When flight attendants sit still during takeoff or landing, with their hands tucked behind their thighs and their feet flat on the ground, you may have wondered: What are they doing? There is more going on than first appears, as it turns out.
Instead of sitting around doing nothing, flight attendants are carrying out a discreet but crucial safety procedure that is meant to hope for the best while preparing them for the worst.
This sitting motionlessness is a component of a “silent review” or “30-second review,” which is a behind-the-scenes procedure. Henny Lim, a flight attendant with Cebu Pacific in the Philippines, claims that the silent review is carried out at each takeoff and landing, two of the most dangerous aircraft operations.
“This action [during] each takeoff and landing gets us ready for an emergency,” Lim said in a TikTok video that went viral.
Flight attendants mentally practise the location and use of emergency exits, emergency equipment at their station, specific evacuation duties, visual cues outside the aircraft (such as smoke, fire or debris), and commands they may need to give passengers during this review.
Not only does this mental checklist aid in preparing, but it also helps to lessen anxiety and facilitates quick response in the event of an emergency. One of the top aircraft manufacturers in the world, Airbus, strongly advises all members of the in-flight crew to follow this procedure. According to their safety instructions, the silent review reduces distraction, improves preparedness, and lessens the “startle effect,” which is the confusion that might happen during an unexpected emergency.
Flight attendants also adopt a tactful but deliberate bracing attitude in addition to the quiet review. Sitting on their hands is a solution for that.
Tie your seat belt securely, sit up straight, place your hands palms up beneath your thighs, tuck your thumbs in to keep them safe, and keep your feet flat on the ground, according to Lim.
According to Lim, “the objective is to keep the body in a rigid position so that the body sustains less damage in the event of an unforeseen emergency.” “In the event of an impact, this reduces the likelihood of injury by limiting body movement.”
By stabilising the arms, wrists, and face against unexpected impacts, this technique protects important body parts.
“Depending on the orientation of the seat and the model of the aircraft, the bracing position may also involve specific head placements,” Hilary Clark, director of in-flight services for private aircraft operator Planet 9, told Travel + Leisure.
Employees lean their heads back against the headrest, for instance, if the jump seat is facing the back (the back of the aircraft). They tuck the chin, which is another variation of the bracing stance, and bow somewhat if the seat is facing forward.
In the case of an abrupt halt or contact, these minor variations are intended to provide the maximum possible protection for the head and neck.
During takeoff and landing, flight attendants are on high alert, while passengers may be unwinding or using their phones. Their training begins as soon as they fasten their seatbelts, silently going over emergency procedures, looking around the cabin, and mentally and physically preparing.
This way, you’ll know that a crew member is standing ready rather than merely sitting motionless the next time you see them sitting with their hands tucked beneath their legs.
