British Airways to offer Crash Survival Course

British Airways will soon offer Executive Club members a chance to trade in frequent flyer miles for a four-hour plane crash survival course.

The course will cost about the same as a one way trip from London to Milan, £125 (about $192).

While the survival course may suggest otherwise, British Airways is considered one of the safest airlines. There hasn't been a fatal crash aboard a BA jet since 1989, when a Midland 737 crashed in Kegworth, Leicestershire killing 47 people.

Andy Clubb, the BA manager in charge of the course, gave details on the unreleased program.

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, Clubb told The Independent.

Although only Executive Club members will be offered the course, the hope is that those who have taken the course will have a positive effect on surrounding passengers. Unlike what is commonly believed, place crashes are often survivable. Yet, people panic and often get stuck in their seatbelt.

With other passengers around them reacting in a positive manner to the instructions being given by the crew, the few passengers that might have frozen might follow those who demonstrate that they know what they are doing, Clubb said.

It may sound ridiculous to offer a survival course, but British Airways is not the first. Virgin Atlantic offers a similar four-hour course, even though they have never experienced a crash in their 27-year history.

Virgin-Atlantic's course called expect the unexpected offers training that simulates different situations that may arise from decompression to an emergency landing. Passengers can practice sliding down the emergency escape and using rafts in case of a water landing. This course will cost passengers £78 (about $120).

The survival course is not the only course British Airways offers to wary flyers. There is also a flying with confidence program which helps passengers conquer their fear of flying. The program offers interaction with crew and pilots, a psychologist on hand, and a short 45-minute flight to test out what passengers have learned in ground sessions.