Don't Make This Common Plane Seat Mistake — A Pilot Explains Why Back Pockets Are Best Avoided

• Captain Steve Schreiber, from the U.S., cautioned against resorting to 'black holes of despair.'
• EXPLORE FURTHER: As an aviator, this is why aircraft windows have circular shapes

An experienced pilot has shared the straightforward explanation for why travelers should steer clear of utilizing the rear seat pockets on airplanes.

Steve Schreiber, 63, from New Orleans The individual from the U.S. possesses 26 years of flight experience, with eleven of those years served as a captain. Throughout his career, he has accumulated 5,860 hours piloting 60 distinct types of aircraft.

Known as Captain Steve online, the ex-US Navy officer frequently offers safety advice related to aviation to his audience. Youtube The channel, @captainsteeeve, has accumulated more than 440K subscribers.

On May 24th, an experienced pilot went live on a video-sharing platform to caution travelers about avoiding the use of the 'abyss of despondency' during flights.

In the clip , Captain Steve highlighted that the seat-back pockets are among the most common spots where passengers tend to misplace their personal items during flights.

He playfully referred to it as a 'black hole of despair,' where things like phones, passports, and wallets tend to vanish – usually for good.

The pilot advised: 'Stop putting personal items in the seat back pocket in front of you. If you want to lose it and never see it again, put it in that dark hole that is the seat back pocket in front of you.'

The pilot mentioned that it’s quite frequent for numerous travelers to rush back to the gate in distress upon discovering they’ve forgotten something important in their pocket. However, often by the time they realize this, retrieving the lost item becomes almost unachievable.

He stated: "Should the aircraft still be at the gate, let's hope someone considerate enough could head out there and locate the item you accidentally left in the seatback pocket."

He cautioned that the chances of recovering the item decrease significantly "with each passing moment," particularly after the cleaning staff or subsequent passengers arrive, which might happen shortly after the aircraft has been vacated.

The captain finished by requesting travelers to ensure three times over that they have all their possessions with them prior to leaving the aircraft.

It comes as Captain Steve recently shared one unexpected ability that qualifies someone as a good captain - and it's not related to aviation skills.

In April, the experienced pilot shared on their YouTube channel an under-the-radar talent needed for a captain: the knack for establishing a solid rapport with their co-pilot.

In the video, the pilot initially mentioned that he is not allowed to read anything while flying unless it pertains directly to the aircraft or the field of aviation in general.

Although he emphasized the significance of focusing on a secure and smooth flight, he maintained that another vital aspect hinges on how the dialogue progresses between him and his co-pilot.

Starting with discovering each other’s origins, moving on to heartwarming tales of their families, and delving into their passions and pastimes, Schreiber emphasized that an organic conversation between co-pilots is essential.

He remembered his initial interview with his present airline, sharing this: "During my first interview at the company, they spent roughly 20 minutes talking to me—technical questions weren’t really their focus."

Although the captain initially found himself ' scratching his head,' it quickly dawned on him that he had already been deemed a 'suitable candidate' by those who hired him, and he was now being evaluated on whether he could maintain a 'pleasant' discussion over an extended period.

He added: 'That's a big part of the job. You'd be surprised how many people can't hold a conversation for very long. I appreciate my co-pilots when we get into a good discussion about anything - it makes the flight go by a lot quicker.'

More than 190 spectators expressed their curiosity through the comments section, raising numerous follow-up queries regarding possible problems that might occur within the cockpit.

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