Southwest incident today

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm trying to understand how she got sucked out the window. I find it hard to believe her entire upper body went through.

Didn't Mythbusters do an episode on an explosive decompression and find that nothing would get sucked out?

Idk, I was wondering myself. Those windows are pretty small.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

And of course, what would something like this be without a little controversy?

Commentary on social media is that in photos shared, passengers were wearing their oxygen masks incorrectly, i.e. just over their mouths instead of over their noses and mouths; hadn't they listened to the safety drill, they say, etc.

https://www.rt.com/usa/424469-southwest-oxygen-masks-incorrect/

In fairness, those cup shaped masks, for people not used to using oxygen masks, aren't shaped too well to go over both; instinctively it probably seems like they're meant to just go over mouths.

Big deal? Probably not. But I was reading something the other night (in relation to the peanut thread ) which I hadn't seen before as to how, exactly, our bodies are affected by pressures and altitudes in a plane, which helps explain WHY it makes sense to have an oxygen mask go over both mouth and nose, since the nose is generally primarily how someone is breathing.

(Feel free to skip over this part if you're not into physiological details!)

"Alterations in passenger cabin during flight: implications of physiological changes during air travel

There are two major concerns about allergic and respiratory diseases when traveling by air. The first is related to the concentration of oxygen in the cabin. While in flight, the cabin pressure is equivalent to an altitude of 6000 to 8000 ft, exposing passengers to a partial pressure of arterial oxygen of 60 mm Hg compared to 75 to 100 mm Hg at sea level. Thus, the partial pressure of oxygen in the cabin air at cruising altitude is 25–30% lower than at sea level. A slight fall in oxygen blood saturation occurs, ranging from 92 to 95%, followed by compensatory hyperventilation and tachycardia [9]. These physical alterations may affect passengers who have cardiac, respiratory or hematologic (anemia) diseases, theoretically increasing the risk of exacerbations of allergic and hypersensitivity reactions such as anaphylaxis."

So in effect, it could actually help people stay calm in an emergency to wear their mask correctly.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Not surprisingly, confirmation the passenger had significant head injuries.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...light-tells-tried-save-mother-sucked-out.html

 

[JaxDad]

Bravo Zulu Captain Shults!

It reminded me of some other landings with heavily damaged aircraft...




I had the pleasure of meeting the first female Air Force fighter pilot back in the early 90s. She was in the room next door to me at the Q at Homestead AFB, and we were getting coffee at the same time very early one morning. I talked to her about the mission she was flying that day in an F-15E--take off, aerial refuel, mock air battle, drop bombs at the old range at Vieques (a good 1,000 miles away), then return to base. She was pretty bad***!

 

[RedAngie]

I'm curious how many got onto other flights right after. That would've been a bit traumatic. Bless those that keep us safe in the air. The job isn't easy. Good job to all of those involved!

None of the passengers got onto other flights "right after." They were being interviewed by authorities and counselled by therapists if necessary.

Southwest sent a replacement plane to continue to Dallas and it took off about 7 pm, about 8 hours after the emergency landing. Most passengers decided to take it. It's not known how many passengers made other arrangements on their own.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

Sad for the woman and her family. I consider most airline incidents to be in the freak accident category. There would have to be a real string of incidents to get me to stop flying or not consider a specific airline.

Wouldn't bother me one bit. I fly about 5-6 times per year, and in fact will be flying Southwest in mid-May. This doesn't concern me really...the only thing I'm apprehensive about is the general ordeal of flying Southwest. Can't stand using them, they're utterly awful, IMO. However, for this flight, they have the cheapest rates and the right schedule I need, so I'm stuck with them. Ugh...

What is it you don’t like about Southwest?

 

[LAB81018]

I'm trying to understand how she got sucked out the window. I find it hard to believe her entire upper body went through.

Didn't Mythbusters do an episode on an explosive decompression and find that nothing would get sucked out?

ETA: here it is:

The experiment was with a tiny hole (I remember it was to test action movie theories of a bullet hole causing explosive decompression).

We don’t yet know what size hole the uncontained engine failure caused in the fusilage. (I have yet to see a picture of the full left side of the aircraft.)

 

[Klayfish]

What is it you don’t like about Southwest?

They are very rarely on time, at least on the flights I have taken with them. I don't know exactly how many round trip flights I've done with them, I'd guess 10-15. I've had delays that included 14 hours and 3.5 hours. Many other times it's 30-60 minutes. Actual on time departures are probably around 50% for me. I completely despise the "hurry up and wait" seating part. You can't pick your seat ahead of time, so you have to mad rush log on 24 hours before your flight so you can get an early boarding number and get a decent seat. Makes no sense to me. The flight attendants try to be funny...sometimes I will admit they are amusing, but too often they're just annoying. Especially because I often take super early morning flights, and really I just want to go back to sleep or even relax, not go to a comedy club. Not all that impressed with their fleet. Seats aren't as comfy as others I fly (though not as bad as Spirit).

