Undead Attack: If It Came By Air

If they came by air…. Our team has received several inquiries about zombie attacks on planes, and while that scenario is one of the rare cases, the number of requests would denote that we look into it. So what should you do in the event of a zombie attack on a plane?
The first question that comes to my mind when considering this case is how exactly the outbreak would occur mid-flight. That is not an easy question to answer, however, we will try to tackle the scenario anyway.
Here are some keys to zombie defense during a flight:
- Diffuse: This is certainly one situation where the best defense is your offense. Since you have limited room in which to fight, a crowded and cramped area in which to move, quickly dispatching the dead back to where the came from is the best bet. Diffuse the situation as fast as possible.
- Weapons: A post 9/11 world has even further limited the items that can be used as weapons on planes. Heavy and blunt objects bashed against the zombies head will be the best method to take the undead down. When in doubt, snag a ladies purse, since they are usually too heavy to begin with, and use that much like a ball and chain would be used. Expect close combat no matter what.
- Other Zombies: One positive aspect about a zombie outbreak on a plane is that once they are gone, there should be no risk of further attacks unless someone is infected during the fight.
- Escape Routes: You have limited escape routes on the plane and your goal should be to protect the cockpit. If the pilots are infected and turn into zombies, then you are in real trouble. Forcing the undead away as much as possible and securing the pilot’s area is top priority.
- On the ground: Of most importance is not only the battle in the air, but what you could potentially run into on the ground once you land. One could assume that if there is an outbreak in the air, there might also be one on the ground. While you may have won the battle in the air, war is still being waged on the ground below and you could easily be landing in a hot bed of zombie activity with little to no adequate weaponry to defend yourself with.
Disposing of the undead once they have been killed (again) is another tough spot to find yourself in. There is limited space on the plane. You cannot simply open the window and toss out the undead like trash on the highway (not that we advocate that either!). The best way is to dedicate an area of the plane for the dead and assign someone a guard to that area, just in case.
Zombie attacks in the air are indeed rare, however, thinking ahead of any and all scenarios make you even more prepared for the day the dead once again walk the earth.
Stay safe. Stay informed. Stay alive.
Comments (23)









FORGER on 03 May 2008 at 7:35 pm #
“You cannot simply open the window and toss out the undead…”
No, but you can drop to below 10K feet and reduce the airspeed velocity of your zombie-laden Swallow to about 150 kts and open the door and chuck ‘em out.
toebo23 on 03 May 2008 at 11:08 pm #
all would die. its all a matter of time
Avakar on 04 May 2008 at 11:14 am #
Toebo, with that line of thinking you ARE good as dead, with a clear mind and quick thinking you can make it! First off, almost all items brought on board are counted out, accept carry-on luggage that can be used as a shield. Be observant to what items people are bringing on board, I’ve been on a couple for flights where long poll-like items (snow skis) have been stowed in the back for safe keeping. Other than that what does that leave you? A couple of things: the fire extinguisher, its heavy, durable and built to take a beating (more so than a ZED’s head), in the front and back galley there are metal trays, with a little muscle work you can fabricate a spike-like implement. Most planes are also equiped with cleaning tools, find the broom/mop/whatever snap of the end and say hello to your new spear.
As for the comment about the cockpit and the pilots, as indicated by the “9/11″ point, you don’t have to worry about the pilots really, because the doors are reinforced and only unlocks from inside the cockpit, the only means of communication is via closed circuit telephone. The likely hood of having a pilot infected is unlikely, because the majority of the time the pilot has already made a couple of trips on the plane before you boarded, he would have turned by then. IF a pilot is infected though, when boarding , yes, your pretty much screwed assuming that a sane person would decide to fly a plane with a festering bite wound… O_o not likely.
Your real concern is crowd control, the best thing you can do is be observant, look for the people with a dominant disposition, watch to see how people carry themselves when they enter the cabin, you’re looking for body language, these are most likely the people to depend on to take control of the situation, make sure you try to sit near them. Also watch how the flight attendants use the speaker system so you can do the same if necessary. Sit towards the back if you can, so you will have a little more room to mobilize and take a defensive position in case things get out of control.
