Love the convenience of air travel, but not the annoyances that come with it? Famous frequent fliers share tips on getting on top of long haul flights, jet lag and unpalatable airline food. Shraddha Uchil reports
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What the doc prescribes
Beware of Clots: With long flights, frequent fliers are at risk of developing deep-vein thrombosis, in which blood clots are formed in your leg. These clots can travel to the chest and even cause heart attacks, so that’s something one needs to be careful about. Instead of sitting still for all those hours on an international flight, walk every one or two hours.
The Dehydration Monster: The low air pressure on a flight can cause dehydration. It’s important to keep yourself hydrated throughout the journey. Avoid consumption of alcohol and caffeine.
Eat Smart: The body’s metabolism also slows down while in the air. The solution to this is to not stuff yourself with food. It is a good idea to space out your meals, and to eat light food in small portions.
— Dr Abhay Vispute, medical director, SRVâÂÂu00c2u0080ÂÂu00c2u0088Hospital
Stay hydrated
Divya Palat, theatre personality
Flights per month: 3-4
Divya Palat with husband Aditya Hitkari
As odd as this may sound, I absolutely love flying. Right from being on a flight to exploring an airport, for me, everything is an experience. I have several ways to deal with long-haul flights and jet lag. Start by keeping yourself hydrated throughout the flight, and with only water; I’ve found juices can be dehydrating. It’s also important to get up from your seat and walk a bit every once in a while to keep your feet from swelling up. Lastly, once you arrive at your destination, fight the urge to catch a wink. Go about your activities, and sleep only at night. That’ll take care of the jet lag.
Eating right
Vicky Ratnani, chef
Flights per month: 1-2
I don’t like the food served on flights. I’ve learned to avoid the eggs; they’re almost always overcooked. In fact, I prefer to eat at an airport rather than on the flight itself. Eat a light meal before you fly, and, if there is a layover, get yourself some fresh food at the airport. Make sure you have small, light meals and consume a lot of liquids.
Sleep matters
Ravi Subramanian, author
Flights per month: 5-6
My biggest issue with travelling overseas is that, no matter what, you can’t arrive fresh at your destination. First of all, the food served on a flight isn’t fresh, and if you end up drinking some wine, it ultimately makes you feel worse. To avoid looking tired, I always check into my hotel first and freshen up, and only then head to work. It also helps that I can sleep very comfortably on a flight. While most stay up watching movies, I make it a point to catch as much sleep as I can.
Get the right seat!
Vivan Bhatena, actor and model
Flights per month: 3-4
Flying economy when you’re a tall person comes with its own set of problems. It’s a task fitting myself into the tiny seats on aircrafts, and I always end up with cramps in my legs. Unfortunately, the only solutions to this problem are either getting a seat next to the emergency exit, or getting a business class seat, for which you end up shelling out extra money.
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