This was published 6 years ago
Airline upgrades, opening doors, plane toilets: 10 of the biggest myths about air travel
By Michael Gebicki
Can you really get stuck on an aircraft toilet, is it true that lightning will zap everyone on board, will oxygen masks get you high? Just like the common cold or nuclear power, flying generates its fair share of untruths.
Here are 10 of the most popular myths unravelled.
You could get sucked out of an open door inflight
You could, although opening the door of a pressurised cabin at cruise altitude is impossible. The fuselage of a commercial jet aircraft is pressurised so that passengers have enough oxygen to breathe.
No you can't. Except for exceptional circumstances, the only flyers who qualify for an upgrade are those with a bundle of loyalty points closely followed by those who have paid for a full flexy fare. On the other hand, if an operational upgrade is required, which happens when a particular class is overbooked and there are spare seats in the class above, and if you're a candidate, a well-dressed you will probably be in the premium seat in preference to the gent wearing thongs and a singlet.Credit: Getty Images
This is a scandalous untruth that seeks to besmirch the reputation of highly skilled and dedicated professionals. Actually, they do. Not all but some. Pilots and cabin crew might be away from their base overnight, they stay in the same hotels, they hang out together, some will party and the layover can become a playover. Pretty much like any other profession. And just like the office affair, the other crew members will get to know, and it often ends in tears. However most pilots and cabin crew are so drained by the time they reach their away-from-home hotel room all they want to do is order room service, watch a TV show that their child did not select and sleep.
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