result in a pretty serious accident, especially during takeoff and landing where the most attention is required. If only such pleasant co-workers were guaranteed in every job. The safest seat, contrary to what movies and TV shows might have you believe, air travel is actually one of the safest modes of transportation, and your odds of dying in a commercial airline plane crash are a staggering one in 3.37 billion. Despite the facts, nearly one in three Americans have a fear of flying, and that fear has led many to wonder where the safest spot is in the event of an incident in the air.

Turns out, an analysis of data from 17 plane crashes over the last 35 years, conducted by Time Magazine, figured out an answer. Time found that historically, those seats in the back third of a plane had a 68% average chance of survival compared with 62% in the front section and 61% in the middle third. You might think that one of the safest places to be on a plane would be an aisle seat, as it gives you faster access to the various emergency exits on board. However, according to the data, aisle seats in the middle third of an aircraft are the worst places you can be in the event of a crash, with a survival rate of 56%. Meanwhile, middle seats specifically in the rear of the plane are the absolute safest place to be and give you a 72% chance of surviving a crash landing. I like those odds, let's just hope none of us ever has to put them to the test.

Sky-bound secrets. If you've ever had a window seat on a flight, you might've noticed a tiny hole right at the bottom of the window. Well, may look small, this is actually one of the airplane's mightiest safety features. But why is it so important? As air pressure drops as you fly higher, airplanes are designed to maintain air pressure at a safe and breathable level within the cabin. This significant difference in air pressure puts a lot of physical stress on the windows. So, they have to be built particularly strong. While a normal single-pane window would break easily at this altitude, airplane windows are made up of three strong panels of acrylic. The exterior window is for keeping the elements out and maintaining cabin pressure. If something were to happen to this first pane, the second panel acts as a fail-safe. The one inside the cabin, meanwhile, provides a final line of defense, while keeping our hands off the others to avoid damaging them.

The tiny hole I mentioned, known as the bleed hole, is located in the middle pane, and its primary purpose is to balance the air pressure between the middle and outer panes. It also keeps the windows from fogging up or frosting over because after all, most of our in-flight fun comes from window gazing. Speaking of airplane interiors, have you ever wondered about those small red or black triangles that can be found along cabin interiors? These are actually here to let cabin crew know which window will give the best vantage point to view the wings of the aircraft, allowing them to check if there's a problem with the wing or engine. So if you're sitting by the triangle, try not to get too paranoid if a flight attendant suddenly starts peering over your shoulder. Aside from clever signs and icons, sounds are also used mid-air to keep things running like clockwork. Most regular flyers out there will recognize this sound. (beeping sound)

While most of us know that this is usually a sign to get back to your seat and fasten your seat belt, it can actually mean so much more. While each airline uses chimes slightly differently, there are some regularly used patterns that you can listen out for on your next flight. A singular chime can be the pilot warning flight attendance of upcoming turbulence, but it might also mean he wants a cup of coffee. Two consecutive chimes usually means that the airplane is approaching 10,000 feet, whereas three or more chimes indicates a more serious problem, such as an extremely ill passenger or a warning for extreme turbulence. So, listen out, and if the beeps are blasting away like Darude - Sandstorm, it might be time to panic or dance. Class wars, crying babies, cramped seats, and no legroom. Flying economy really can be a stairway to hell. Meanwhile, advertised with private seats

free-flowing champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, et cetera. It's no wonder that a first-class flying experience makes its way onto many people's bucket list. The luxurious service offered in first class might seem perfect for getting that much-needed rest while on a long-haul flight, but is the sky-high price really worth it? Well, compared to business class, usually the second-best type of ticket, it doesn't appear so. There are quite a few features that you'd think were specifically reserved for first-class flyers only that are actually readily available in many business class sections. Both the first-class and business class cabins of many airlines receive high-quality multi-course meals, sometimes even served with fine China and glassware, as well as plush pillows and blankets. Many business class cabins even offer complimentary pajamas too. These days, many airlines are investing in maximizing their business class services with a view to ditch first class altogether.

And some are even looking towards business class private pods. Really, the only noticeable differences between the two is that first-class offers a slightly larger seat that sometimes comes with your own private suite, as well as a few extra items on the menu, such as champagne and whiskey. However, the enormous difference in price does not reflect the minimal difference in service. On average, a business class ticket will cost around twice as much as a standard economy seat. Whereas for first-class, you'll be flying to the tune of six times the amount paid for an economy fare. I think I'd rather save the money and spring for a hotel room upgrade at my destination. What do you think? Hit the like button for first-class and the subscribe button for a fancy hotel, or why not treat yourself to both you're on vacation after all. Sky sleepers, long haul flights can be bad enough for passengers, but have you ever wondered how flight attendants always seems so alert and chipper?

Well, next time you board a long-haul flight, keep an eye out for a mystery door that looks something like this. While it might look like a plain old storage cupboard, these doors actually lead to a completely secret room up an extremely narrow flight of stairs. Flight attendants will reach what's known as a rest compartment, which is specially reserved for the cabin crew to get some well-earned shut-eye. These rest compartments can usually be found in overhead areas of a long-haul aircraft, one at the back for the flight attendants and one at the front for pilots. Each bed comes with a pillow and duvet as well as a safety belt that must be fastened if a crew member decides to catch some z's. Known by aircraft employees as controlled rests, flight attendants will have a designated amount of time to rest depending per flight and are woken up by their fellow cabin crew through an interphone when their break is over.

Some fancier carriers, including Singapore Airlines, make sure to give their crew members a taste of the high life and provide luxurious private cabins for them to get some shut-eye, silk pillowcases included. Pilots, meanwhile, often get their own private quarters at the front of the plane, which usually features two spacious sleeping compartments as well as two business class seats, a closet, and a lavatory. So, the next time you wonder where that lovely flight attendant who is serving your drink has gone to, they could be right above your head, floating in dreamland. Jokes aside, the crew of the plane, pilots above all being well-rested, is of the utmost importance. As demonstrated by some shocking statistics, astonishingly when surveyed by the British Airline Pilots' Association, 84% of pilots said that their ability to fly a plane had been compromised due to tiredness. And 56% actually admitted that they'd fallen

asleep while in charge of a plane. In May 2021, there was even one pilot who fell asleep for 40 minutes mid-air on a commercial flight from Cairns to Redcliffe in Australia and accidentally overflew his destination by 70 miles before waking up. And thankfully, the majority of commercial airplanes have autopilot to maintain things like altitude. So, pilots aren't actually required to be in full control of the aircraft for the entire flight, but it's still incredibly dangerous for them to fall asleep in case of emergency and will most definitely be on my reasons to clench my teeth list for my next flight. Death de-flying, while it's not something we like to think about, people die just about everywhere. And sometimes that can include 30,000 feet in the air. Although extremely rare, cabin crew must be prepared for the unfortunate event of an in-flight death. If a passenger does pass away during a flight,

the crew will usually have to wait until the plane reaches its final destination to remove the body from the plane. Sometimes airlines will offer the deceased passenger a final upgrade and bump them up to the quieter first-class cabin. If there's really no room to move the deceased passenger, then the cabin crew will cover their body with a blanket after ensuring they're buckled in for the safety of other passengers. Singapore Airlines did one better than the old hide them under a blanket and try not to freak out method and launched a fleet of airbuses with compartments specifically installed to store an average-sized body in the event of an in-flight death, known as corpse cupboards, which totally sounds like a death metal band by the way. These lockers were specifically installed on the Airbus A340-500 model, which made sense seeing as these planes fly the longest regular non-stop passenger flight in the world. To get from Singapore to the John F. Kennedy International

Airport in New York City.
It takes around 18 hours and 40 minutes. I'd certainly rather have a creepy body cupboard on board than to be the flight attendant, asking first-class passengers if they don't mind being sat next to a corpse for 18 hours. Which of these flight secrets surprised you the most? And do you have any of your own to share? Let me know in the comments below and thank you for flying with Be Amazed. (bright music)

Flight Secrets That Are Never Told To Passengers

Flight Secrets That Are Never Told To Passengers