As for body storage we are going to go old school smoker/non-smoker section with a dead/not dead seating arrangement. It will be tiring and a lot of heavy lifting, but ultimately you will have more room for maneuverability. As for watching over the recently re-deceased, the only person you can ultimately trust is yourself, YOU know the signs to look for, YOU know how to handle them, YOU get to take watch. Tend to the wounded accordingly, mercy killing is the best route to take , use the med-kit if you can to try to make it painless. Of course you could always wait for them to turn and then dispatch them but that will only result in decrease of group moral and take more of your precious energy.
Once on the ground, assuming you have taken control of the situation in the cabin, stay in contact with the pilots. Ask them if they received clearance to land or if the pilot is just saying “screw it” and landing the bird. If the pilot has made attempts to contact the tower with no luck make sure he does not pull up to the concourse, have him stop a good distance away from the main building so you can asses the situation. If there has been no contact with the tower, expect the worst. While you are stationary away from the building, go ahead and dump the bodies out the hatch. Leave the hatches open to vent out the stench. once your clear and away from the building, engage the emergency slide, get of the plane, get to a luggage cart and do what you can to get the hell out of there ASAP. Now if contact HAS been made with the tower, things get a little easier, give them the situation and then see if there is a slight chance that the airport has a zombie policy and proceed with said plan; if not, improvise, go ahead and dump the bodies in a designated area have the emergency crews pick them up and take them to the incinerator (most major airports have at least one) and disembark from the plane. Get to your destination, watch the news and stay vigilant.
sean on 06 May 2008 at 9:03 pm #
i would be fucked the only weapon i can think of is afire extinguisher
so i would just hide in the bathroom and hope that the sealed pilots in the cockpit would be fine enough to land and then i would still be screwed anyways unless someone opened the emergency exits
a better plan would be to just jump and pray for a quick death.
knukkles5 on 07 May 2008 at 10:53 am #
you should be thinking of how to use ALL your equipment you have in EVERY way possible! that way your not relying too much on ready-made equipment.
Bryan on 07 May 2008 at 5:57 pm #
It’s a somewhat unrealistic scenario, though. Where would the zombie come from? The very isolation that makes the plane hard to escape also makes it impossible for zombies to get on board once it’s in flight, so it’d have to be on the plane before takeoff. Zombies are not exactly the most subtle of stowaways, though, so how did it stay hidden long enough to get airborne?
I suppose someone might have got bitten, boarded the plane, and then died en route. Still a pretty unlikely scenario, though, since zombies running around and biting people at the airport would probably be noticed too. Airports have been shut down for far less.
JayDT on 08 May 2008 at 6:24 pm #
Planes are often used to transport the deceased over long distances for burial.
Don’t get on a plan where there’s a corpse in the cargo just waiting to get up.
Platinum on 08 May 2008 at 7:48 pm #
Bryan, in Shaun of the Dead, the roommate was bitten by “some lunatic on the street” and died much later that night.
Maybe the 1st zombie was bitten by “some lunatic” in the parking garage, or hotel the night before, and died on the red-eye?
But the infection spreading beyond 3 or 4 is probably unrealistic.
Scenario:
Woman: Screams.
Man: He bit me.
Woman: Someone help. He’s biting my husband.
Man: Hey! Get off you!
(lots of smacking sounds and the sounds of kicks being thrown)
Seconds later.
Other man: Are you alright, buddy?
Man: Yeah. He only bit me on the arm.
Blitz Haigen on 09 May 2008 at 11:29 am #
In that case, there might be an air marshall onboard, and they always have a handgun. Convince them to use it on the new breed of “terrorists”. Put the dead in the back of the plane, if possible, and educat the public briefly on the reality of the situation. If the air marshall is still on your side, get him to help, he’s going to have leadership experience and training. Stay on guard yourself, watching the bodies and having the air marshall help watch for infection. Tell the passengers to report any strange behavior or actions to the air marshall immediately, and buckle in the possibly infected so that if they turn, they won’t be able to move from their seat, effectively containing the threat for a moment. Keep morale high if you can and get the pilots to radio down to the tower and report on the situation. Assuming the feds aren’t going to cover it up, they’ll bring in all the help and press you need to spread the word.
