For those who would rather read, chat with seat mates or play games on their phone during pre-flight safety briefings, consider what happened aboard Southwest flight 1380 in April 2018. A major engine failure sent shrapnel into the fuselage and blew out a window, killing a passenger and causing the cabin to depressurize. A photo posted to social media showed many of the remaining passengers improperly wearing their yellow oxygen masks, despite being briefed on proper use a short time earlier.Flying on a commercial airline is statistically a safe way to travel, with an accident rate of one fatal accident per 2,520,000 flights worldwide in 2018, according to the Aviation Safety Network. ASN estimated worldwide air traffic of about 37,800,000 flights last year, which translates to a lot of pre-flight safety briefings.Regular fliers can become complacent about listening to the safety briefings provided by flight crews. They have heard the same information so many times they feel as though they could give the briefing themselves. The reality is that the safety briefing is as relevant on a passengerís 100th flight as it is on the first.Accidents and emergency landings do happen, so it is in every passengerís best interest to know what to do. Aircraft have different configurations, and the middle of an emergency is not the time to be figuring out where the exits are on that particular plane. And a sudden loss of cabin pressure should not be the motivation to learn how to wear an oxygen mask.Those who choose seats in exit rows for the extra leg room need to realize that they also bear additional responsibility for assisting the flight crew and other passengers during an emergency. In May 2019, a woman seated in an exit row was booted off an Air New Zealand flight for refusing to pay attention to the safety briefing. According to multiple witness accounts, she refused to listen to the safety briefing and ignored repeated requests from the flight crew and fellow passengers to pay attention. As a result of her refusal to comply with flight crew orders, the plane returned to the gate and the woman was escorted off the plane to meet with law enforcement authorities.Pay attention to each pre-flight safety briefing. It only takes a few minutes to reduce personal risk and improve the outcome if something should happen.
