Overview

• Ruangsak Loychusak escaped Thailand’s 1998 TG261 crash from seat 11A, 27 years before Vishwashkumar Ramesh survived the 2025 Air India AI171 disaster in the same seat.
• The coincidence has driven record requests for seat 11A despite no proven link between seat numbers and crash survivability.
• Aviation specialists say factors like impact forces, fire and smoke hazards, and structural integrity dictate survival odds more than seating location.
• Exit-row seats may offer extra legroom and faster evacuation routes, but cabin layouts and safety features vary widely between aircraft types.
• Experts urge passengers to prioritize safety briefings, identify nearest exits and remain situationally aware rather than relying on seat superstitions.