As a result, airlines have a contingency plan in case a bomb is found on one of their planes.

Every plane has a chosen “least risk bomb location” — a place that the manufacturer has decided would be the safest in the event of an on-board explosion.

According to an experienced pilot who wished to remain anonymous, the location is often next to one of the plane’s rearmost cabin doors.

The pilot told The Sun: “If an explosive device is found and can be carried, it will be moved to that spot and covered with materials or furnishings (like suitcases or ripped-up chairs) that would help mitigate any blast effects.”

The smothering of the bomb with luggage and other heavy materials would aim to push the force of the blast outwards instead of inside the plane.

Our pilot added: “The pilots would also descend the aircraft and depressurise the cabin, most likely. The device would not be intentionally detonated [though].

“The idea would be to land and evacuate the passengers as quickly as possible.”

The US Department Of Transportation (DOT) has published several advisory papers on Least Risk Bomb Locations.

They say that the location should be the spot on the plane where it could be placed that would protect flight critical structures and systems from damage in case of detonation.

Procedures for Least Risk Bomb Locations began voluntarily by plane manufacturers in around 1972.

According to the DOT, they have been shown to significantly decrease the effects of an explosion in the passenger cabins of large commercial planes.

The specific location of the Least Risk Bomb Location on a plane are not made known to the general public and the area does not have any markings to indicate where it would be either.

This story originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished here with permission.