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The experiment was with a tiny hole (I remember it was to test action movie theories of a bullet hole causing explosive decompression).

We don’t yet know what size hole the uncontained engine failure caused in the fusilage. (I have yet to see a picture of the full left side of the aircraft.)

Here are some.

 

[NotUrsula]

Never thought I'd say this, but one of the best articles I've seen so far is in the Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...light-tells-tried-save-mother-sucked-out.html

I'm no physicist, but I believe that the possibility of things being sucked out through broken windows has a lot to do with how many holes are in the fuselage, and what altitude the plane is maintaining when it happens. When the cabin is pressurized at high altitude, one through-and-through hole is going to create a brief burst of negative pressure pushing out through the hole. Somehow, Ms. Riordan apparently had her body turned at just the right attitude when it happened that her shoulders must have slipped through at an angle, because, as several people have pointed out, that model of 737 has the smaller window design. Aircraft windows are three layers thick; it's rather hard to smash one so cleanly. https://www.sciencealert.com/watch-...on-for-why-aeroplane-windows-are-always-round

The direct impact on the window truly was a freak accident; a bizarre confluence of circumstances that has happened very few times in aviation history, even though this type of engine failure has happened on several occasions. (Jet aircraft are designed to be able to fly on one engine, so losing the engine itself didn't cripple the aircraft; it was the depressurization and passenger injuries that necessitated the emergency landing.)

For those who are truly curious, here is the NTSB report on the last time in the US that a passenger was killed by debris due to uncontained engine failure, it happened during runway acceleration on a Delta MD-80 at Pensacola Regional in July of 1996: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR9801.pdf

 

[Kitty 34]

Idk, I was wondering myself. Those windows are pretty small.

and really really thick!

 

[NotUrsula]

They are very rarely on time, at least on the flights I have taken with them. I don't know exactly how many round trip flights I've done with them, I'd guess 10-15. I've had delays that included 14 hours and 3.5 hours. Many other times it's 30-60 minutes. Actual on time departures are probably around 50% for me. I completely despise the "hurry up and wait" seating part. You can't pick your seat ahead of time, so you have to mad rush log on 24 hours before your flight so you can get an early boarding number and get a decent seat. Makes no sense to me. The flight attendants try to be funny...sometimes I will admit they are amusing, but too often they're just annoying. Especially because I often take super early morning flights, and really I just want to go back to sleep or even relax, not go to a comedy club. Not all that impressed with their fleet. Seats aren't as comfy as others I fly (though not as bad as Spirit).

Southwest is actually just above the middle of the pack for domestic on-time performance, they rank 7th out of 18 airlines reporting in on-time performance.
(Here is the report for 2017: https://www.transportation.gov/site...umer-protection/300341/2017-december-atcr.pdf)

It may be that it is the routes you are flying that are adversely affecting the on-time situation for you, Normally, early morning flights are the least likely to suffer delays, so the situation you describe is unusual (for any airline, not just SWA.)

IME, and statistics bear out the impression, SWA's turn time for boarding is actually one of the shortest in the industry. Legacy carriers usually have a much more drawn-out boarding process.

 

[lisaviolet]

They are very rarely on time, at least on the flights I have taken with them.
.

It is definitely your specific route, as you suggested it could be.

I have flown Southwest for years on end, guessing 30 plus flights, and have had two delays. Both delays were well-handled, organized and never went into a second delay. All airlines have delays, but a well-handled one is a different beast than the chaos that can happen for some.

I have phoned their head office on numerous occasions to thank the company for their great customer service in general and service reps, their lenient policies on changes/cancellations, and their refusal to charge for checked luggage. And I have thanked them for their prices, which have allowed many of us to fly when so many other airlines - especially with their numerous extra fees - can be out of reach.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Southwest Airlines was named the best airline in America by TripAdvisor users in the travel website’s 2018 Travelers’ Choice Awards.

https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/prnewswire/press_releases/Massachusetts/2018/04/09/NE59833

 

[Kellykins1218]

Sounds like everyone from crew to people on board were heroes. I didnt know to read this in the Dis that the Pilot was a women , very cool. I dont think I ever had a women Pilot

We flew Frontier to Orlando last September and had an all female flight crew. Girl power!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

They are very rarely on time, at least on the flights I have taken with them. I don't know exactly how many round trip flights I've done with them, I'd guess 10-15. I've had delays that included 14 hours and 3.5 hours. Many other times it's 30-60 minutes. Actual on time departures are probably around 50% for me. I completely despise the "hurry up and wait" seating part. You can't pick your seat ahead of time, so you have to mad rush log on 24 hours before your flight so you can get an early boarding number and get a decent seat. Makes no sense to me. The flight attendants try to be funny...sometimes I will admit they are amusing, but too often they're just annoying. Especially because I often take super early morning flights, and really I just want to go back to sleep or even relax, not go to a comedy club. Not all that impressed with their fleet. Seats aren't as comfy as others I fly (though not as bad as Spirit).

