Discovering What Lies Behind Airplane Lights and Unseen Cabin Realities
May 14, 2024
Zee Michaelson & Jay Lawrence
Ever find yourself pondering the hidden language of those chiming bells on your flight or why the cabin lights dim just as you're about to take off? Buckle up with me, Z Michelson, as we traverse the skies unraveling the enigma of airline cabins in an episode that promises to transform your next trip into an informed adventure. We'll delve into the ingenuity behind those dings that secretly communicate between flight attendants and decode the safety strategy of subdued lighting. Plus, we're exposing the truth behind cabin cleanliness – spoiler alert, it's not what you'd expect – and sharing travel trivia that'll have you questioning your geography knowledge.
Strap in for a journey that doesn’t just span miles but broadens minds, as we celebrate the cultural tapestry that travel weaves together. Savour the tales of tastes from afar, and prepare to expand your travel goals beyond the horizon. I’m here to fuel your wanderlust and bring those globetrotting dreams within reach. And don’t forget, your insights and reviews on zmichelsontravelcom are the compass that guides our travel community. Embark on this aerial voyage and let curiosity be your captain.
Ever find yourself pondering the hidden language of those chiming bells on your flight or why the cabin lights dim just as you're about to take off? Buckle up with me, Z Michelson, as we traverse the skies unraveling the enigma of airline cabins in an episode that promises to transform your next trip into an informed adventure. We'll delve into the ingenuity behind those dings that secretly communicate between flight attendants and decode the safety strategy of subdued lighting. Plus, we're exposing the truth behind cabin cleanliness – spoiler alert, it's not what you'd expect – and sharing travel trivia that'll have you questioning your geography knowledge.
Strap in for a journey that doesn’t just span miles but broadens minds, as we celebrate the cultural tapestry that travel weaves together. Savour the tales of tastes from afar, and prepare to expand your travel goals beyond the horizon. I’m here to fuel your wanderlust and bring those globetrotting dreams within reach. And don’t forget, your insights and reviews on zmichelsontravelcom are the compass that guides our travel community. Embark on this aerial voyage and let curiosity be your captain.
Speaker 1:
Welcome to the Z Michelson Travel Podcast. This podcast is devoted to the travel industry. Z says let your imagination run wild and start dreaming about where you want to go. And dream big, reach for the stars, and if you only get to the moon, at least you enjoyed the trip. Your guide to travel is Z Michelson, a travel advisor, and sitting at the controls is Jay Lawrence, your concierge of podcast travel. Now here's Z.
Speaker 2:
That's me. That's me. I'm Z. Good morning, I don't hear you. Jay, I got to turn the mic on, and there I am, you're pushing all those buttons and I'm here, Well, you know, we are brought to you by Collage Travel Media Network and it's home to ZMAX Radio Live and Collage Travel Radio. I love that we have so much music and entertainment and education.
Speaker 3:
You did it backwards. See, that was gotten out. I know I have to throw you. Yes. Well, you know, we're always talking about some fun things to do and things to do, places to go, people to see.
Speaker 2:
Now I don't know if you know this. Yeah, I'm a travel advisor and I hate to fly. Oh yeah, I do. I really hate to fly. Why, you know? I think it's a matter of trust. You know, if I don't know the pilot one-on-one, you know, I need, I need to know what's going on, and apparently I'm not alone in that, oh yeah. So today we're going to be talking about seven secrets of the airline cabins that most passengers don't know. You know, like the pings and the dings and the lights, oh that'd be cool.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, because a lot of people get nervous. I'd like to know. Yeah, you know, when I was younger and I used to fly with a private pilot around the state of Nebraska Right, he actually let me take the controls one day, oh boy. But I learned a lot about the aircraft that it's not going to fall out of the sky I know even if you turn it this way turn, you know, let it go I was once told by a pilot.
Speaker 2:
They said planes are happier in the air yes, and I always remind myself of the cartoons I see with the plane. Cartoon is flying and they're happy with smiles on their faces yeah but I did get this information from one of my travel trade magazines. It's called Daily Passport and, if you are like me, there are certain things that may set you on edge when flying because you don't know what's happening.
