Holes in Airplane Windows
Raise your hand if you freaked out a little the first time you had the window seat on an airplane and noticed a tiny hole in the window? There’s no need to be ashamed; it’s a little odd and disconcerting to see at first because you think it means the window is vulnerable to breaking mid-flight. However, there is an important reason why that hole it’s there. First of all, it’s called the breather hole. When an airplane climbs, air pressure drops outside, but the cabin remains at a safe and comfortable level. The breather allows the two outer panes of the aircraft to deal with the pressure difference. Not to be alarmist, but if the outer pane becomes compromised, there would be a small air leak coming through the breather hole. However, this is a rare occurrence and the plane would still be able to cope with the pressure.
