Transat Travel

Tips to Stay Healthy When Flying

It’s the middle of flu season, and germs and viruses are everywhere. It’s also winter holiday season, and that means air travel, where you’re sharing a confined space with lots of people and little fresh air. So how do you make it to and from your vacation without getting sick?

Here are a few tips to help you stay healthy on your next flight.

Have a small bottle (less than 100 ml), minimum 50% alcohol-based hand sanitizer and some disinfecting wipes in your carryon, and sanitize your hands frequently.

A CBC Marketplace study in 2018 showed that the areas with most germs were headrests, seat pockets, washroom door handles, tray tables, and seat belts. Use the disinfecting wipes to sanitize these areas … fifteen seconds on hands, 30 seconds on surfaces will kill germs.

Airplane magazines and touchscreen entertainment centres are also sources of germs, so avoid them if you can. Bring your own entertainment – iPad, books, games.

Try to choose seats away from the bathrooms, and choose a window or a middle seat. More people touch the aisle seat armrests, increasing your chances of picking up a bug.

Stay hydrated. Try to drink at least 8 ounces of water for every hour on the plane. Bring your own water bottle – you can fill it up for free before takeoff.

Try not to touch your face or rub your eyes. More germs get to you via your nose and eyes than your mouth!

Keep your air vent open. A low steady flow of air aimed straight down will help keep airborne germs away from you.

Being aware of where the germs are and taking a few easy precautions like these should help you get to your destination healthy and ready to enjoy your vacation!

Transat Travel (formerly Marlin Travel) has been a recognized and trusted name in Canada for over 40 years. All our travel consultants are professionally trained, knowledgeable and experienced, and provide personalized, one-on-one attention.

Gina, Cathy, Porochista and James at Transat Travel Kerrisdale would love to help you with all your travel plans. They can be reached at (604) 263-1841.

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604-263-1841

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