Generally speaking they are usually ontime for me. What I do think is the norm for the flights I have had with them is they pad their flight time. I don't call a 10min late pushoff an issue and usually I'm getting to my destination 15-20mins ahead of the posted time even with a small delay. If I'm on the plane and it's hasn't pushed off in time I find it could be an issue with waiting for passengers to connect or passengers, etc.

But I've not gotten out of Dallas airport without a delay and BWI has been a toss up between a delay or not a delay. When we flew in 2015 to Austin we had to go through Dallas at that time. Lord did that suck with their delays. Now fortunately if we go back to Austin at somepoint as of March 2017 they fly nonstop to Austin and they also now fly nonstop to San Antonio. As for my home airport. We're in the middle of the country. If there's a delay and it's not the early morning flights (where the plane would be originating in my airport) it's due to a delay elsewhere such as weather, sometimes waiting for connecting passengers, etc though yes mechanical issues have happened. When my husband was on a field assignment in Maryland he flew out of BWI on the last flight out. The flight route went from Dallas, to Charlotte, to Baltimore, then back home. A delay anywhere there would cause a delay in Baltimore. Usually it was weather related in TX or in NC. One time however it was a crew issue where the crew needed the mandatory down time and thus the flight was delayed for that reason. When I went up to visit him one time there was a weather issue that was so bad they took a plane that was coming from Orlando to BWI and shifted that plane to be ours to get home rather than having it be stationed at BWI for the night.

But if your issue is you can't pick a seat ahead of time I don't really know why someone would want to fly with them then. No offense meant it's just that's their business model. Now I understand the 24 hour thing especially for the pre-7am flights but it works hand in hand with their open seat policy. They need some sort of way to have order of getting on the plane.

Now after flying Delta in 2016 to Hawaii I will fully admit charging ports at the least would be much appreciative and for long enough flights the screens on the back of the headrests were quite nice. For this reason I'm hesistant to fly SWA to Hawaii once they start that route since I believe the new planes they will be using to fly there won't have those two features.

 

[BrianL]

Now after flying Delta in 2016 to Hawaii I will fully admit charging ports at the least would be much appreciative and for long enough flights the screens on the back of the headrests were quite nice. For this reason I'm hesistant to fly SWA to Hawaii once they start that route since I believe the new planes they will be using to fly there won't have those two features.

Southwest has a system where you can use your own device for free in-flight entertainment options, which makes sense since most everyone travelling these days has one on them. Of course, relying on that means they could definitely use the charging ports!

 

[GreatLakes]

Was her seat belt fastened? That is what I'm trying to picture, still being fastened in and also being half way out a window. Considering you are told to keep your seat belt fastened whenever you are seated I'm assuming unless she was just about to get up or just returned to her seat she would be buckled in.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Southwest has a system where you can use your own device for free in-flight entertainment options, which makes sense since most everyone travelling these days has one on them. Of course, relying on that means they could definitely use the charging ports!

True true. My husband has used that from time to time. But you're totally right as that's always been my concern is battery level. I do pack portable chargers now but even those have their own limitations. I'm usually listening to Spotify (or Samsung music) and normally that doesn't drain the battery too fast (like Pandora does for me) but eventually it will get low and portable charges are brought out. It was lovely for sure just to be able to plug into the seat and not worry about the battery level with Delta that's for sure.

 

[Klayfish]

But if your issue is you can't pick a seat ahead of time I don't really know why someone would want to fly with them then. No offense meant it's just that's their business model. Now I understand the 24 hour thing especially for the pre-7am flights but it works hand in hand with their open seat policy. They need some sort of way to have order of getting on the plane.

No offense taken. I totally agree that's their business model, and I accept it. I just don't like it, at all. And yes, absolutely, it could just be the route that causes delays, or it could be just total random bad luck. Regardless, it just leaves a bad taste in your mouth. The route I've had the worst issues with is ATL to PHL and back, including the 14 hour delay. That was due to mechanical issues and it took them that long to get another plane for us. Some people were literally in tears, it was awful. I did get a free roundtrip flight out of it, so I'll give them that credit.

The reason I fly them for the ATL/PHL route is their flight schedule works out precisely with what I want. It's a weekend trip, and I can get to my destination early on Friday, which I need to do. And they have a super early Monday am flight back, so I can get to work at a decent hour. It just fits. That, and since I have no choice but to pack two bags, it saves me money. I just wish JetBlue or Frontier or Spirit (though their seats stink) would do that route at the times I need.