A pilot has explained what passengers should do in the event of an emergency on a plane – and it turns out there’s one thing in particular you should pay attention to

Traveling by air can be a daunting experience, even though flying is safer than ever with accident rates at an all-time low, as reported by Boeing.

However, that doesn’t stop many of us feeling a bit nervous stepping on board an aircraft. To ease the nerves of anxious flyers, one airline pilot has explained some of the emergency processes we might not be familiar with.

In a video on social media, he underscored the importance of following the safety briefings provided by flight attendants. “Most people are familiar with the announcement, ‘In the event of an emergency and the oxygen masks come down, reach above and pull down the oxygen mask and put your mask on before helping others,'” he begins.

The pilot goes on to clarify that the act of pulling down the mask is crucial. It’s not just about accessing the oxygen tank; the pulling motion actually triggers a chemical reaction that generates oxygen. He dispelled the myth that there’s a simple oxygen tank above each seat.

“The reality is oxygen bottles inside aircrafts, 99% of them are actually a solid chemical ration,” he explains. Delving deeper into the science, he adds: “I’m not a biochemical engineer or some chemist, but essentially it’s a sodium chlorate type of mixture where when you pull down on the oxygen mask, you release a firing pin that creates a small explosion that ignites the candle that burns, and the byproduct is oxygen.

“So above your seat is a much more complex mechanism of you pull down, you fire this off and then it starts burning to give you oxygen. It’s not just some bottle of oxygen sitting above you.”

He emphasized the importance of activating the oxygen masks by pulling the item down to start the chemical reaction before placing it on your face. He added: “And since it’s just a burn, it doesn’t last very long, which you don’t necessarily need it for extended periods of time, because essentially if the aircraft were to decompress at a high altitude, there wouldn’t be enough oxygen concentration for you to remain conscious for very long. So that’s why it’s important for you to put your oxygen mask on in the event it comes down.”

The expert reassured passengers that the oxygen mask is needed only briefly until pilots can bring the plane down to 10,000 feet, where the air has sufficient oxygen to breathe unaided.

However, he also cautioned about the risks of wearing the mask too long. “The byproduct of this [method] would be the heat,” he said. “So there are probably a lot of smoke, and so yeah, it’s a lot more complex than just pulling down, putting on oxygen, and breathing.”

Some commenters voiced their worries about the force needed to pull. “Can you pull on it too hard? I’d be afraid of yanking the tube off in a moment of panic,” one person questioned.

A fellow commenter clarified: “The hose is folded and the activation pin is at the fold. When you pull hard enough the hose is now 3x longer than it was. You’re not pulling on the end of the hose, just the middle.”

Another chimed in with a realization: “Wait lol why does this feel like the most important part but we’re never told this.”