A six-year-old boy asked his dad if they were ‘going on the slide’, and his dad corrected him – but a flight attendant on the plane wasn’t as kind and it sparked a discussion
Safety briefings happen every single time you step on an aircraft, and they’re designed to assist you should the unlikely event of an emergency occur while you’re travelling on the plane. It covers details about the brace position, oxygen masks that will drop from the overhead panel if cabin pressure falls, and chutes you might need to utilise during an emergency, among other things that would come in handy if something went wrong.
Naturally, if you have any queries, cabin crew will be delighted to share their expertise with you, as they must complete rigorous training before they’re permitted to work aboard the aircraft, for more than obvious reasons.
Nevertheless, one six-year-old lad received more than he expected when he enquired about using the slide on the plane – likely imagining it was an entertaining playground feature, rather than a potentially life-saving apparatus in the proper circumstances.
Hannah Cantile posted a clip of herself on TikTok, though you could overhear the exchange between the youngster and the flight attendant.
The little lad told his father they were “going on the slide,” and he couldn’t hide his enthusiasm.
The father responded: “No slide,” and the flight attendant supported the dad’s response, explaining the boy wouldn’t be using the slide.
The inquisitive child then enquired: “What’s the slide for?” and the flight attendant explained it’s utilised during “emergencies”.
He candidly added: “So if everybody is about to die, that’s when the slide comes out.”
Hannah awkwardly chuckled at how bluntly he explained this, but many applauded him for preventing the youngster from “asking any more unnecessary questions”.
Someone also remarked that children don’t require “sugar coating and tiptoeing” and should be told the truth – even if it’s harsh.
The slide deploys when passengers need to evacuate rapidly, such as during a fire, smoke in the cabin, a water landing, or a crash landing.
In a water landing, the slide may also serve as a life raft for passengers.
It will automatically inflate if a cabin door opens whilst the door remains in the “armed” position.
Doors are “armed” for slide deployment before take-off and landing, ensuring that during an emergency, the slide will inflate instantly when the door opens.
The slide doesn’t deploy during normal boarding or disembarking; in these instances, the doors are “disarmed” so the slide won’t activate.
Cabin crew are responsible for arming and disarming the doors and for triggering slide deployment during emergencies.
It’s a vital safety mechanism designed to help passengers exit the aircraft swiftly and securely, and it’s not routinely used.