Having to use the emergency oxygen supply on an aeroplane is the stuff of nightmares, and something that most passengers pray would never happen in real life.
But, if it does, what should plane passengers actually do, and how long will the emergency supply last before you really have to start panicking?
As cabin crew always explain in their safety demonstration at the beginning of a flight, should you require the oxygen masks, they’ll drop down from the overhead compartments above you.
You should then pull the mask towards you to start the oxygen stream, and fit the mask over your face, adjusting the elastic straps so that it stays on your face without needing to be held.
And, as Captain Patrick Smith, an airline pilot and author of Cockpit Confidential explained to The Telegraph, the oxygen will supply you for several minutes.
‘If cabin pressure falls below a certain threshold, the masks will deploy from the ceiling, exposing everybody to the so-called “rubber jungle”,’ he said.
‘Should you be confronted by this spectacle, strap your mask on and try to relax. The plane will be at a safe altitude shortly, and there are several minutes of backup oxygen for everybody.’
Here’s to hoping you never have to use a plane oxygen mask – but that if you do, this has put your mind at rest a little.
