British Airways to offer Crash Course

British Airways is to offer a course on surviving plane crashes in return for air miles.

The four-hour course, which will be offered to Executive club members from next year, will cost £125 or equivalent air miles, reports the Independent.

It is reported that most air accidents are survivable and research into emergency evacuations by the Civil Aviation Authority in 2006 found that a significant number of passengers struggle with the most basic of tasks, like releasing the seat belt.

"It makes passengers safer when travelling by giving additional skills and information, it dispels all those internet theories about the 'brace position' and it just gives people so much more confidence in flying," said Andy Clubb, the BA manager running the course.

The passenger-training programme, which was developed by the airline at the request of BP, which sends staff into remote regions of the world where safety standards are less rigorous, concludes with a simulated emergency evacuation down the escape slides.