Although they’re called the friendly skies, jet-setting off into the clouds can sometimes result in a bumpy ride. But when trouble is afoot, assuming this position comes in handy for flight attendants, the New York Post reports.

“Ever wonder why [the] cabin crew sits [on their hands] during take-off and landing?,” asked Henny Lim, an airline host for Cebu Pacific in the Philippines, in a TikTok demo-post. “It is called ‘bracing position’.

“This position involves fastening [your] seatbelt securely, [sitting] upright, [sitting] on [your] hands – palms up, thumbs [tucked] and arms loose – and [placing your] feet flat on the floor,” she explained.

“The aim is to keep the body in a rigid pose so that if there was any impact from an unplanned emergency, the body is damaged less.”

@_hennylim_ Why do cabin crew sit on their hands while in their jumpseats? Check this video out to know! Special guest for today’s video: Clare demecillo Follow my Official Facebook Page: “Henny Joyce Lim” Follow me on Instagram: _hennylim_ #fyp #HJL #cabincrewlife #bracingposition #cebupacific #groundstop ♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim

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Lim and a co-worker demonstrated the specialised posturing, strapping themselves into their seats, tucking their hands beneath their undercarriages and tightening up their forms.

“This keeps body movement restricted so that there is less chance of injury if there was an impact,” she informed, adding that the cabin crew isn’t just sitting on their hands amid the mid-air chaos.

“During this time, [we] will also be going through [a] silent review, which prepares [us] for an emergency situation [during] every take-off and landing,” said Lim.

“This includes being aware of emergency equipment in the location, door operations, commands given and any visual clues outside [of] the aircraft.”

And while online onlookers were stunned by the shocking reveal, some pitied the frequent flyers for the “scary” stress of having to constantly prepare for a crash – which has rendered several sky-high staffers in need of serious medical attention.

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An unnamed Southwest Airlines attendant suffered a broken back during a rough touchdown on the runway at Orange County, California’s John Wayne Airport in July 2022. And at the top of 2024, a whopping five American Airlines cabin crew members, as well as one passenger, were rushed to the hospital with minor injuries after a “hard landing” at Kahului Airport in Maui, Hawaii, in January.

The airline released a statement following the incident: “The safety of our customers and team members is our top priority.”

This article originally appeared on the New York Post. It was reproduced here with permission.

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