Is 11A the safest seat on a plane?

Ahmedabad Air Crash: In the wake of a tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, a lone survivor has reignited a popular question – is there such a thing as the “safest seat” on an airplane? 

Viswashkumar Ramesh, the only passenger to walk away from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner disaster, was seated in 11A, a seat located next to an emergency exit.

While his survival has led to intense public speculation, aviation safety experts are quick to clarify that survivability in air crashes is governed by far more than seat numbers.

Every crash is different, and while proximity to exits may boost one’s chances, multiple variables like aircraft design, impact location, fire dynamics, and passenger behavior all factor into survival outcomes.

On Thursday, a London-bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing everyone on board, except one. Viswashkumar Ramesh, who occupied seat 11A, managed to exit the wreckage through an emergency door. His account, now widely circulated, included mention of the adjacent emergency exit and his ability to escape just seconds before the aircraft was engulfed in flames. But does this make 11A the safest seat on a plane? Experts say no.

“There is no universally safest seat on an airplane,” explained Mitchell Fox, a director at the Flight Safety Foundation, a US based aviation nonprofit, as per Reuters report.

“Each accident is different, and it is impossible to predict survivability based on seat location alone. ”Indeed, the aircraft involved a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, has multiple configurations depending on the airline’s layout. The location of emergency exits, aisle spacing, and even seat pitch (the distance between rows) can vary. What was 11A near an exit in this instance could be a window seat far from an exit in another configuration. Ron Bartsch, chairman of AvLaw Aviation Consulting based in Sydney, agrees. “In this particular instance, because the passenger was sitting adjacent to the emergency exit, this was obviously the safest seat on the day,” Bartsch noted. “But it’s not always 11A, it’s just 11A on this configuration of the Boeing 787.”

The belief that certain parts of the aircraft are inherently safer has been around for decades. As per Reuters report, a 2007 Popular Mechanics study analyzing crashes between 1971 and 2007 found that passengers seated toward the back of the aircraft had a statistically higher survival rate. Some aviation analysts also argue that seats near the wing where structural integrity is highest, might offer additional safety in certain crash types. However, these studies are based on retrospective data and cannot account for the unique dynamics of each crash. As Bartsch emphasizes, even the most comprehensive studies cannot predict survivability with certainty. For example, in Ramesh’s case, the opposite exit door was blocked by the wall of a building the plane crashed into, rendering one side of the aircraft useless for evacuation.

It is true that sitting next to an emergency exit may increase the chance of rapid escape, especially if fire or smoke spreads quickly. However, this assumes the exit door remains functional and that the passenger is capable of operating it under stress. Some doors may be jammed due to structural deformation or blocked by external debris. Moreover, the seats near emergency exits often come with responsibilities. Airlines typically restrict those seats to able-bodied adults who agree to assist in evacuation. In some cases, passengers might hesitate or struggle to open the doors under pressure, further delaying escape.

Another commonly debated factor is aisle versus window seating. While aisle seats may allow quicker access to escape routes, they also expose passengers to a greater risk of head injury from falling overhead luggage during turbulence or impact. Window seats, while often perceived as “trapped” spots, can offer some protection from falling objects or passenger movement during panic. However, reaching the aisle and subsequently the exit from a window seat during an emergency may cost precious seconds.

One of the most compelling examples of effective evacuation comes from the January 2024 collision at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. An Airbus A350 operated by Japan Airlines collided with a Coast Guard aircraft, leading to the deaths of five of the six crew members aboard the smaller plane. Remarkably, all 379 passengers and crew aboard the A350 survived, thanks in part to strict adherence to evacuation protocols and swift action by the crew. This incident illustrates that passenger behavior and crew leadership are often more critical than seat choice in determining survival.

Experts overwhelmingly agree that paying attention to pre-flight safety briefings is one of the best ways passengers can improve their odds of survival. These briefings, often dismissed by frequent fliers, cover crucial information:

A frequently recommended tip is to count the number of rows between your seat and the nearest exit. This small mental note can be life-saving in a smoke-filled cabin with low visibility.

Despite high-profile crashes, modern commercial aircraft are safer than ever. Fox notes that cabin safety features have advanced significantly in recent decades. These include:

Such improvements aim not just to prevent accidents but to maximize survivability when accidents do occur.