Good Luck and Hunt Safely
-Blitz Haigen
sean on 12 May 2008 at 7:27 pm #
sorry for double posting but there is acctually a movie out on the web called flight of thge living dead and it’s pretty good
Dax on 18 May 2008 at 10:47 pm #
Having half a plane of dead people on the other side of a plane that just tried to eat many of you would be horrible for morale…and “mercy killing” is just as bad as letting ‘em turn and be killed.
Other then that, sure.
ARMY GUNNER on 26 May 2008 at 8:20 am #
ok, i dont personally belive in this stuff and ill prolly never check this site again, but the biggest thing your all forgetting when your looking for weapons is that after your brain, your hands and feet and agility are your best defense against ANYTHING in a close combat environment. thats not to say if youve got a friggin beat down stick handy not to use it. but if you (now think about this) had a flesh eating, brain sucking, blood covered, stop at nothing THING coming at you do you really think that your first instinct is gonna be “oh. look. a fire extinguisher. i should grab that.” no. most likely you will throw your arms up and your brain will automatically put you in the “fight or flight” scenario. when in that stage you body looses all fine motor function. that means that when you joke with your buddies and poke them in the eye with one finger, you wont be able to do that in this instance. your best bet would be to use the palm of your hand and push it hard and fast in to the “zombies” nose (providing for you critics it has one) forcing it into the brain cavity, thus killin the beast. now i shouldnt give you lessons on how to do all this but you can look up hand to hand combat and fighting online for free. you can learn a great deal about how your body its self is the greatest weapon you will ever need. and for all the so called “wimpy” guys out there….your not. ive seen a twelve year old kid take down an adult with the stuff ive mentioned. i mean if you really belive this stuff and want to be able to protect yourself and others around you…..look this stuff up. practice it. know it. you might have to use it some day since im the guy who said he dosent belive it and will prolly die first lol. good luck and good hunting guys.
Erin on 31 May 2008 at 11:27 am #
JayDT nailed it: It’s going to be a corpse being transported in the cargo hold that jacks everything up. I don’t know how hard or easy it is to get from the cargo hold of a plane to the cabin, though. It might not be a problem for passengers, but a HUGE problem for the baggage handlers when the plane lands.
Kapuhi on 03 Jun 2008 at 1:43 am #
@Platinum
Just wanted to make one eensy correction.. in Shaun of the Dead, Pete the roommate was bitten at night and died while taking a shower the next morning. Sorry, that movie is my bible.
ZombieSlayer on 04 Jun 2008 at 1:23 pm #
Flight + Zombie = Fail!
First, a zed in a coffin in the transport area is no problem for passengers, it’s a problem for handlers and throwers. There is typically no passage from the luggage stow to the passenger area for a zombie to be a problem mid-flight on most airlines.
Second, the real problem is going to be the guy that claims that his “cold” is fine and that he just wants to get home. He’ll even agree to wear the face mask as a precaution.
Third, please don’t throw the zombie out of the plane! You’ll simply spread the infection to wherever it lands. There is no guarantee that the brain will be destroyed on impact as there are several accounts of survivors who have fallen out of planes without parachutes.
Fourth, in the event of a water-landing, you can use your seat cushion as a flotation device… or at least as a bite shield!
Fifth, use ANY weapon you can get your hands on! FAA and TSA might take away the obvious weapons but just about every person on the plane probably has a pen or pencil, canes, even walkers can be used to throw a beat down on zed. Use first-class as a starting point as they have laptop computers, bottles of champagne and wine and all manner of other non-essential but totally expensive weaponry.
The REAL problem with this type of attack is panic. As soon as the terror and panic kick in, you’re as good as dead because you won’t know who else has been infected until it’s too late.
Stay alert. Stay alive.
Kain - ZAC Weapon Consultant on 08 Jun 2008 at 12:32 pm #
Likely the best case scenario for this to happen is an infected person boarding the plane with a cold. Dying on the flight, and reanimating. So you should have but one zed, though the numbers he could infect are debatable. Chances are that if the passengers feel that the man(or woman) are a threat to their safety, or worse yet the safety of they’re children they will beat the zed to an undead pulp.
