Just a “normal” news item today-sky news More passengers are falling ill aboard flights as planes get bigger and stay in the air for longer, according to a report.
The rising number of casualties follows moves by airlines to make their planes more comfortable - encouraging those with pre-existing conditions to step aboard.
The rising number of casualties follows moves by airlines to make their planes more comfortable - encouraging those with pre-existing conditions to step aboard.
The findings are published in The Lancet.
They claim the number of people taken ill has increased as aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 777 LR extend flight times to up to 20 hours.
Dr Mark Gendreau, of the Lahey Clinic Medical Centre, Burlington, suggests that longer journeys mean passengers face "environmental and physiological changes associated with the flight.”
The Lancet highlights studies which show the risk of deep vein thrombosis increases fourfold with long haul travel.
Risk peaks when flight duration is more than eight hours and begins when journeys exceed four hours.
Interestingly, whether a passenger flies business-class or economy has no effect on incidents of DVT, experts believe.
However, DVT occurs more often in people who are sitting away from a central aisle.
The longer people stay in enclosed spaces together also increases the risk of infectious diseases such as measles and flu being spread, the research suggests.
The study's authors conclude: "Individuals need to be aware of the possible medical complications of air travel, and physicians should identify people at potential risk from air travel and advise them of any necessary treatments to travel safely."
I think we all knew that flying can be dangerous, but now it is official, or is it.
“A good holiday is one spent among people whose notions of time are vaguer than yours.” J B Priestley
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