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If all goes well, you may be able to fly an uninterrupted 20-hour flight from London or New York to Sydney as early as October. Australian airline Qantas is currently testing "ghost flights" with 40 passengers and crew members.
This is a matter of comfort and well-being of the passengers and the crew, said in an airline statement, Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas Group: "The important thing is to reduce jet lag and create an environment conducive to a relaxing and enjoyable flight. . For the crew, this is about making scientific research the best way to promote alertness when on duty and to maximize rest time during flight. After touching the tarmac, the other test subjects will undergo various medical examinations and evaluations.
If approved, it will be the longest flights in the world, surpassing the current 17 hours of Singapore Airlines between New York and New York.
But what are the risks of very long-haul flights and can passengers do something to prevent them?
dehydration
The air humidity in the cabin is generally less than 20%, equal to the Mojave desert in California and drier than that of the Sahara. Very dry air, with a reduced oxygen content, facilitates dehydration. Sipting coffee or alcoholic beverages, which are diuretics, aggravates the problem. On short flights of three or four hours, most people do not suffer too much. However, once you arrive in long-haul territory, serious liquid losses begin to appear. In 10 hours of flight, the average woman may lose 1.6 liters of water (half a gallon), while men lose about 25% more. .
In the worst case, dehydration can cause death. It is rather improbable, even on a very long-haul flight. But less sinister effects, such as irritability, fatigue and attention deficit, are almost up to snuff. Dehydration also dries the mucous membranes, which prevents them from preventing bacterial or viral infections.
What to do
Hydrate yourself before taking the plane, then drink plenty of water throughout your flight. Avoid the seductive appeal of a free alcoholic drink and try to remember to take a bottle of water once you have passed the security.
Infection
These desiccated mucous membranes do not serve you in the midst of the coughing and stammering of other passengers. Rest assured, indeed, that recirculating the air in an airplane will probably not make you sick – even if, if you are near someone who has a runny nose for 16 or 19 hours at the same time, you are definitely at a higher risk.
What to do
Although planes are (usually) thoroughly cleaned after flights, it is not harmful to wipe surfaces such as seat belt buckles, shelves and bathrooms before using them. The hand sanitizer is your friend, as is the regular hand washing.
Deep vein thrombosis
DVT, as it is sometimes known, is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein of the body, often in the leg or thigh. Some passengers may be more prone to DVT, including those who have a family history, are overweight, have recently been pregnant, take the oral contraceptive pill or have spent a lot of time at rest. (Here are other risk factors.) The longer the flight, the greater the risk, especially if you are not traveling for long periods.
What to do
The best way to avoid DVT is to have regular walks around the cabin, as often as every two hours. If you do not feel comfortable disturbing your neighbor, you can even lift your feet and make small circles with your ankles. Compression stockings are also a useful tool, and very useful if you are prone to swelling.
Radiation
Every time you fly, you are exposed to space-emitting cosmic ionizing radiation, which has been associated with cancer and reproductive problems of the World Health Organization. For most casual passengers, this is not really a consideration. However, pilots and crew members are exposed to such a large amount of radiation that they are officially considered radiation workers by the US Centers for Disease Control.
An internal flight from one ocean to another in the United States exposes each passenger to about 0.035 mSv (3.5 mrem) of cosmic radiation, less than a single chest x-ray. So, unless you fly almost every day, it is worth worrying.
What to do
If you are a pregnant cabin crew member, consider changing schedules to avoid very long-haul flights, very high-latitude flights, or flights over the poles. During solar particle phenomena, sometimes called solar flares, radiation is particularly high, although it is unusual and often difficult to plan.
Medical emergencies
Flying forces the body. The combination of very low air pressure, oxygen and humidity is not everyone's friend, while dehydration and cramped conditions leave most people feeling quite irritable. For the elderly, or those already affected, very long-haul flights can sometimes precipitate the problem. Cardiovascular problems, such as fainting and dizziness, occur even when they are rare. They are more likely on very long flights, however. For the vast majority of people, the longest flights should be relatively safe even if you might need some recovery after takeoff.
What to do
If you already have a health problem, the environment in flight may not be ideal. Remember to talk to your doctor about the healthiest way to get to your destination, even if it means a little more time in transit.
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