Most aeroplane windows are double or sometimes triple glazed and comprised of several layers of glass and plastic.
If the outer pane broke or detached then you might get a little whistle of air come out through the inner windows pressure equalisation hole. The sudded depressurisation might take the inner pane out with it. In that case, read on!
If the inner pane broke then absolutely nothing would happen.
If both detatched then the plane would depressurise rapidly but it wouldn’t be like the movies with people being sucked out through a tiny hole in the skin. It would get very windy all of a sudden, the masks would drop and the pilot would put the plane into a fairly steep dive before leveling out at a breathable altitude. At which point the plane would make a rapid detour to the nearest viable airport.
If you were right next to the window, you might lose your phone and subpar airline meal as they get sucked out through the hole in the wall. You’ll also likely experience some discomfort as your eardrums rupture if you’re unlucky. But at least now you can look forward to a complimentary replacement flight and possibly a free packet of peanuts!
Most aeroplane windows are double or sometimes triple glazed and comprised of several layers of glass and plastic.
If the outer pane broke or detached then you might get a little whistle of air come out through the inner windows pressure equalisation hole. The sudded depressurisation might take the inner pane out with it. In that case, read on!
If the inner pane broke then absolutely nothing would happen.
If both detatched then the plane would depressurise rapidly but it wouldn’t be like the movies with people being sucked out through a tiny hole in the skin. It would get very windy all of a sudden, the masks would drop and the pilot would put the plane into a fairly steep dive before leveling out at a breathable altitude. At which point the plane would make a rapid detour to the nearest viable airport.
If you were right next to the window, you might lose your phone and subpar airline meal as they get sucked out through the hole in the wall. You’ll also likely experience some discomfort as your eardrums rupture if you’re unlucky. But at least now you can look forward to a complimentary replacement flight and possibly a free packet of peanuts!