Urgent warning to all travellers to follow this 5 second safety rule before they fly

People travelling on planes are being urged to remind themselves of an easy five second safety tip that could help their survival chances in the event of an emergency

British travellers are being reminded of a quick “five second safety tip” for when they go abroad on planes.

There will be plenty of Brits travelling in the coming months as people look to escape from the colder weather over autumn and winter. Many will choose to travel abroad and use planes. One expert said there is one key tip for travellers to bare in mind as people can be very forgetful in panicked emergency situations on planes and start prioritising the wrong things.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) looked at 41 deaths on an Aeroflot plane which caught fire when making an emergency landing at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport in 2019. Some passengers were reported to have tried to collect valuable items while the plane burned.

According to the Telegraph, Nick Careen, head of safety, security and operations at IATA said in June this year: "We have seen many examples where evacuations have gone very well, actually more of them than not. “But when they don’t go well – and we do see examples like that becoming pretty prevalent – it’s something we need to latch on to.”

He added: “Fines never work, unfortunately. Despite the fact that this is a global standard and a requirement on every flight, the propensity is that it is still a challenge. The only way is to explain that there is a good reason for this, and that it’s for your own benefit. We need to educate the customer on why the regulations are there.”

Should the worst happen while travelling on a plane, experts have warned passengers to take care of themselves. Knowing where the exits are and the importance of clearing the aircraft in an orderly manner could be the difference between death and survival in some scenarios. When travelling, make sure to take heed of the safety demonstration at the beginning of the flight.

"As soon as I board a plane, I always take note of the nearest emergency exit, counting the number of seat rows between my location and that exit," said Golden Rule Travel agent Hans Mast according to Tyla. “In the event of an emergency, visibility could be impaired, and having this mental map can be life-saving.”

Following the Aeroflot crash that occurred following a lightning strike, Russian pilot Denis Evdokimov was sentenced to six years in prison in 2023 after being charged with violating traffic safety rules. A report by Interfax in December 2019 said investigators concluded that "actions by Evdokimov to control the aircraft, committed in violation of the established rules, led to the destruction and fire of the aircraft, resulting in the death of 40 passengers and one crew member".