When the Air India plane crashed last week, one man miraculously walked away from the wreckage — all because of where he sat. But does sitting in 11A actually improve your chances of surviving a crash? According to aviation experts, the answer is more complicated than you might think.
Why it mattered
Back in March 2025, John Hansman, an aeronautics and astronautics professor at MIT, told Time + Leisure that passengers in the rear of the plane tend to fare better in most crashes.
“The front of the airplane acts as a shock absorber,” Hansman explained.
That’s because aircraft typically crash nose-first, so those seated in the front are more likely to take the brunt of the impact. By contrast, “the very back row of the aircraft is the safest,” he said.
On a Boeing 737 — one of the most common passenger jets — that would place you somewhere between rows 45 to 50. But since aircraft configurations vary, there’s no one-size-fits-all seat map for safety.
That said, the Air India crash wasn’t your average scenario.
Steve Wright, a former aircraft systems and software engineer, told Time the crash was “atypical” because the plane didn’t go nose-down. Instead, it “sunk” with the “nose up,” meaning the rear may not have been the safest place to be.
In this case, British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh survived because of where he was sitting: near an emergency exit, close to the wings.
“Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,” Vishwaskumar, who still had his boarding pass, said, adding that he had “impact injuries,” including bruises on his feet, eyes, and chest.
“When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.”
Seat 11A
Vishwashkumar Ramesh sat in the seat 11A. So, did the location of his seat help spare his life?
Aviation attorney Jim Braucle explained why that location mattered:
“Structurally on the airplane, the strongest part is obviously where the wings come in,” he said. “And he was close to an exit.”
So, what’s the takeaway? Experts generally agree that sitting in the back, near the wings, and close to an emergency exit gives you the best odds. But it’s never guaranteed.
Federal aviation expert Jeff Guzzetti put it plainly in an interview with The New York Times:
“If you’re in a crash, all bets are off. So pick whatever seat you want to make you feel comfortable. You just can’t predict crash dynamics.”
In short: your seat might help, but it’s not a magic shield.
The good news? A 2024 study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that the odds of dying in a commercial air crash are about 1 in 13 million. That makes flying the safest form of transportation on the planet.
So next time you’re picking a seat on a plane — relax. Whether it’s 11A, 47F, or 22C, your chances of getting to your destination safely are overwhelmingly in your favor.
READ MORE
- Flight expert shares disturbing Air India crash theory
- Air India pilot’s terrifying last words have been made public
