Latest news with #flying
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE A Place In The Sun star Scarlette Douglas reveals she was meant to be on fatal plane crash that killed 228 people including her close friend
As a presenter of TV show A Place in The Sun for seven years, air travel was part of the job for Scarlette Douglas. But the star, 38, told the Daily Mail's Richard Eden that she 'hates flying' for a heartbreaking reason. Scarlette revealed she was meant to be on a doomed Air France flight which tragically crashed and killed more than 200 people - including her close friend. 'I lost a really good friend of mine in the Air France crash from Brazil to France,' she said at the Taste of London Food Festival opening party in Regent's Park. 'The scary thing was I was supposed to be on that flight. She had booked it.' Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed into the Atlantic on June 1, 2009, killing 228 people. Scarlette couldn't take the flight because of a job she had in Hollywood. The fatal crash occurred when three pilots panicked and failed to deal with faulty equipment during a storm. A 2023 ruling acquitted Air France and Airbus of 'involuntary manslaughter' following the crash. During the investigation, it emerged that two of the pilots fell asleep, one after the other, when they were supposed to be in charge of the plane. Flight recordings from the cockpit of the flight revealed the pilots' last conversation before the aeroplane crashed. One pilot said: 'We've lost our speeds. I don't know what's happening.' The automatic pilot disconnected, leaving the three pilots on board in charge. Among the victims were Graham Gardner, a 52-year-old oil worker from Gourock, Renfrewshire, and Arthur Coakley, 61, an engineer from Whitby in North Yorkshire. Eleven-year-old Alexander Bjoroy, a boarder at Clifton College in Bristol, also died in the crash, along with PR executive Neil Warrior, who was 48. Eithne Walls, 29, had been working at the Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin and was on a trip to Brazil with friends. One couple on the flight, a young doctor and lawyer, had married only the day before. After a wedding reception in a Rio nightclub, they had boarded the plane to begin their honeymoon. In 2010, a BBC2 documentary, Lost: The Mystery Of Flight 447, brought together leading aviation experts to conduct a forensic investigation into the crash.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The world's safest airlines - and the ones to avoid: After Air India fireball, experts' list that could save your life, from best planes to 50 safest companies... and ones BANNED by the UK
Are you sitting safely when you board a plane for your summer holiday? The answer, after analysing aviation data, is 'yes'. Flying remains one of the safest ways to travel, based on records of both airline standards and aircraft track records. Your browser does not support iframes.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Pilot reveals why taking off makes him more nervous than landing
A experienced pilot has revealed why one particular part of flying makes those in the cockpit most nervous. Answering questions on his YouTube channel, commercial pilot Steve Schreiber – a former US Navy officer and regular plane crash analyst – was questioned about whether he was ever on edge when flying. @coleuploads asked: 'Are you more nervous taking off or landing typically?' In his typically jokey fashion that has helped him garner more than 640,000 subscribers to his @CaptainSteeeve channel, Schreiber said: 'Cole, it's Captain Steve, I'm not nervous.' However, he went on to say that if he had to pick one of the two situations that are more nerve-racking, it would be taking off. At that stage, the aircraft 'is as heavy as it's going to be', he explained. 'Your power is all the way up and you're as slow as you're going to be. 'Once you lift off the ground, you're going to accelerate. You're going to begin to burn fuel. You're going to get lighter. You can pull your power back. The pilot also advised passengers to always put their phones into airplane mode while flying Schreiber added that although he has known a nervous pilot, it's 'certainly not good old Captain Steve'. 'You're not going to catch me on that one.' The pilot was also questioned on whether passengers really need to use Airplane mode while flying. Airplane mode is setting on electronic devices that disables the sending and receiving of wireless signals. His advice is simple: 'You ought to put your device into airplane mode.' He referred to tests that were done by the Federal Aviation Administration when mobile phones usage began to rise, which he said found 'in some situations, that the devices in the back of the airplane that are transmitting the little micro transmissions could cause some interruptions to navigation equipment'. 'Put them in airplane mode, you can live without your device for the 10 or 15 minutes it's going to take me to get back on the ground.'
