It's
supposed to be the safest form of transport, so how come a third
of the population say they are frightened of flying?
The
trouble is that there seem to be so many things that can go
wrong:
- What if your air
traffic controller is having a bad day?
- What if the plane's
broken?
- What about deep
vein thrombosis?
- The truth is
that though there's a lot to go wrong, things hardly ever
do. Unlike most forms of transport, flying keeps getting safer.
There
is a 1 in 16 million chance of having a single fatality on a
flight. Even then it might not be you. In the vast majority
of cases, when one or more person dies on a flight, more than
half of the other passengers survive.
Plan
your escape
So
why do some people get out of crashes and not others? If your
plane needs to be evacuated in an emergency, you need to know
where the exits are. The people who get out are often the ones
who have read the safety instructions and listened to the pre-flight
briefing. They already know what to do.
Knowing
escape procedures will not help if a crash happens in mid-air.
Thankfully, this happens very rarely.
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Trust
the pros
Air
traffic control is a difficult job and most of us might find
it very stressful. However, there are lots of safeguards in
place.
We've
all had those times when we are stuck on a plane while the captain
waits for a slot to take off. It's an annoying situation, but
that's often the way that air traffic controllers keep us safe.
That's not to say things couldn't be safer. But as time goes
on and more automation takes over, the chances of mid-air collisions
and near misses should be reduced.
Deep
Vein Thrombosis or DVT
So
is there anything else you should be worrying about? Well, if
you are going on a long-haul flight, your personal health is
a potential worry.
Some
people have a predisposition for a condition called deep vein
thrombosis. This is when a blood clot forms in the deep veins
of the leg. If it doesn't disperse, it can move up into the
lungs. This is a fatal condition and has been linked to flying.
The
trouble is that you can't move about on a plane which means
that there is some chance of a clot forming. The problem can
also be exacerbated by drinking too much and sleeping in an
awkward position.
You
can help reduce the risk of developing deep vein thrombosis
by:
- lowering your
alcohol intake.
- exercising as
much as possible.
- wearing compression
stockings, which increase your circulation.
So should we worry about flying? We think not. As long as you
pay attention to safety information, exercise on long-haul flights
and watch your head when removing items from the overhead lockers,
you should be fine. Source: www.bbc.co.uk
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