- T.J. Newman was a flight attendant for 10 years before publishing books
- Her latest novel, titled Worst Case Scenario, looks at a catastrophic plane crash
- The writer’s top safety tip in a real emergency is to ‘leave everything behind’
What would you do in the eventuality of an airplane disaster?
Well, in a bid to prepare passengers for the worst, flight attendant turned author T.J. Newman has shared a number of safety tips with DailyMail.com from her flying days.
Her latest novel, Worst Case Scenario, looks at exactly that, with an airplane crashing into a nuclear power plant.
But the Phoenix-based writer highlights that this is the most extreme run of events that could take place in the skies and instead mild turbulence is the most likely disturbance travelers will encounter.
Firstly, the aviator says the first safety measure everyone can adopt is to buckle up.
T.J. Newman was a flight attendant for 10 years before turning her hand to writing aviation themed novels
Her latest novel, Worst Case Scenario, looks at a catastrophic plane crash
She explains: ‘If you’re in your seat, your seatbelt should be buckled up at all times.
‘Just look at any of the incredible videos of severe turbulence that have been in the news recently.
‘In situations like that, most of the injuries would have been avoided if the passengers had been wearing their seatbelts.’
While they might seem like they are nagging, T.J. says it is always ‘imperative to comply with crew member instructions’ and they are onboard ‘for one reason: safety.’
Along with securing your seatbelt, the writer says other instructions crew might serve up before takeoff include stowing your bag properly, having your seat back in an upright position, and securing your tray table.
While all planes might seem the same, T.J. highlights that the configurations can vary wildly, with exit doors in different places and rows following different layouts.
For this reason, she says it is important to ‘review the safety information card’ on each aircraft, each time you fly.
The globetrotter reveals: ‘I flew as a flight attendant for a decade and as a passenger now, even I still review the card before every takeoff.’
While they might seem like they are nagging, T.J. says it is always ‘imperative to ‘comply with crew member instructions’ and they are onboard ‘for one reason: safety’
T.J. Newman’s latest book, Worst Case Scenario: A Novel, published by Little, Brown and Company is out now
Continuing in the same direction, T.J. adds: ‘Familiarize yourself with that plane’s exits and emergency equipment, then, in the unlikely event of an evacuation, you won’t hesitate.
‘You’ll already know which direction to go.
‘The difference in those seconds might just save your life.’
Lastly, if there is a real emergency, T.J.’s top piece of advice is to ‘leave everything.’
The New York Times bestseller, who worked as a flight attendant for 10 years, concludes: ‘If you do have to evacuate an aircraft, time is everything.
‘Do not stop to get a bag. Nothing is more important that your life and the lives of your fellow passengers. Leave everything and get off the plane.’
T.J. Newman’s latest book, Worst Case Scenario: A Novel, published by Little, Brown and Company is out now
