Ever wonder why flight attendants sit on their hands during takeoff and landing? Here's the real reason

If you've ever flown on a commercial airline, you might have noticed a curious detail about the flight attendants during takeoff or landing. While passengers are often preoccupied with securing their seat belts and listening to final announcements, the cabin crew can usually be seen sitting upright in their jump seats with their backs straight, feet flat on the floor—and in many cases, their hands tucked neatly beneath their thighs. To the untrained eye, this posture might seem like a quirky habit or a way to keep warm in the often-chilly aircraft cabin.

However, aviation experts confirm that this action is neither casual nor optional. It is a critical safety maneuver embedded in airline emergency procedures across the globe. This article explores the rationale behind this seemingly simple but life-saving posture, how it differs from the brace position taught to passengers, and what changes in industry protocol have emerged in recent years.


Why flight attendants keep hands under thighs during flights

The act of sitting on one’s hands during takeoff and landing is not about comfort; it is a calculated safety measure aimed at injury prevention during emergency landings or crash scenarios. Known informally among crew as a modified "brace position," this method helps flight attendants reduce the risk of harm if the aircraft experiences a sudden impact.

According to aviation safety guidelines, the goal is to restrict body movement during a high-impact event. When the hands are placed under the thighs with palms facing upward, it helps keep the arms pinned and reduces the likelihood of limbs flailing uncontrollably. This precaution lowers the chance of sustaining injuries such as dislocated shoulders, broken wrists, or head trauma caused by one's own limbs striking the face or other parts of the body during turbulent conditions.

By creating a more compact and stabilized posture, flight attendants also help brace the upper body and spine, making the overall seated position more rigid and structurally protected against external forces.


Why flight attendants brace differently from passengers

Many passengers are familiar with the emergency instruction to bend forward and place their heads against the seat in front of them, often with hands over their heads or ankles. This posture is referred to as the "standard brace position" for passengers and is designed to protect the neck, head, and upper body while minimizing flailing in a forward-facing seat.

However, flight attendants are taught a different method for very specific operational reasons. Seated in jump seats—usually in rear-facing or side-facing positions near exits—cabin crew must maintain situational awareness and be physically ready to assist with emergency procedures. An upright position with hands secured under the thighs allows attendants to maintain a state of readiness. They can spring into action immediately after the aircraft comes to a stop, helping to initiate evacuation procedures, open emergency exits, and direct passengers to safety.

Unlike passengers, who are primarily instructed to protect themselves, cabin crew are required to balance personal safety with their professional duty to aid and coordinate evacuations under intense pressure and potentially hazardous conditions.


Role of muscle memory and standardisation in crew training

Flight attendant training programs around the world emphasize the importance of uniformity and reflexive behavior during emergencies. By standardizing the "hands under thighs" position, airlines ensure that all crew members develop muscle memory that can be relied on in high-stress situations. This predictability helps reduce panic, improve coordination, and increase the likelihood of successful evacuation within the industry-standard 90-second timeframe.

This posture is also often accompanied by verbal callouts and situational awareness scans to keep the crew mentally alert while in the brace position. The simplicity of the posture—no equipment, no harnessing—is part of its strength: it allows crew members to quickly transition from passive to active mode as soon as needed.


Are some airlines shifting to hands-on-laps

While the hands-under-thighs posture remains widely practiced and endorsed, some airlines have introduced a modified version: placing the hands gently on the lap instead. This shift, though subtle, reflects evolving insights into ergonomics and rapid-response movement.

Flight attendants who support the hands-on-laps method argue that it reduces muscle tension, allows for quicker movement post-impact, and avoids unnecessary pressure on nerves or joints that may be aggravated in the traditional posture. However, this variant is not universally adopted and depends on the airline’s specific safety protocols, aircraft configurations, and training programs.

It is also worth noting that the hands-under-thighs method remains psychologically comforting to many flight attendants, especially on long-haul or night flights when the cabin temperature drops significantly. The warmth factor, while not the intended purpose, is a small bonus that makes adherence to protocol easier.


Regulatory guidelines and aviation authority recommendations

The International Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO ), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) all provide standardized training requirements for crew member safety procedures. These include guidance on brace positions, emergency response drills, and the biomechanics of impact resistance.

While specific postures may differ slightly depending on aircraft type and crew seat orientation, the overarching principle remains the same: reduce limb movement, stabilize the torso, and ensure post-impact readiness.
Airlines are required to include these procedures in their official training manuals and must pass rigorous safety audits to ensure compliance. Additionally, in recurrent training sessions, flight attendants must demonstrate proper brace positions as part of simulated emergency scenarios.


Flight attendants: Trained first responders, not just service personnel

The hands-under-thighs position is a reminder that flight attendants are far more than service providers offering refreshments. They are, in fact, highly trained safety professionals, qualified in first aid, fire response, evacuation protocols, and conflict de-escalation techniques. Their primary role on board any aircraft is to ensure the safety and well-being of all passengers, especially during critical phases of flight like takeoff and landing—when most accidents are statistically likely to occur.

Their training ensures that even in the face of an unanticipated crisis, every action taken is deliberate, rehearsed, and rooted in maximizing survival outcomes for all aboard.