The reason you never want to hear the name 'Jim Wilson' on a flight

Most people have little things that annoy – or even scare – them about flying, but it turns out there’s one name we should all be listening out for.

If you hear members of the crew say the words "Jim Wilson" on a flight, it isn’t someone’s name they’re referring to at all.

It’s actually a secret code for a dead person being carried on the flight.

Planes carry thousands of dead passengers across the planet in any given year. Around 50,000 bodies are transported during a typical 12-month period, and most of the time it's because they often need to be moved for funeral services.

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The code word allows members of crew to make calls about the dead bodies in the hold without making anyone on board nervous.

Why is Jim Wilson used as a code? It comes from the name of the crates that are used to move the bodies.

According to The Alcor 1997 Stabilization and Transport Manual (which sounds like a cracking read) Jim Wilson Trays are often used to contain the bodies and are packed with ice [via The Sun].

You do not want to hear the code word on a flightCreative Commons

According to Sara Marsden, who is the Editor in Chief for US Funerals Online, American Airlines even has a help desk for funeral homes named the American Airlines Jim Wilson Service.

If the plane doesn’t use the name Jim Wilson, the abbreviation HR – which stands for human remains – is also sometimes used.

Let's hope we don't hear it being said over the tannoy we step onboard our next flight.

Meanwhile, according to a new study, more men than women said they thought they could land a plane after watching a short tutorial video on YouTube.

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