Why planes have tiny window holes

THE thought of holes anywhere in an aeroplane probably doesn’t fill nervous flyers with confidence, but those tiny holes in plane windows actually serve a vital purpose.

For many of us, it may seem odd that planes come with holes in the windows, but the UK Federal Aviation Administration recently spilt the beans as to why.

The Sun reports that it turns out the tiny gaps are used to regulate air pressure inside the plane’s cabin to prevent any potentially deadly depressurising in midair.

When planes climb into the sky, the air pressure outside drops compared to the highly-regulated air pressure inside the cabin.

This extreme difference in pressure heaps physical strain on the windows, which are made from three panes of thick glass.

The hole you can see when you look out of your window seat is actually in the middle pane of glass and is known as a ‘breather’ or a ‘bleed hole.’

The breather works to balance the pressure between the cabin and the air trapped between the window panes.

And that trusty middle pane acts as a backup just in case the outer pane was to break from the pressure.

But the handy holes also serve a second purpose — they release moisture to prevent the windows from frosting or fogging over.

So the next time you’re flying and notice a hole in your window, rest assured that bleeder holes are an essential component of any aeroplane.