ARMY GUNNER, I hate to burst your bubble, even if you never read this, and perhaps the bubble those who read his post. But, striking the nose, at the correct angle, with sufficient force to drive the cartilage into the brain is, while not impossible very hard. Mainly due to the precision needed to do so. And quoting his own post,
“most likely you will throw your arms up and your brain will automatically put you in the “fight or flight” scenario. when in that stage you body looses all fine motor function”
In that case your more likely to end up as one of them then helping those on the plane. As for the coffin on the plane ZombieSlayer hit the nail on the head, its jus not going to happen.
“They won’t get me they won’t get me thought they never cease to try
they won’t get me they won’t get me I would rather fight and die
they won’t get me they won’t get me well my friend will they get you?
when they get you when they get you tell me what are you gonna do?”
Dropkick Murphys – The Gauntlet
threatdown on 11 Jun 2008 at 8:03 pm #
Has anyone considered the fact that placing the dead in one area could indeed unbalance the plane? I purpose returning the dead to their assigned seats and place the pillowcase over their head(if it still is there), prop up their arm to the attendant call button so that any movement will set off the bell notifying you there is a blind zombie at seat 5a that needs a beat down.
Kain - ZAC Weapon Consultant on 13 Jun 2008 at 1:45 pm #
I don’t that the weight o a few dead bodies is going to throw the balance of a plane off enough to where it will cause a crash. Besides if throwing the luggage into the cargo bay the way that the baggage handlers do does do I doubt five or so bodies will.
On another note ZombieSlayer does have a valid point about throwing zombies out of the airplane. A human might die from blunt force trauma but the zombie’s brain could very well survive the impact and to the uninformed may look like an injured passenger and try to render assistance, become infected and end up spreading the infection.
“They won’t get me they won’t get me thought they never cease to try
they won’t get me they won’t get me I would rather fight and die
they won’t get me they won’t get me well my friend will they get you?
when they get you when they get you tell me what are you gonna do?”
Dropkick Murphys – The Gauntlet
Platinum on 24 Jun 2008 at 4:28 pm #
Kapuhi, you’re right. Died in the shower. Or at least was going thru human motions until a tasty bit came along. (memory vestige?) Time lapse after the bite was the key point I was trying to make.
As far as a 10000 foot fall, just make sure the undead doesn’t land in a bean field and the chances are 98% plus that massive trauma will render the brain in-op, and, on the 2% chance it’s not brain jello, the trauma will break 98% of the bones, rendering the shuffler in-op (as long as you don’t french kiss the broken jawbone….blech)
Kasper on 25 Jun 2008 at 6:30 am #
I’m amazed no-one’s mentioned the steward-carts. You know, the wagons with the incredibly overpriced canned sodas and peanuts? They are usually at least three feet long, making them hard for the zombie to reach across, and the wheels mean you can get some real impact behind the hit, even if it’s to non-vitals.
Also, passengers riding economy might have noticed that the available free space between the sides of the cart and the seats is sufficiently limited to render polishing of said sides unnecessary. Assuming you’re flying on a plane with even limited service, and an economy class, you ought to have at least two mobile, tight-fit roadblocks available. Position them at a choke-point, block the wheels so they won’t go backwards, then toss the beaten critters to the correct side of the block. And make sure to keep fending off the critters that might be trying to force their way past.
The downside here is that it requires the outbreak to take place at one of the extremes of the plane, so that there’s no zombies between you and the cart.
Luciano on 21 Jul 2008 at 4:09 pm #
If the pilots are dead the plane is dead
another mike on 22 Aug 2008 at 3:00 am #
I realize there’s no one still reading this thread but I thought I’d post anyway. If there is an air marshall on the plane and they feel there is a threat, they will draw and deliver a swift double tap to the head as trained. Too bad so sad if you happen to be between them and their target, greater good and all that, they will shoot through you. A zombie outbreak on an airliner won’t spread far.
-- on 29 Sep 2008 at 9:46 pm #
Alternatively, if the plane gets entirely zombie infested, either the zeds will somehow open up a door and jump out, hopefully splattering their skulls everywhere, or they will die upon crashing into the ground. Also, a crashing plane tends to have armed folks rushing to the scene. Police and the like.