The Safest Seats in an Airplane

Claim 1: The Safest Airplane Seats are in the Back

• In 2007, "Popular Mechanics" analyzed data from 36 years of airline crashes in the United States and concluded that the safest seats were in the back of the airplane. Those who sat in the back, especially those seats behind the trailing edge of the wing, were 40 percent more likely to live through a crash than passengers seated in the front. The magazine found that the least safe seats were in the front, in first class and business class. The seats adjacent to the wing and in the coach section directly in front of the wing had safety records in between those of the front and rear of the plane.

Claim 2: The Safest Airplane Seats are Aisle Seats Near an Exit

• The University of Greenwich conducted a study based on the accounts of 2,000 survivors of airplane crashes around the world. The 2008 study concluded that passengers with seats within five rows of exits had the best chance to escape a crash when there was a fire. Contradicting the "Popular Mechanics" analysis, the Greenwich study found that the chances of surviving a crash, at least when there was a fire, were better for passengers seated in the front than in the rear. A seat on an aisle carried an additional, albeit small, advantage to survival.

Claim 3: It Does Not Matter Where You Sit

• Todd Curtis, aviation safety expert and author of "Understanding Aviation Safety Data," says that the survival rate of airplane crashes depends on the circumstances surrounding the crash, not on where someone sits. Most crashes have fatality rates that are either very high, at more than 90 percent, or very low, at less than 10 percent, he says. The difference between the two is the condition of the plane after the crash -- with high fatalities often linked to an aircraft that is generally destroyed. In either case, seat position usually won't make a difference. Curtis also says that the data from airplane crashes is often skimpy, with no seating charts available, making it difficult to draw valid conclusions about safety.

Claim 4: Safety Depends on Passenger Behavior

• Curtis says that passenger behavior, not seat location, makes the most difference in survival rates. He advises passengers to be aware of where the exits are, to read the safety information the airline provides in the seat pockets, to listen to the safety talk a crew member gives at the beginning of the flight and to avoid drinking too much alcohol. Other ways to increase safety are to fly on larger planes and on nonstop flights.