Your plane hasn't even pushed back from the gate, yet you've already removed your shoes and jacket, popped an Ambien, downed a glass of champagne, and snuggled into booties and an eye mask, with your sleeping baby tucked safely in your arms. Sound good? Actually, all these actions could be putting yourself and others in grave danger.

Commercial flying need not be a dire undertaking, and statistically it's an extremely safe way to travel. So your next flight doesn't have to be morbid. But common sense and good habits can dramatically increase your margin of safety, because the airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration don't always tell you all you need to know.

In my new book "Attention All Passengers: The Airlines' Dangerous Descent-And How to Reclaim Our Skies" (Harper Collins 2012),  I devote an entire chapter to surviving airline mishaps and accidents, because we're seeing more and more "miracles" where everyone walks away from an airline crash.