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From the Back Seats
And the safest seat on an aircraft is…
In studies by TIME of 17 plane crashes between 1985 and 2000, the safest place in the plane cabin is the back seats, followed by the mid-section and then the front compartment. These statistics might not be so compelling because of the limited number of planes and the length of time studied on.
Nevertheless, the back seats is the closest answer to the above.
However, not everyone believes that there is such a thing as the safest location on a plane. It all depends on the circumstances.
Other Locations
There are some who believes that sitting near the wings is the safest as there are over-wing exits and it is the strongest part of a plane’s structure. But, remember, you’re also sitting next to fuel tanks which may not be a good idea if there’s a fire.
There are others who think sitting close to an exit and near the back of the plane is better. There is usually more legroom at the exit and if in the unlikely event of an emergency, you’ll be one of the first out of the plane.
But remember, seats near the rear of the airplane tend to be a little noisier and the effects of turbulence are more pronounced. The other disadvantage is that, these passengers are the last to get off the plane. If you are in a hurry, you may miss your connecting flight!
If a fire were to break out in the back, the middle or front cabin passengers would definitely have a higher chance of surviving.
Another view is that the safest seat during an emergency evacuation is probably one near the aisle and emergency exits. Speed of evacuation is one of the reasons why FAA requires all airplanes to be capable of getting every passenger out within 90 seconds of a crash landing.
In real life, an emergency evacuation can be a very chaotic event with people trying to collect their precious baggage, further hampering the flow. Being nearest to the exits ensure the best guarantee of a safe evacuation.
Practically, there is no solid evidence to point to any specific area of the airplane that is better or safer than the other.
Conclusion
Safety experts have however concluded that sitting at the middle of the back seats provides a higher survival rate in the event of a crash.
Flying is far safer than other forms of transport. But if you’re feeling nervous, go ahead and reserve one of those back seats.
On the other hand, if you still treasure your first-class comfort in the front compartment, that is okay.
Statistically a person has to fly 16 million times before the possibility of meeting a fatal crash, You have better chance winning the lottery than be involved in an air accident!