A flight expert has revealed the one item of clothing you should never wear on a plane in the case of an accident as “it will melt on your skin”.
As millions of passengers board planes every single day, many opt for a pair of leggings as part of their travel outfit. They’re often picked for their comfort as they’re stretchy, tight and versatile for travelling. However, according to aviation safety specialist Christine Negroni, wearing leggings on a flight could “melt on your skin” if you’re involved in a rare accident. She told HuffPost: “The issue with leggings is the nature of the material.
“You have a tight garment that is usually made from synthetic fibres, made from petroleum products, which is not something you want to wear on an airplane because the largest risk in a survivable air accident is fire.”
Negroni believes wearing leggings made of synthetic fibres is not safe in the event of a fire. “It is going to get very hot, it will either melt on your skin or cause serious burns, and that becomes something that will impact your ability to escape the aircraft,” Negroni said.
“In other words, if you’re not damaged beyond an ability to exit, to get out of the airplane, then you might be affected by the fire.” She recommends wearing clothing items made of other natural fibres or cotton as they are much less risk of a burn hazard.
However, wearing clothes that are flexible is preferred in the case of an emergency landing as this will allow you to climb over seats to help escape the aircraft.
“The biggest misconception people have is that if you’re in an airplane accident, you’re going to die, and it is statistically and demonstrably not true,” she said.
“Unless air travellers understand their own role in survivability, they’re essentially gambling their ability to survive by remaining ignorant about the factors that they can control.”
This advice was also backed up by Dr Hugh Pabarue, a vein specialist, who believes tight clothing such as leggings could reduce blood flow into and out of the legs. This could cause swelling, achiness and varicose veins. In addition, the cabin air pressure can also add to the swelling.
He said: “The clothing we wear when we fly can significantly impact our circulation. For example, tight clothing is not recommended. Wearing leggings and other restrictive garments such as skinny jeans that are too tight reduces blood’s ability to flow into and out of the legs.
“Sitting for extended periods of time, especially on planes, can lead to blood pooling in the legs, increasing the risk for deep vein thrombosis ― a serious medical condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein of the leg.
“Wearing clothes that are too tight can potentially lead to conditions like compartment syndrome or meralgia paresthetica, causing numbness, tingling, and severe leg pain.”
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