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Is seat 11A the safest on a plane? Not really, experts say

It is not so straightforward because aircraft seat configurations vary and survival often hinges on a complex interplay of factors

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A tail of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane that crashed is stuck on a building after the incident in Ahmedabad, India on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

The survival of a passenger who escaped through an exit door seconds after his Air India flight crashed, killing everyone else on board has prompted speculation over whether his seat, 11A, is the safest.

Aviation experts say it is not so straightforward because aircraft vary widely in seat configurations, crashes are unique and survival often hinges on a complex interplay of factors.

“Each accident is different, and it is impossible to predict survivability based on seat location,” said Mitchell Fox, a director at Flight Safety Foundation, a US-based non-profit.

Ramesh Viswashkumar said his 11A seat was near an emergency exit on the London-bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday and he managed to walk out.

Sitting next to an exit door might help you survive an accident but it will not always be 11A because aircraft can have dozens of different configurations.

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