Category: Airlines

The fear of flying is called Aviophobia, and millions of air travelers as well as potential flyers the world over suffer from it, to a greater or lesser extent.

If your fear of flying is very severe, you should enroll in an intensive treatment program. However, if your fear of flying is not severe, there are some things you can do that may help remedy the problem.

Firstly, sit in a seat over the airplane wings, preferably not a window seat so you can?t look down at the ground. When you sit over the wings you will also experience a smoother ride.

If you can, you should leave your seatbelt on as much as possible, so if air turbulence suddenly occurs, you won?t get jarred or bounced about as much.

Try to avoid eating or drinking any food or beverage that contains sugar, caffeine, or alcohol.

It’s always best to remain positive and think only positive thoughts.

You may feel less stressed if you can fly at off-peak times as there are usually fewer airplane passengers to contend with.

Many airline passengers also suffer from the fear of heights and claustrophobia, in addition to the fear of flying, which can easily compound the problem.

For more valuable information and advice on how vacationers as well as business air travelers can overcome their fear of flying, visit FlyingWithoutFear.com.

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What causes deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and how serious can this in-flight medical condition be for air travelers?

Deep vein thrombosis happens when a blood clot forms in the lower leg. If the clot breaks off, it may travel to the lungs. That can then be fatal. If you have symptoms such as pain, redness and swelling in a leg, you should seek medical help as soon as possible.

What causes the above symptoms to develop?

DVT can develop in your lower legs anytime, especially when you sit in one position for an extended period of time without moving. Some research findings show that you are at three times the risk of developing this serious medical condition when you fly. Driving, traveling by bus or train, and even sitting in your comfortable easy chair at home can cause it.

What can air passengers do to protect themselves from this life-threatening condition?

You can help prevent this condition from happening by increasing circulation in your legs. A number of experts suggest wearing loose clothing and avoiding tight fitting pants or stockings, move and exercise your legs frequently when sitting, changing your sitting position often, not sitting with you legs crossed, walk up and down the aisle every half-hour or so and drinking lots of water so you will not become dehydrated.

Obesity, or the use of oral contraceptives can also increase the risk of DVT.

Medical experts have found that air travelers usually experience a worse bout of jet lag when they fly from east to west. In general, the more time zones they cross when flying from east to west, the more severe the symptoms of jet lag they experience will be. However, when passengers travel on air flights that go from west to east they will only have a milder bout of jet lag.

Travelers can fly north and south, or south to north, for thousands of miles without experiencing any jet lag. But as soon as the pilot of the airplane starts flying in an east to west direction and crosses more than one or two time zones, they can experience jet lag.

Passengers will not usually experience the symptoms of jet lag until they exit the plane. That’s the time when their biological clocks will start to make internal adjustments inside their bodies to coincide more closely with the local time at their destination. If air travelers cross one, or even two time zones, their bodies can usually adjust very quickly. However, if a traveler is in poor health or not feeling well before the flight, jet lag can compound the problem.

The following suggestions may help you lessen the effects of jet lag when you fly.

If possible, try to catch a flight that arrives at your vacation destination in daylight hours. when you arrive, immediately fit in with the new time zone and do not go to bed. If you’re tired and feel like you want to take a short snooze, do it in a well lighted place.