Runway: the Finnair blog

Travel health is an important part of a successful trip. Finnair Aviation Physician gives his top tips on how to ensure well being while up in the air on on the road.

1. Find out any special features of the destination well in advance. Particularly when travelling to countries far away, it is a good idea to evaluate local health risks, and consider the need for vaccinations or any preventive medication.

2. Take out travel insurance. Personally, I would never travel without insurance that covers treatment and repatriation costs resulting from illness or injury on the trip.

3. Are you fit to fly? If you are unsure whether you can fly due to a medical condition, or if you would like a professional’s opinion, consult your doctor.

Limitations caused by acute or chronic illnesses can be evaluated beforehand. Such medical conditions are, for example, a recent coronary infarction or ischemic brain circulation disturbance, surgery or communicable disease. Flying can be a risk for sufferers of cardiovascular and lung diseases. If you have suffered a venous thromboembolism in the past, it is a good idea to check with your physician if you need medication for the flight.

Finnair’s web pages at www.finnair.com > International site > Travel info > Medical page offers a variety of information on flying and illnesses, pregnancy, vaccinations, first aid, exercises and reduced mobility. Your travel agent and Finnair customer service agents can provide you with more information regarding any special arrangements you might need.

4. Always pack medicines in your carry-on baggage. You might need medicine during the flight, and your checked-in luggage might not arrive with you. Customs officers on departure and arrival may have strict regulations for any “suspicious” containers, so carry any medicine you have in its original package and keep the prescription with you. Ask your doctor to give you a certificate in English that explains what your medication is for, particularly if you are carrying medicine that is administered with needles or syringes.

5. Flying with a bad cold or ear inflammation is always a risk. If you have the flu but can’t postpone your trip, take some painkillers and medicine that eases the swelling of the mucous membrane with you. Nasal sprays and drops often help with ear symptoms. The correct way to apply the drops is to lie down and drop them so far into your nose that they seem to trickle all the way down your throat. This way, the drops enter the auditory tube and help it to stay open.

You can attempt to equalize the difference in pressure between your middle ear and the surrounding air by chewing gum. Another good method is to blow air into your ears while holding your nose and keeping your mouth closed.

6. Exercise during the flight. Stretching your legs and doing a few exercises is not silly at all, but will have a profound effect on how you feel. Get up and walk up and down the aisle, particularly on long flights.

You can exercise while seated as well. Clench and unclench your fists, and rotate your wrists. Press your feet to the floor, and then lift them up. Press your palms against the seat and lift your knees to your chin, one after the other. Hold your thigh up and dangle your foot in the air. Rotate your chin from one shoulder to the other. Round your back, slide your palms to your ankles, and then straighten your back again slowly. Tense your buttocks and release.

7. Wear travel socks when flying. Especially on long flights travel socks are very useful, as their compression significantly reduces swelling and the risk of vein thromboembolism.

8. Drink plenty of water. The cabin air is dry, so make sure that you drink at least a deciliter more per hour than normally required. Alcohol, coffee and tea are best avoided due to their dehydrating effect. I don’t recommend carbonated drinks either, as they can cause intestinal gas.

9. Inform the cabin crew if you are unwell. Our cabin crew are thoroughly trained in giving first aid, and there is medical equipment on board for many kinds of situations. For example, there are painkillers, nasal drops, diarrhea medicines, wound dressings, and oxygen available for first aid situations. All Finnair’s long-haul aircraft have defibrillators on board for treating heart arrhythmia.

If you should fall seriously ill, the cabin crew on any Finnair flight can contact global medical services via satellite phone to receive expert instructions on patient care and to find out if a diversion is in order.

You are in good hands!

Olavi Hämäläinen

Finnair Aviation Physician