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Many of us enjoy flying by plane: that exciting feeling on being high in the sky, on your way to some destination. Isn't it the best part of a journey? But very often it gets spoiled but the uncomfortable airplane seat you find yourself in for many hours. Are airlines just trying to pack more and more people, thus making the seats smaller and more uncomfortable each time?

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00:01Have you ever noticed that one of the flight attendants hides their hands behind their back when you enter the plane?
00:07Are they crossing their fingers for a safe takeoff?
00:10Nah. At this moment, they're counting the passengers as they board.
00:14They have a special little counter for this.
00:16There are lots of stories about how bad airplane food is.
00:21In fact, it's not that bad.
00:23It's your sense of taste that's on the fritz because of the dry air.
00:26It dries your mouth out of all its saliva and dulls your sense of smell, which helps to feel 80% of what you taste.
00:35So, airline companies add more spices into the food so you can feel the taste.
00:41Seatbelts are located on the stomach because of the turbulence.
00:45When that happens, the plane sort of jumps up and down.
00:48Your waist belt holds you so that you don't crash into the ceiling of the aircraft.
00:52The shoulder seatbelts in the car protect against horizontal collisions.
00:58By the way, flight attendants also have shoulder seatbelts.
01:03It's because they always sit facing the passengers to keep order.
01:07While all passengers are flying face forward, the cabin crew sits backward.
01:13If the plane goes forward sharply, passengers get pushed into seats,
01:17and the flight attendants are held by shoulder and waist belts.
01:20Even if lightning strikes a plane, the passengers won't feel it.
01:26The entire aircraft is covered with an aluminum layer that conducts electric current without passing it inside the plane.
01:33Good thing.
01:34And all electronics and fuel tanks are equipped with additional protection.
01:39Before any plane is released from the factory, all this protection is tested by simulating lightning.
01:44Many passengers get a headache during the flight, especially right after takeoff.
01:51This happens because you're getting up to an altitude higher than Mount Everest in about 10 minutes.
01:56The air up there is thin.
01:58Your brain gets less oxygen.
02:00By the way, chewing gum or candies can help.
02:03Now, the main reason why the seats on the plane are so uncomfortable is profit.
02:10Airlines want to make more money, so they try to fit as many passengers on the plane as possible.
02:15Because of this, there's so little space between the seats.
02:19Two additional rows in the cabin provide 12 new passengers.
02:23Also, companies make airplane seats lighter to spend less fuel.
02:27Seats become smaller and less comfortable.
02:29You can feel cold inside a plane, but when the plane is flying at high altitudes, the conditions resemble those in the Sahara Desert.
02:38It's all because of very low humidity.
02:42Every hour of flight, your body loses a lot of liquid.
02:45Stay hydrated, but only choose bottled water.
02:49Many companies don't show movies because they can make passengers too sad or emotional.
02:54Even if a movie doesn't have a dramatic story with incredible characters, it can still be heartbreaking for passengers.
03:02The thing is that our body experiences stress, and we take everything close to heart because of the lower oxygen levels.
03:10Also, we're sitting in seats at a high altitude and very far from home.
03:14Our brain realizes we're out of control of the situation.
03:18This feeling of helplessness can throw a person's emotions out of whack.
03:22So, companies only show positive movies and comedies.
03:28Some passengers say they feel like they can't think straight during the flight.
03:32This happens because of a lack of oxygen.
03:34So, your mind isn't in top form.
03:37Well, better not do any important tasks or make any important decisions.
03:41Your corneas are the one part of your body that doesn't have a blood supply.
03:47The only way they get oxygen is from the air.
03:50So, worsened eyesight and dry eyes are common problems on airplanes.
03:55The best solution here is to take with you eye drops along with gum.
03:59That worsened vision is the first reason the crew dims the lights and asks you to open the windows during nighttime takeoffs and landings.
04:09Your eyes need to be adjusted to the dimness in case of an emergency.
04:14The second reason is the plane crew needs to be able to see out the window.