Speaker 3:
Right, so you never know what's happening.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, you never know what's happening and that always gets me edgy, you know if. I'm on a longer flight, you know, I know if it's an hour flight, I know okay, up down and you know you're finished. But if you're on a six-hour, eight-hour and you hear dings going, on and you see lights going off and you hear all the different bells and whistles. You don't know how about a 17-hour flight to Hong Right Singapore? So how about I get right into the first one on the list?
Speaker 3:
Well, I'd like to know what the first one would be.
Speaker 2:
Well, it's cabin lighting. Oh yeah, yeah. So did you ever wonder why they dim the lights when taking off and landing?
Speaker 3:
Well, I thought.
Speaker 2:
I gave the pilot a better view. Well, that too, there are two very good reasons for it.
Speaker 3:
Okay.
Speaker 2:
The first, of course, is safety. Uh-huh If First of course is safety. If the light stayed on at full brightness and were to suddenly switch from bright to dark in an emergency, it would take precious seconds for passengers' eyes to adjust. Oh, so they're thinking of us Right so they dim the light during the takeoff and during the landing. So our eyes are already adjusted, so it's making it easier to find those exits. Right so that's why they do that. That's number one.
Speaker 3:
And I have the flight attendant.
Speaker 2:
Right.
Speaker 3:
Hang on Pointing to the exits Right.
Speaker 2:
Going with her two fingers to the exits. Now there's a second reason.
Speaker 3:
What's that? For dimming the lights? For dimming the lights, yeah, it's mood. Well, yeah.
Speaker 2:
Right. So they dim the lights because it's more relaxing than the bright lights and might calm the passengers who do struggle with flight anxiety.
Speaker 3:
Like you.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I don't, you know, I don't know, but some airlines take this step further.
Speaker 3:
Oh, how much further?
Speaker 2:
And they add mood lighting. For example, JetBlue. The passengers will notice on the airline's signature calming blue color throughout the cabin during the flight.
Speaker 3:
That's good, I like that.
Speaker 2:
Everything's calm.
Speaker 3:
I like to be blue. No, I don't want to be blue when I'm flying. I want to have a good time.
Speaker 2:
Right, so you want to be relaxed.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, very relaxed.
Speaker 2:
So that's the reasons they dim the lights.
Speaker 3:
So dimming lights is important on takeoff and on landing Mm-hmm, so our eyes can adjust easily. And do you do mood lighting at home?
Speaker 2:
No.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, see, I'm a mood lighter.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, no, I either have my lights on or have them off, one of the two. Now, you know, jay.
Speaker 3:
Yes.
Speaker 2:
Something that always sets me on edge on every flight. It just drives me crazy.
Speaker 3:
Well, what would that be?
Speaker 2:
Are the chimes? Yes, all the pings that you hear.
Speaker 3:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
So it all has a meaning.
Speaker 3:
Well, I would hope so.
Speaker 2:
Two pings, one ping, et cetera, et cetera. So each one of those is like a signal.
Speaker 3:
Well.
Speaker 2:
Okay. So if you listen closely, I'm going to have everybody listening for pings now on planes. If you listen closely, you'll notice subtle differences. These chimes are used to indicate important stages of the flight, such as takeoff, ascent and descent, as well as communications between the flight attendants and the cockpits.
Speaker 3:
You mean so they don't have to talk to each other?
Speaker 2:
Well, sometimes we'll get into it. We'll get into it because each airline may have its own specific protocol, so the chimes may vary. Well, yeah, however, on many of the carriers, a double chime right before entering the runway usually means that the pilots have given takeoff clearance and once airborne for a few minutes, you may notice another double chime, and that chime will indicate they've exceeded 10,000 feet in altitude. Whoopee, right. So now you've got the two chimes saying okay, they got a clearance for the takeoff, and then another double chime. They're at the 10,000 level, which is when it's usually safe for the flight attendants to start moving about the cabin. So that's like a little signal to the flight attendants.
