Which is the safest seat on an aircraft?

Although there is no conclusive research or accord, there is some information that points out your best option

With a rise in the number of plane crashes, the number of nervous fliers has grown too. As concerns over air safety rise, many question whether where you sit better your chances of surviving a plane crash?

Although there is no conclusive research or accord on the matter, however, there is some information that points out your best option.



After examining data from every commercial plane crash since the 1970s, Popular Mechanics concluded in 2007 that it’s safer to sit near the rear end of the aircraft. Further, according to their prediction those who sat in the rear cabin have a 69 per cent rate of survival while those sat in the front cabin only have a 49 per cent rate of survival.

A research conducted by Time reached a similar conclusion. After examining data from the Federal Aviation Administration’s CSRTG Aircraft Accident Database in 2015, Time concluded that middle seats in the rear end of the aircraft  are most likely to save your life.

Another study conducted by the University of Greenwich in 2011 showed, that those seated nearest to the emergency exits are also most likely to survive in the event of a plane crash.



Further, according to Keith Holloway, spokesperson for National Transportation Safety Board US, "Each accident is different, and there is no way to predict outcome and/or the circumstances of the accident before it occurs that would provide a definitive answer." Holloway also recommended listening to pre-flight instructions to improve chances of survival.

However, according to statistics flying is safer than driving, biking, boating, and yes, even walking, so while it’s wise to be careful, you probably don’t have to worry about surviving a plane crash.

This article originally appeared on The Telegraph.