04:18There's a theory that hair grows faster during the flight.
04:24Some people notice that little stubble appears on their faces after the flight,
04:28even if they shaved a few hours before they got on the plane.
04:32Anyway, this theory is not confirmed.
04:35Some say the cabin pressure, lower temperature, or even heightened stress levels can accelerate hair growth.
04:41If you experience stress and get nervous right after you step on the plane, your best solution can be a little training.
04:50Go to the gym or make a set of squats before boarding to prevent stress.
04:55Also, a good workout compensates for the hours you spend sitting still.
05:01Airlines lose and send in the wrong direction several million lost bags a year.
05:06Almost half of the lost luggage is lost because of transfer issues.
05:09They may not deliver your suitcase just because of lack of time.
05:14A plane can fly away before a loader has put your luggage there.
05:18When this happens, they might carry these bags to another flight.
05:22And when your bag goes to the wrong place, it can be taken by other passengers accidentally.
05:27If you want to find your lost luggage quickly, take a photo of it in advance and then show it to the airport workers.
05:34You can also buy a special GPS tracker and put it in your suitcase.
05:38It works for six days, and you can use your phone to locate your luggage wherever it is.
05:46Airport staff take unclaimed luggage to a special center.
05:50If the owner doesn't show up within three months, the things inside the bags will be put up for sale in specialized stores.
05:56There, you can find clothes, jewelry, and electronic devices.
06:01And of course, it all comes with a big discount.
06:04The rumbling noise you hear after boarding is not my stomach.
06:09It is luggage being loaded on the plane.
06:12The compartment is right under the cabin of the aircraft, so it sounds quite loud.
06:19Aircraft tires can withstand pressure four to five times more than a plane actually gives them during landing.
06:25The metal wheel is more likely to brake than the tire.
06:30Pilots also have different meals.
06:33This is necessary to reduce the risk of food poisoning.
06:36The flight can go well even if one of the pilot feels bad because of a stale burrito.
06:42If two pilots ate the same burritos, they could lead to problems.
06:46Oxygen masks drop down when the air pressure changes.
06:51At a certain height, there can be less air in the cabin.
06:54To prevent passengers from feeling this, they should put on oxygen masks.
06:59When pilots descend to a safe altitude, you can breathe without the mask again.
07:04By the way, masks only have oxygen for 15 minutes.
07:07This is enough for the pilots to descend to a safe altitude on which passengers can breathe.
07:12The wings of most passenger planes are located at the bottom of the plane.
07:18It's built this way because of the engine.
07:22It should be installed under low wings because it's closer to the ground and easier to repair.
07:27Another reason is that the wings should take a big part of the blow during the bad landing.
07:32And if the plane falls into the water, then the wings become a life-saving pillow.
07:38Fuel tanks installed in the wings are empty after the flight,
07:41and it helps to stay on the water, too.
07:44The wings of cargo planes are located at the top to make it easy to load the cargo
07:49since the hull is located very close to the ground.
07:53Also, it helps to avoid getting debris into the engines in case when airfields aren't clean.
07:58Plus, this wing location has less aerodynamic resistance during the flight.
08:04Little triangles on the aircraft walls are special labels for flight attendants.
08:08The triangles mark special windows.
08:11You can see flashing indicators through these windows.
08:14It signals the landing gear is retracted and the flaps are closed.
08:18But for ordinary passengers, this is the place with the best view of the wings.
08:25Turbulence is a common thing during a flight.
08:27But usually, it's so insignificant, most passengers don't even feel it.
08:32Strong turbulence is rare.
08:33By the way, turbulence is just hot and cold air affecting a plane.
08:39For better understanding, imagine a big balloon people fly on.
08:44Remember the flamethrower installed under the ball?
08:47It heats up the air and the hot air raises the ball up.
08:51So turbulence is the hot air created by nature,
08:54and it makes the same thing with a plane that it makes with a balloon.
08:57Also, turbulence can occur if the plane gets under the hot air stream left by another plane.
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