Speaker 3:
You are now free to move about the cabin.
Speaker 2:
Well, they're free to move about the cabin.
Speaker 3:
Oh, they won't, let us Right.
Speaker 2:
And for passengers to use larger electronic devices. So, that's when you can pull out your laptops and things like that that you need to utilize while you're flying when I hear that I know I'm at 10,000 feet. Right.
Speaker 3:
And above the double ping yeah.
Speaker 2:
Now the same double ping occurs on descent as well. So the airplane passes below the 10,000 feet, you'll hear the double ping.
Speaker 3:
And then the flight attendant will probably come on and say put your stuff away.
Speaker 2:
Well, right, yeah. Then they're starting to get ready, they're picking up your last of your soda cans or whatever. Uh, and that's also when the fasten the seat belt sign comes on and off, the indicator light will also be accompanied by a single chime. So once the double ping hits, and then we're about to go into landing or take off, make sure your seat belt is slammed and then your your trays are in the upright position. That, that's a single ping.
Speaker 3:
Okay.
Speaker 2:
Excuse me, I'm getting all choked up Now. This is very rare. Yeah, A rare triple chime. Uh-oh, Ding ding ding Will indicate an emergency.
Speaker 3:
Mm.
Speaker 2:
Okay, so that's all the pings that you hear. So people that are hearing, what's that ping for? What's that ping for? Who's talking to who? Why do we need a ping? These are why the pings are there. So what do you think of the pings, jay?
Speaker 3:
Well, what about? Does it push the call button? What's that?
Speaker 2:
Right, the call button will also give you a ping, but we'll get into that.
Speaker 3:
Okay.
Speaker 2:
Okay, okay now don't think the airlines want you to catch pneumonia. How many times do you get on a plane and you're freezing your butt off?
Speaker 3:
That's yeah. What's the purpose of that?
Speaker 2:
Well, they keep the temperature cold purposely because, believe it or not, it's for your safety. Apparently, there was a study done by the ASTM International and it found out that people were more likely to faint on an aircraft than on the ground due to the condition called hypoxia. That's the pressurized environment of an airplane, that's what it gives you and it can prevent your body from getting enough oxygen Right, and this causes your fainting. So if you're chilly, just ask for a flight attendant to give you a blanket, okay, because it really does help.
Speaker 3:
I'm confused, yeah, because, just because I'm chilly, I'm not going to faint.
Speaker 2:
It helps with the hypoxia.
Speaker 3:
It helps me breathe more. It helps you breathe better. Oh, okay.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, because what's happening with the pressurized cabin? If it's pressurized in such a way, it can cause you to faint, and if the oxygen is still flowing and the air is still flowing, but if it's not cold enough, the chilliness in your body will allow you to breathe better.
Speaker 2:
So, you're breathing better because, I don't know, your teeth are chattering. But I know that sometimes when I'm feeling heated on an airplane, I do feel faint and it's because of the hypoxia. So I always make sure I turn my little fan on. That's over my head and things like that to make sure.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, that's a good thing. Yeah, and we do know that certain times an airplane has lost their Cabin pressure. Cabin pressure.
Speaker 2:
And that's when the little mess comes down and gives you the oxygen, yeah. So I mean, that's it. So I'm going to give you a travel tip because we are flying. Yeah, I'm going to give you two little tips.
Speaker 3:
Well, that'd be good.
Speaker 2:
One is drink more water. Hydration will help you handle air travel, because air travel can be very dehydrating. Water is the most accessible option, and electrolyte-heavy beverages like sports drinks can also help in certain instances, but you should avoid caffeinated beverages.
Speaker 3:
So don't ask for coffee.
Speaker 2:
Don't ask for coffee because it's a diuretic. I ask for coffee all the time. Ask for water. Uh, you should drink a bottle of water for every hour. You're going to be in the air and you know what? I'll be up every hour going to the bathroom you will have increased bathroom breaks and it will offer additional opportunity to stretch your legs well, that's a good point, right, because it does say you should not sit for more than an hour, right, yeah, you should not.
