Almost Useless (But Weirdly Fascinating) Facts About Flying
Flying is one of the safest forms of transportation on Earth—and also one of the strangest once you start paying attention. From mysterious cabin symbols to pop-culture panic attacks, here are some almost useless facts from The Traveling Professor about flying that are guaranteed to make your next flight more entertaining.
The William Shatner Seat
The legendary William Shatner Seat comes straight from aviation pop culture. In 1963, William Shatner starred in a now-iconic episode of The Twilight Zone titled Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.
In the episode, Shatner plays an already nervous airline passenger who looks out his window and sees a gremlin gleefully destroying the wing of the plane. No one believes him. Chaos ensues. Shatner completely unravels. Television history is made.
Here’s the fun aviation twist: his character is seated next to the wing—specifically at the window aligned with the wing flaps. That same window position is marked inside modern aircraft cabins by a small triangle above the window.
Among aviation geeks and frequent flyers, that wing-view window seat has since earned the unofficial nickname: the William Shatner Seat. If you sit there and start tapping your seatmate to ask if they see anything crawling on the wing… maybe switch seats.
Those Little Triangles in the Cabin Aren’t Decoration
On a recent flight from Dallas to Charlotte, NC, a flight attendant tipped The Traveling Professor off on this one. Look closely above the airplane windows and you’ll notice small black or red triangles. No, they’re not design flair.
Those triangles line up with the wing flaps outside the aircraft. Flight attendants use them to quickly locate key wing components during safety checks or emergencies. It’s one of those “hope we never need it, but very glad it’s there” details.
Airlines Used to Serve Meals Based on Which Way You Were Flying
Once upon a time, airlines planned meal service around the direction of travel. Eastbound flights served lighter meals, westbound flights served heavier ones—all in an effort to help passengers cope with jet lag.
These days, airlines are mostly focused on serving anything efficiently, but this little ritual remains a charming relic from a more civilized era of flying.
Jet Fuel Lives in the Wings (On Purpose)
Most people assume fuel is stored somewhere deep in the body of the aircraft. In reality, jet fuel is stored in the wings.
Why?
So yes, those wings are doing more than just flapping their way through the sky.
Why That Cart Suddenly Blocks the Galley
Ever notice a drink cart mysteriously parked in front of the galley with no drinks in sight? That’s not poor service—it’s security.
When a pilot leaves the cockpit to use the restroom, the cart acts as a physical barrier to prevent anyone from rushing the cockpit. Newer aircraft are adding fold-down barriers or secondary doors to make this process even more secure.
Flying may look calm, but there’s always a plan behind the scenes.
If You Smell Fumes, This Is Not Trivia
This is the one fact on the list that’s not useless. If you ever smell strong fumes—especially oily or fuel-like odors—tell the flight crew immediately.
Fume events are rare, but inhalation can cause serious health issues if not treated quickly. Cabin crews are trained for this, and early reporting really matters.
Why These “Useless” Facts Are Actually Kind of Great
Flying can feel routine, but it’s packed with clever engineering, strange traditions, and the occasional gremlin-related nervous breakdown. Knowing a few of these details won’t change your flight—but it might make it more fun.
And if you ever find yourself seated next to the wing, just remember: it’s only the William Shatner Seat if you start seeing things.
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