Those Triangle Stickers In The Airplane Cabin Are There For A Good Reason
You've just settled into your seat for your flight overseas. You don your headsets, adjust your neck pillow, and recline ever so slightly into a more relaxing position when suddenly, your eyes fixate on this small, black, triangular-shaped pattern affixed to the airplane's contoured wall, directly above the wing window.
The hairs on the back of your neck begin to prickle and you start quickly replaying episodes of The X-Files in your mind certain that this minuscule and contrasting shape was surely investigated and explained by Mulder and Scully, or it's quite possibly a signal from The Lone Gunmen to get off the plane — now.
Your mind begins to unravel as you try to make heads or tails of this mysterious-looking object that is so out of place, and why it's exactly where it is. Suddenly, a flight attendant walks by and you grab her arm gently but firmly — beginning your best Mulder inquisition. A smirk appears on her face as she unravels your fingers from her arm, both slightly amused and annoyed, and begins to debunk your other-worldly theory, fully explaining its legitimate and non-conspiracy purpose.
William Shatner's seat explained
No, the small triangular stickers have nothing to do with Star Trek either, or the good Admiral for that matter. According to Business Insider though, seats located beneath these peculiar-looking stickers have been foolishly dubbed "William Shatner's seat," referencing a Twilight Zone episode wherein a goblin is seen perched on the airplane wing just outside Shatner's window.
Sci-fi series aside, these black and red, triangle-shaped stickers are actually important reference points for the flight crew — as they're located where the airplane's wings are visible — allowing flight attendants to easily view the flaps and slats on the wings for potential icing problems or issues that may need to be reported to cockpit personnel, as reported by Reader's Digest. And, for those social media posting lovers, these designated seats are also great for taking the perfect wing shots to share on your profile page, according to The Telegraph.
Additional hidden airplane features
In addition, these perfectly placed stickers can be traced back to certain airbuses, when their purpose was used as a marked spot for the flight crew to be able to easily look out toward the wings to ensure the flight gear had successfully come down, as reported by The Airplane Guru.
However, these red and black, triangle-shaped icons aren't the only features on airplanes that passengers may or may not notice when on board their flight. According to Reader's Digest, there are eight additional objects tucked away that you may have never noticed before.
So, the next time you happen to be on board an airplane and notice one or more of them curiously positioned above a wing window, don't be concerned with their presence. In fact, be glad that they're there. As small as they are, they have a very important part to play in the safety of your flight.