Archive for the ‘Flights’ Category

Long Haul Flights and Deep Vein Thrombosis

Thursday, July 24th, 2008

Cutting across continents can be achieved in a day or often in half a day. Fine, your exigencies or business requires you to move around quickly. Whether you are a business traveler or on a last minute vacation, on cheap flights, or a midnight flight, certain health issues apply to anyone on long haul flights.

Long Haul Flights

Deep Vein Thrombosis

The airlines need to make a profit too and therefore they will always want to utilize that extra inch of space productively, and more so, if cheap airline tickets are to be offered at all. The Economy class and other cheap tickets also mean that more seats are packed into the same space. Does that leave you comfortable for a long haul of say 14 hours non stop? Blood clots particularly in the legs is a major area of concern and frequent travel in identical situations can lead to deep vein thrombosis. In rare instances, more serious complications have also been reported.

Addressing the issue

Cheap airline tickets are indeed handy when the flying time is a few hours. But on long haul routes how cheap, your cheap airline tickets can turn out to be is subjective. Yet, you can minimize, or even eliminate the risk of deep vein thrombosis arising from frequent long haul flights, by following some or all of the following tips.

Measures to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis

Travel at frequent intervals is almost inevitable for many of us. But some of the measures we can employ to minimize or fight the effects of a long haul flight are:

  • Book an aisle seat near the bulkhead or an exit row so as to afford more leg room
  • Getting up from your seat and walking around for some time at least once every hour
  • Stimulate circulation of blood even while seated, by massaging lower legs, ankle, feet etc., clinching your toes etc.
  • Keep yourself well hydrated, but take care not to consume alcohol because that can dehydrate you
  • Consult your doctor before flying, if you have higher risks of blood clots, such as an existing problem of varicose veins

Afraid of Flying?

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008

An aircraft laden with a few hundred passengers and crew on board, falling to the ground cannot be a good news to stomach for anyone - more so if you are afraid of flying. The reasons for such accidents, though far and few in between, are queer. A common thread running between these queer accidents when it comes to the cause is “the engines did not respond”. Why the engines did not respond - as an ordinary traveler, we may seldom get to know at all, irrespective of what ticket we travel on - the elite class or cheap airline tickets.

Afraid of Flying?

Aerophobia

Aerophobia has nothing to do with the class of travel. You can be on cheap airline tickets, or elite class, traveling on a Christmas vacation, family vacation packages or on a European vacation package. Interestingly there is a course Aviatours run with British Airways as a participating organizer, and several people have already taken the course. In the first place, accidents do not happen every other day. In 2006, there was only one accident per 1.5 million flights. In the same year less than 1000 people died due to accidents involving aircrafts, all around the globe, the number of deaths on European roads alone were 39000. These events when they do happen are not courteous enough to seek prior appointments.

Steps to overcome Aerophobia

Your plane ticket, or the air fare, or cheap airline tickets, nothing will have a bearing on aerophobia. Here are some of the factors which will help you overcome aerophobia.

  • Prepare yourself in time for the trip
  • Reach the airport in good time
  • Eat right and less before you board a flight
  • Avoid tight clothing
  • If fear creeps into you, let the cabin attendant know
  • If you are offered a different seat, accept it
  • Try to exhale more and not inhale
  • Consume more liquids than usual, but avoid alcohol
  • Attempt doing what you fear most. Lookout of the window if you are afraid of the looking out of the window and if moving seat is the cause of your fear, move seat.
  • Do not allow the “what if” thoughts to invade you. Simply stay in the present.

Flying tips for cranky passengers

Monday, July 21st, 2008

Go to any airport across the globe, you are sure you find at least some passengers who are either irate or unhappy over airline schedules, baggage issues or anything else that can upset the rhythm of individuals. There will be people traveling on last minute vacation packages, cheap airline tickets, last minute tickets, or other types of plane tickets.

Crank Passengers

Expectations from consumers (read passengers) are always moving in one direction, that is upwards and the service level from the aviation industry manages to keep it on the opposite end, i.e., the service level going down. The number of irate passengers at airports will also therefore proportionately go up. But the passengers themselves can help to some extent to avoid these unsavory situations, though they cannot eliminate them in totality.

Some measures that can help

Some flights or some sectors have a history of chronic delays. Travelers can research on this and FlightStats.com or FlightAware.com are very useful web sites to gather these details. The type of flight tickets are not very relevant for this. You can be using a cheap airline tickets or even a luxury class or Executive class plane tickets. Then, there are airports which are congested all through the year like for e.g., Chicago, Atlanta, New York etc. If you cannot avoid these airports, look for the leaner time slots like mid-day or mid-night. Connecting flights from smaller hubs can keep your trip in better shape.

Being an informed traveler

Always make it a point to read and integrate the “contract of carriage” provided by your carrier, even if you are traveling on cheap airline tickets. If you are on a long haul trip and delays occur en-route there are several things you could be more comfortable with if you have prior knowledge. Flight delays due to weather does not require your carrier to provide you hotel accommodation and other facilities. International Flights originating from or destined to the European Union have more generous rules on delays attributable to the airline. Packing light is another factor which can be of significant help. If you don’t check your baggage, the airlines can find no means to mishandle your baggage and therefore will be compelled to leave you a happier person.

You are sick and need to fly – Should you take the trip?

Friday, July 18th, 2008

You spent several days or perhaps even weeks planning that Christmas vacation, drawing vacation ideas from a variety of vacation packages, and have put together the best available family vacation packages on earth for your family. Cheap airline tickets have been sourced and your trip is confirmed. Hours before the scheduled departure of your flight, you or a member of your family takes ill with a high fever, a worse case of flu or a cough that can bring the roof the cabin down. Sickness of this kind often come unannounced and also disappear more or less the same way. But, is it good for you in the first place and the potential risk of infection to your passengers? But, the trouble is, most airlines do not recognize this type of illness as cause enough to give you a refund of the fare, or re-schedule your flight.

Continue Reading: You are sick and need to fly – Should you take the trip?

You can avoid wearing these on a plane.

Friday, July 18th, 2008

Many of us tend to pay little or no attention to the small details of what we should wear or rather not wear while on an air trip. Somehow, the gap between an ideal wear on commercial flights and the actual appears only widening with each passing day. We put in so many effort checking for cheap airline tickets, tabulating airfares, looking for those economical midnight flights and a host of other things.

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Fewer delays are reported by the Airlines

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008

On time flight arrivals are actually improving according to a recently released government issued report.

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Singapore Airline wants an access to the Australia-US skies

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008

According to Singapore Airlines the skies between the United States and Australia are not so friendly. Because of the policies of the Australian government, competition from outside airlines is not being allowed. As a result, tourism is suffering and airline industry growth is being stunted.

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Two Nonstop Flights are offered by Delta Air Lines

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008

Delta Air Lines has changed its flight schedules in Ecuador. They now offer cheap airline tickets for nonstop flights between Atlanta and Quito. Discount airfare can also be obtained for non-stop flights from Atlanta to Guayaquil.

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Chinese Historic -Taiwan Flights Take Off

Friday, July 11th, 2008

It has been estimated that 50 million Chinese wish to obtain cheap airline tickets to fly to Taiwan. They are now able to do so thanks to China Southern Airlines. This new airline is now offering plane tickets from Mainland China to Taiwan.

Continue Reading: Chinese Historic -Taiwan Flights Take Off

Flying with Babies or Toddlers

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008

Flying with babies or toddlers can be an engaging exercise. Whether it is changing diapers or keeping your kids quiet, the parents have a job on their hands during the flight. But, with some planning and preparation, you and your children can enjoy the flight without major hiccups.

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