Speaker 3:
Doesn't your phone tell you to get up and move?
Speaker 2:
No, my phone does periodically, it's my watch that annoys me that way. Oh yeah, it's the watch that can be an egg, but not the phone. Now also drink less alcohol.
Speaker 3:
But I'm on first class, I can drink all I want.
Speaker 2:
I know Well, it says less, it didn't say none.
Speaker 3:
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2:
Because alcohol presents a double threat to airplane wellness. Not only does alcohol make it more difficult for the cells to absorb oxygen, which will worsen your altitude symptoms, but it also dehydrates your body faster. So if you're feeling stressed about flying up for a non-caffeinated tea instead of a stiff drink, I know you're not a tea drinker.
Speaker 3:
And there I am, first class sitting up there, all the booze I want, and then I got to drink tea.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, well, you can have it. You can have a cocktail if it's going to be a long trip. Oh, okay.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, now isn't it true? Your daughter is a big drinker when she gets on a plane because she can't stand to. No, that was me, that was you, that was me.
Speaker 2:
I'm a big drinker and you know it still kills me to this day because, like I said, I'm not crazy about flying, but I know flying is the best way to get around. And one time I decided I was going over to Europe and I wanted to have a few drinks to make me mellow and nice and chill out and go to sleep on the plane, because I was flying a red eye and I had about three, yeah, so I was feeling relaxed.
Speaker 3:
Yes.
Speaker 2:
I was starting to fall asleep, the plane was taxiing to go off. I thought, okay, this is great, I'm going to sleep all my way over.
Speaker 2:
Right, I'm going to sleep all my way over. Right, I'm going to sleep all the way over to England. And my husband nudges me and says, hey, you're going to miss takeoff. So I was wide awake for the rest of the trip. My husband was out cold within an hour of him saying that. So yeah, so alcohol didn't really help me much. But yeah, no, my daughter doesn't drink on flights.
Speaker 3:
Well, that was a nice tip, so drink no don't drink. Don't drink Drink water, drink water, don't drink alcohol, all right. Where are we on these tips?
Speaker 2:
Well, I'll do one more of the seven of the airline cabin secrets. Because, we're going to probably have to do more in the other podcasts. I got too much here.
Speaker 3:
Oh wow, uh, then everyone will have time to tune in next week for the next three yeah, don't you love suspense yes, I do, because I want to know where those dings are coming from right.
Speaker 2:
So now that you got into that, and before I get into the travel trivia question, yeah I think I'll give you the travel trivia question now are Are you ready for this? I know you are. In which country is the world's highest waterfall? He's thinking. I know you're thinking and this surprised me, so I was very surprised when I heard about it World's highest, highest waterfall.
Speaker 3:
That's kind of a hint.
Speaker 2:
It's kind of a hint, I'm thinking Switzerland, you would think okay, but no, you'd be wrong.
Speaker 3:
Alaska, alaska.
Speaker 2:
Well, actually, I was thinking Africa when I looked up this, and it's not, it's Venezuela, it's Venezuela. Venezuela has the highest waterfall.
Speaker 3:
Wow.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, amazing, isn't it One of the places that we have?
Speaker 3:
to go see. Did it say the height of that waterfall?
Speaker 2:
No, it didn't give me the height of the waterfall, it just said it's the highest. It's the highest, it's the world's highest waterfall. I was thinking Angels Falls in Africa, but it wasn't. And it could be. It wasn't as high or it wasn't as wide or something. It could be off one millimeter and they'd still say yeah, wow, so that's your travel trivia question for today the highest waterfall. The world's highest waterfall is in Venezuela, all right.
Speaker 3:
So I've got to go to Venezuela just to see a waterfall.
Speaker 2:
The highest waterfall, the highest waterfall. We've got lots of waterfalls all over the world.
Speaker 3:
That's what I'm thinking, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:
We've got lots of them. And look at Hawaii. You would think Hawaii with all their waterfalls. But, they're not high Hawaii.
Speaker 3:
You would think Hawaii with all their waterfalls, but they're not high.