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Travel + Leisure
7 days ago
- Travel + Leisure
I'm a Die-hard Window Seat Flier—Here Are 15 Products to Make Long Flights Better, From $6
If you haven't seen it, in an interview, Nicki Minaj is asked by Stephen Colbert if she is a window or aisle seat person. 'Dur, window," she unabashedly replied. "Who would pick an aisle?" He explains the aisle's magic power is having easy access to the bathroom, and not having to crawl over anyone to get to it. 'I don't fly in those types of planes,' she says with a wink. Iconic . Sadly, I do fly in those types of planes, but I'm still with Minaj on being a die-hard window seat flier. Why? Because rest and being unbothered are important to me, and everyone knows you're most able to get cocooned in the window seat against the wall of the plane, where you can comfortably lean. Not only that, but you also get the view—dreamy clouds like stretched cotton, sunrises at 30,000 feet, and even the quiet awe of seeing the curve of the Earth if you're lucky. Yes, the aisle seat has its perks, but I'll take peace, perspective, and a free headrest over bladder freedom any day (though I do make the occasional exception if a flight is over 10 hours). And as someone who has traveled nearly 95,000 miles in the air already, I'll tell you that having the right items can make your window experience even better. Here, the 15 travel essentials I always pack and are sure to make you Team Window Seat for life. The Dot¨ Twist Travel Pillow is a must in general, but this one is perfect for window people for several reasons. One, it can be twisted and maneuvered to fit into those (sometimes weird or disproportionately wide) gaps between your seat and the wall; leaning never felt so good. You can also use it for back support if you want to use another pillow (i.e., the one they sometimes give you on the flight) to rest your head. It comes with a breathable, washable cover so you can chuck it into the wash post-travel day, and it has a snap close so you can easily attach it to your bag. A cozy wrap is going to save you on a plane every time, especially when near (god forbid) a cold window. This one from Athleta is ultra-soft, has plenty of fabric to wrap yourself in like a burrito, and doubles as a blanket, scarf, or even a neck pillow in a pinch. Bonus: it folds flat and fits easily in a tote. You won't catch me anywhere on a flight without my Sony noise-canceling headphones. Even on the rare occasions I have to wear the airline earbuds for the entertainment, I place these over them and filter out the ambient noise, snores, and baby cries. When you're tucked into a window seat, you want to stay in your own little world—and these help you do just that. $40 $30 at Amazon $40 at A water bottle like Hydro Flask's 24-ounce wide-mouth flex straw version is a must on a plane, but for window seats, it's a must. Not only will you avoid having to wave down the flight attendant for H2O, but you'll also be able to nap without fear of missing your hydration supply. You need to strategically pick a bottle that's on the skinnier side (don't go for wide ones) because fitting it in the seat back pocket is crucial. Having a chic little toiletry bag within arm's reach is key for the window seat, so you don't have to dig under your seat mid-flight. Use the big one for beauty items to keep in your bag, and use the small one for essentials to keep in your seatback pocket. Think: Face spray, lip balm, mints, a sleeping pill (should you need), eye masks, and more. I also like to keep a granola bar in there for the dire days. When you're by the window, you're more likely to get hit with early sunbeams—and no, the shade doesn't always help. This contoured Slip silk eye mask blocks out all light without squishing your eyes (so you can blink freely) and stays put through naps and turbulence. It's pure luxury and makes your snooze infinitely more comfortable. $40 at Amazon $10 at Sitting still for hours at the window can do a number on your circulation. These budget-friendly compression socks help prevent swelling and discomfort without looking overly 'medical.' Plus, they're cushioned for extra comfort and come in tons of cute patterns. The last thing you want is to get settled into the window seat, buried under a blanket, and realize the power outlet near your seat doesn't work, and not only that, but your phone's about to die. This top-rated Vrurc portable charger is compact, lightweight, and can juice up your phone and your tablet at the same time. Window seat isolation, powered. Once you've set up your window cocoon, this foot hammock takes things to first-class levels of comfort. It hangs from your tray table and gives your legs a place to rest—no awkward slouching or trying to shift position 10 times an hour. The optional foot rest helps us shorties, as well—no using your bag to rest your feet on (and squishing your shit in the process). The first thing I do when I hit my seat? Take off my shoes—but respectfully . These compact, non-skid slippers are perfect for staying cozy and clean while still being able to move around if you absolutely must get up. Plus, they're super inexpensive and fit neatly in your bag. This Anrabess hoodie is basically a wearable blanket; it's ideal for snuggling into the window wall and forgetting the world exists. The oversized fit is roomy enough for layering, and the hood doubles as a mini blackout shade. I can even fit a pillow in there (should I want—and usually I want). Window seats can mean long stretches of sitting since you don't have direct access to the aisle, and airplane seats aren't known for ergonomic genius. If you're not trying to disturb the whole row, this inflatable seat cushion helps distribute pressure evenly and reduce that dead-leg feeling, especially on long-haul flights. Deflate it post-flight and tuck it away for next time. There's something romantic about reading next to a window mid-flight, and an Amazon Kindle e-reader makes it easy. It's lightweight, fits in a small pouch, and can hold thousands of books, so you never run out of something to read — even on those 14-hour marathon flights. It's also perfect for when there's just nothing on the in-flight entertainment you want to watch, or even worse, when in-flight entertainment exists only on your phone… the horror. If you're a light sleeper (or just want to disappear into your own quiet world), these Loop earplugs are discreet, comfortable, and incredibly effective for reducing noise without full noise cancellation. They're perfect for when the headphones come off, but you still want silence. Let's be real: the window wall, tray table, and armrests? Germ magnets. These plant-based sanitizing wipes are alcohol-based, unscented, and TSA-approved. I use them the second I sit down, so I can lean against the wall and touch the window with zero worries. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Daily Mail
What happens to the body during a fatal plane crash
Fears about flying have reached a fever pitch following the tragedy involving an Air India plane on June 12. That fatal incident is just one of a string of recent aviation accidents to rattle the globe. Your browser does not support iframes.
