Why you shouldn’t wear leggings on a plane (2024)

Next time you’re heading on holiday – and hopefully it’s sooner rather than later – you should think twice about wearing leggings for your flight.

An aviation expert has warned that they are the most dangerous item of clothing passengers could wear if there was an emergency on-board.

Christine Negroni, who released a book on the world’s most mysterious air disasters, revealed that leggings could prove fatal – or at the very least leave terrible scars – if the plane you are travelling on crashes or has a fire in the cabin.

“You might have to escape through a cabin fire or there could be a separate fire on the ground once you leave the aircraft,” she explained to Sun Online Travel.

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“Everyone is wearing yoga pants on planes now, but I avoid all artificial fibres because they are more likely to burn and stick to you if there is a fire.

“I’d advise wearing cotton clothes or anything made of natural fibres.”

That isn’t the only thing she says to avoid doing on a flight during a crash – as she urges travellers to stop taking their shoes off during a flight.

She added: “One of the best things people can do is put their shoes on for takeoff and landing. This is still not required by many airlines and I think it ought to be.

“If you escape an aircraft, the floor could be very hot or cold, it might be covered in oil or on fire, or in a (field) – you won’t want to be barefoot.

“Mainly err on the side of caution. Pick sneakers over high heels, pick natural fibres over synthetic, and take tight-fitting clothes over loose-fitting.”

Thongs are a no-no for this reason, with the choice being sturdy trainers, while cotton jeans offer more protection than other pants.

A former study found that most fatal plane crashes took place during takeoff and landing, meaning passengers should be the most prepared at those times.

A Boeing pilot also advises passengers to remove sharp objects from their pockets in case of a crash.

“Remove everything sharp from your pockets, loosen your belt and remove your tie or scarf and remove high heeled shoes,” he said.

“Take glasses off for landing so they don’t fly off and are available to help you see your way out if you need them.

“Know where your closest exit is and a backup for the type of landing [as] some exits can’t be used in water landings.”

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission