Sitting in first class offers absolutely no survival advantage during a catastrophic plane crash, and in many aviation scenarios, being at the front of the aircraft actually decreases your chances of making it out alive.

A closer look

Sitting in first class offers absolutely no survival advantage during a catastrophic plane crash, and in many aviation scenarios, being at the front of the aircraft actually decreases your chances of making it out alive. Statistics from historical plane crashes indicate that passengers sitting in the cramped, miserable middle seats near the back of the plane have the highest survival rates due to the way impact forces are distributed upon hitting the ground. The wealthy executives sipping champagne in row two are effectively acting as a high-priced crumple zone for the economy passengers sitting comfortably behind the wings. So while the elite flyers get to board first, enjoy heated nuts, and stretch their legs in reclining pods, they are paying a massive premium to be the first ones to greet the mountain in a nose-dive. It is a comforting thought for the budget traveler wedged next to the lavatory that survival of the fittest in aviation heavily favors the cheapest tickets