Why are seats near emergency exit on a plane freezing cold?
I was recently flying from Abu Dhabi to JFK in an A380 with Etihad. Probably one of the most modern aircraft. I got the front most seat with a lot of free leg space next to emergency exit (seat 40K). It was comfortable for first hour or so but then it got really cold around my feet. No exaggeration, it was below freezing point for sure. I could feel cold air coming from the door. I was using at least 3 blankets to block it but no amount of insulation would help. Later I searched and found out other people have faced this challenge too. It is a known problem. Anyways, this post is about understanding where does that cold air come from? I am sure it was not coming from outside as in a pressurised cabin air would leak out instead of leaking in. Also the cabin temperature was alright when you move away from near the emergency exit. It was definitely not the same air that was circulating the rest of cabin.
Also why this is an unattended area in otherwise extremely sophisticated aircraft ?
Best Answer
Most all aircraft doors suffer the same issue. The doors which are sealed against pressure leakage are not well insulated especially in the space between the door and frame. So the extremely cold temperatures outside can transfer inside making the inside air by the door's edges quite cold.
Pictures about "Why are seats near emergency exit on a plane freezing cold?"
Are exit row seats cold?
Re: Exit row really cold? It's no colder at an exit seat that at any other seat. Not only is the exit door extremely well insulated and sealed, but the entire cabin has a system that circulates air so the temperature will be roughly the same wherever you sit.Why do they keep planes so cold?
To stop passengers fainting And hypoxia can often lead to fainting. Another trigger for hypoxia is warmer cabin temperatures, so airlines choose to keep the cabins cool to lower the risk of anyone passing out.Should I sit in the emergency exit row?
The Federal Aviation Administration has numerous regulations that govern who can, and can't, sit in an emergency exit row. You have to be at least 15 years old. You must have sufficient mobility, strength and dexterity in both arms, hands and legs to assist in an evacuation.What happens if you pull the emergency exit on a plane?
An open door would create a catastrophic \u201cexplosive decompression\u201d. Explosive decompression, while rare, has occurred. One such instance happened in 1988 when a section of the airplane's roof burst open.How To Survive Airplane Crash - Ditching, Fire, Jungle and Arctic
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Jonathan Moore, monicore, Pixabay, Slyzyy