Is it good to fly at the back of the plane?

The study concluded that passengers who sit in the back rows “are 40% more likely to survive a crash” than those in the front. Statistics provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) support this finding.



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Usually, it's best to pick a seat toward the front of the plane for several reasons: It's usually quieter, and you can get on and off faster. There's a balance between choosing front/back and window/aisle.

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Seats towards the back of the plane tend to experience more turbulence than those towards the front. Those who experience motion sickness should avoid seats in the back at all costs. Additionally, those seated in the back are the last passengers to get off the plane.

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Seats at the back of the plane tend to be bumpier, and sitting towards the back also means you're one of the last passengers to get off the plane after landing. Similarly, the bulkheads at the front of the cabin are where families with babies and young children sit.

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Despite the increased turbulence felt in the rear of the plane, the seats near the back are actually the safest. According to this study by Popular Mechanics, “Passengers near the tail of a plane are about 40 percent more likely to survive a crash than those in the first few rows up front.”

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Seats towards the back of the plane tend to experience more turbulence than those towards the front.

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Logically, the safety of these seats makes sense. Seats at the back of an airplane are close to exit rows while providing more cushion from any collisions that may impact the front of the plane first.

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“The smoothest place to sit is over the wings,” commercial pilot Patrick Smith, host of AskThePilot.com said. These seats are close to the plane's center of lift and gravity. “The roughest spot is usually the far aft. In the rearmost rows, closest to the tail, the knocking and swaying is more pronounced,” Smith added.

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Most of the survivors were sitting behind first class, towards the front of the plane. Nonetheless, a TIME investigation that looked at 35 years of aircraft accident data found the middle rear seats of an aircraft had the lowest fatality rate: 28%, compared with 44% for the middle aisle seats.

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Research found that the noise experienced in window seats was four decibels higher than the middle and aisle seats. Meanwhile, at the back of the aircraft, there is a lot of low frequency noise, says Kochan.

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The seats are taken by other passengers. Seats in the rear are popular because they are close to the lavatory. Depending on the airline, it may also be the first rows to be served in-flight meals.

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Sit away from the engine.
Seats in the front rows are farthest away from the engine and therefore better for your hearing. However, if you have to sit farther back in the plane, choose an aisle seat as they are several decibels quieter than window seats.

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So many travelers struggle with this fear, so the best way to cope is to find a seat with plenty of space. The least crowded section of the plane is first or business class. But if upgraded flying isn't in your budget there are still options. Try sitting in an aisle seat in an exit row towards the front of the plane.

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However, seats towards the back of the plane can be more susceptible to the effects of turbulence.

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We've determined that the front of the plane is the best place to sit on a plane to feel less turbulence, and most business class and first class seats are at the front.

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Can Turbulence Crash An Airplane? The short answer is – no. Although in its worst form, turbulence may scare passengers to the point where they start praying to the Almighty, asking for mercy for their sins, it's very, very rare for turbulence to be powerful enough to actually bring a plane down.

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The middle seat in the final seat is your safest bet
The middle rear seats of an aircraft had the lowest fatality rate: 28%, compared to 44% for the middle aisle seats, according to a TIME investigation that examined 35 years' worth of aircraft accident data.

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