Speaker 2:
Oh, some of them are very high Really. Oh yeah, hawaii has quite a few. Some of them are pretty high. Now, before anything else, I had seven of the secrets. I'm going to go into number four now, and I bet you wouldn't think I would say this, because it surprised me too too, when I was researching it. But the air is cleaner than you really think when On a plane.
Speaker 3:
Oh really, really, how so.
Speaker 2:
Really, really Well. A common myth about air travel is that being confined in an airplane means you're more likely to share the germs and air particles with other passengers on board.
Speaker 3:
Right everybody.
Speaker 2:
And that's kind of a true thing, particularly if you have someone sneezing and hacking up a lung right next to you. But they are now utilizing in the modern airliner cabins, they're using what they call an advanced HEPA. Now you know, we've all heard of HEPA filters. So the airlines is actually using an advanced one, and HEPA stands for high efficiency particulate air filtration system. Okay, so it is a filtration system for maintaining clean air quality on board the aircraft.
Speaker 3:
Boy, that is good to hear.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, it's nice to know. According to the International Air Transport Association, this is the same type of filter used to clean the air in hospital operating rooms. Well, yeah, yeah, so that's interesting in itself.
Speaker 3:
So I can get on an airplane and be operated on Right.
Speaker 2:
But they'll dim the lights, so that's no good.
Speaker 2:
But, as the cabin, air is refreshed through the system 20 to 30 times per hour, wow, which is more than double the average office building, because office buildings use something similar. Oh, fresh air is brought in from the outside, which flows through the filter and helps to remove viruses and bacteria from the air, making the air you breathe on the airplane cleaner than what you thought it was. Wow, yeah, but of course, like I said, if someone's sitting there hacking up a lung next to you, take precautions.
Speaker 3:
Right, so I don't have to wear a mask.
Speaker 2:
Well, a lot of people don't wear masks anymore on planes. If you're susceptible to things like if you have a low immunity system, I still definitely would say wear a mask.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, yeah, but knowing that the air is being refiltered or it's hepa, hepa, hepa, hepa, hepa, hepa, hepa. All right, that is exciting to know. High efficiency.
Speaker 2:
Particulate air it's a filtration system that they use in the operating rooms and, like I said, in modern cabins. Now I've been on some planes that still have ashtrays in the seats. You know what I mean. You know so it's like, okay, you get on the plane. It's like okay, the plane is still running and there is an ashtray in the arm of the seat.
Speaker 2:
It's like my gosh. When did they get rid of those? What is an ashtray? Right, what's an ashtray? Some people don't even know what an ashtray is, but yeah, so it's okay, it's okay to breathe on a plane.
Speaker 3:
You don't have to hold your breath the whole time, right Right.
Speaker 2:
So those are four of the seven. So if they join me next week, they'll hear the other three.
Speaker 3:
So you've got more insight into the cabin of an aircraft.
Speaker 2:
Right Next week they're going to have to come back so they can hear the rest of it.
Speaker 3:
Okay, thank you, paul Harvey the rest of the story. Yes, always give credit to Paul Harvey.
Speaker 2:
Well, so much traveling to do and so little time to do it. So tune in every week for more travel info and insights and just plain fun. You can follow me and like me on Facebook. I do have some favorite locations I would like to go to, but I want to hear your favorite locations and interesting tips that you might know. Let me know that's at ZMichelson at gmailcom, and Z, of course, is spelled Z-E-E. I'm very excited to let everybody know my podcast can be heard on your favorite podcast players. Feel free to give me a review. I'd love to hear what you have to say. Thanks for listening today.
Speaker 2:
Traveling truly opens up the world to you. You learn all about the different cultures, lifestyles and, of course, what Jay and I love the most food. Then you realize we really, truly are the same. So dream, dream big, reach for those stars and if you only get to the moon, at least you made the trip. If you're looking for more great places to travel, to visit my website, zmichelsontravelcom, and remember Z is spelt Z-E-E. This is Z Michelson. Making your travel dreams come true. Music, music.
