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Travel + Fun

16th Apr 2018

New study reveals how you can avoid getting sick while on a plane

Olivia Hayes

We’ve all been there.

Many of us will be jetting away on holiday in the next few months, and while we love arriving at our destination, there’s always the trouble of getting there.

Some people love the time spent on a plane in the anticipation of the holiday, while others completely dread it… mostly because they can feel queasy and even sometimes get sick.

Yep, we’ve all seen (or been the ones) looking for a puke bag at the end of a rocky landing. Not a great feeling to start off your holiday with, right?

And even more so, getting a cold or flu halfway through your holiday after coming into contact with a sick flyer is even worse. And don’t even talk about the kids being sick!

Image result for feeling ill gif

Well, new research has found that there are a few tricks you can do to avoid illness.

The study found that you should get yourself a window seat and try to stay put for the duration of the flight. By doing both, you’ll minimise your chances of feeling queasy AND you’ll stay away from sick people on the plane.

While it does sound a bit obvious, the research found that as many as 11 people can become ill by just one sick person.

On ten domestic flights, the researchers monitored the passengers and crew members on board which is a total of 1,540 passengers and 41 crew members.

Gray Plane Wing

People sitting on a aisle seat had contact with around 64 people on each flight. People sitting in the middle had contact with 58 people, and those sitting beside a window would only come into contact with 12.

The researchers also made note that if you are sick and have to fly, there are a few ways you can avoid getting other people ill.

“Sneeze into your elbow, use good hand hygiene, and turn on your air vent. That will send the droplets straight to the floor,” says Vicki Stover Hertzberg, lead author of the study.

Might be time to make sure you get yourself a window seat, huh?