If you’ve ever flown on a commercial airplane, you may have noticed something curious – flight attendants sitting on their hands during takeoff and landing. It might seem like an unusual habit, but it’s actually a safety strategy designed to protect both crew members and passengers.

In air travel, flight attendants do much more than serve refreshments and ensure passenger comfort. They are highly trained safety professionals, responsible for managing in-flight emergencies and ensuring the well-being of everyone onboard.

Among the many protocols they follow, one stands out to many passengers – the bracing position that flight attendants assume during takeoff and landing.

A flight attendant, Henny Lim, who works for the Philippines-based airline Cebu Pacific, recently went viral on TikTok after shedding light on this lesser-known in-flight procedure. Read more below