Have you ever noticed flight attendants sitting on their hands during take-off and landing and wondered why?

It's a curious sight that may leave passengers wondering about the reason behind this seemingly peculiar behaviour.

While it may appear unusual, there's actually a practical explanation behind this practice.

Henny Lim, a seasoned flight attendant, recently shared a video explaining this intriguing practice.

According to Henny, this posture is known as the 'bracing position'.

‘This position involves fastening the seat belt securely, sitting upright, sitting on hands, palms upright, [tucking] thumbs, and [loosening] arms… with feet on the floor,’ she explained.

‘The aim is to keep the body in a rigid pose so that if there was any impact from an unplanned emergency, the body is less damaged.’

She also added that this pose ‘keeps body movement restricted so that there is less chance of injury if there was an impact’.

Henny Lim shared the real reason why flight attendants sit on their hands during take-off and landing. Credits: Tiktok / @_hennylim_

But that's not all!

Henny mentioned that during this period, cabin crew will also undergo a silent review, which readies them for potential emergencies during take-off and landing.

‘This includes being aware of emergency equipment in the location, door operation, commands given and any visual clues outside the aircraft,’ she added.

Henny's video was met with appreciation from viewers.

'Good info, always preparing for a crash is scary, though,' commented one viewer.

Another added, 'Thanks for the info.’

This revelation follows another recent disclosure by an Australian flight attendant, Kayla, who highlighted the 'hidden dangers' on planes that many travellers are unaware of.

She said that one of these dangers is exposure to UV radiation from the sun—a major cause of skin cancer—especially during long-haul flights.

According to the Cancer Council, Australia experiences some of the highest levels of UV radiation globally, which can cause sunburn in as little as 11 minutes on a sunny summer day.

Kayla's reminder was also met with gratitude from many viewers.

'Thanks for letting us know, I will be putting sunscreen on my flight to Japan,' one viewer said.

Another shared, 'This never even occurred to me! Will be slip, slop, slapping from now on'.

‘My husband is a pilot and I finally convinced him to start wearing sunscreen,’ one pilot’s wife commented.

Another replied, ‘My partner is a pilot but he won’t listen to me about it! Drives me insane and then he complains he’s starting to get wrinkles.’

Keeping Henny’s and Kayla’s revelations in mind could help you stay safe during your flights.

Aside from these, there are many other insider secrets that you might want to know, like this one about how some flight attendants get back at rude passengers.

As passengers, it's important to pay attention to safety briefings, follow the instructions of the cabin crew, and take necessary precautions, such as using sunscreen, to ensure a safe and comfortable journey.

Key Takeaways

• Flight attendants shared how they adopt a 'bracing position' during take-off and landing by sitting on their hands, which involves a secure seatbelt, an upright posture, hands under thighs with palms up, thumbs tucked in, and loose arms with feet on the floor.
• The bracing position is designed to restrict body movement, reducing the chance of injury in the event of an impact during an unplanned emergency.
• The video by cabin crew member Henny Lim, explaining the safety measure, was praised for its informative content.
• Another Australian flight attendant named Kayla highlighted the importance of sun protection on flights due to exposure to UV radiation, which can lead to skin cancer.

Have you ever noticed these safety measures during your flights? Share your experiences in the comments below.

 

[Rob44]

And they face towards the back of the aircraft which means that in the unlikley event of an emergency involving the aircraft coming to a sudden stop, all that stuff stuffed by passengers into the overhead lockers may well fall out and continue along the length of the aircraft at a 100mph. Ever been hit in the face by a whisky bottle travelling at 100mph. I haven't but an experienced airline pilot once pointed out to me that it could hurt. Likewise one of those small hard edges 9kg suitcases.

 

[Veggiepatch]

UV radiation in an aircraft? Unless you are sitting next to a window, and depending on the grade of glass, all UV-B is blocked by ordinary glass, while UV-A is transmitted up to about 60% in some glass types. Both UV types cause skin damage to different degrees and by different mechanisms.

I would like to see some verifiable evidence that this occurs, not some unsubstantiated blog or TikTok video.

 

[CliffE]

@sdc, your "click bait", no offense, states: Why do crew members do THIS mid-flight?
I home in on "MID-FLIGHT" your article only 'talks' about take-off and landing, if I suddenly saw attendants doing that mid-flight I would seriously regret not bringing a change of undies in carry on luggage