Air travel is not what it used to be. Getting there is no longer half the fun. It is an exercise in survival. We’ve achieved incredible feats in aviation. Yet somehow, we have lost our way when it comes to intercontinental travel.
Flying back to Toronto from Tokyo, I looked with envy at the business class seats as I shuffled with many other annoyed passengers to the back of the craft. Then, with everyone seated, an allergic reaction to something caused serious trouble for a flight crew member, delaying departure for two hours. We sat there at the gate, squished in, wishing, praying, we were somewhere else.
It is a conundrum because travelling is important. I am convinced the world would be a better place if we all had more experience making friends in faraway places. For one thing, it’s a lot harder to bomb, starve, or otherwise destroy the lives of people if you have shared time together and understand each other.
Is there anything we can do to reverse the dehumanizing trajectory of air travel?
Airlines might be more motivated, frankly, if more people were dying because of their service, but deaths on flights are rare, around 1 per 5 million passengers. Remarkably, I have been on an international flight where this happened. We made an emergency landing in Rome, resulting in an all-night international dispute about which country would be responsible for the deceased. Trust me, you don’t want someone to die on your flight.
More of us almost dying would be the ticket, but I am not sure, because we have already become our most indecent selves as it is, and the airlines don’t seem to care. They jam us into impossibly cramped spaces. They serve horrendous food. I have seen flight attendants ignore people calling out for water, or mercy, in the rare moment they pass by.
Aviation technology has made it easier to fly across the planet but never have we all been more miserable doing it.
Physically, what happens to your body when you fly? Fluid builds up in the lower legs due to lack of movement, water retention from salty food, and lower cabin pressure. Dry cabin air causes dehydration. Jet lag disrupts sleep, digestion, and mood. Infections spread readily. Pressure in the ear and sinus cavities can be intense at take-off and landing.
It is all bad, but not bad enough to counter the economic forces driving efficiency considerations. Corporations crush social well-being, even as they pretend to care about it.
Passengers leave decent behaviours at the airport check-in curb. We cope by ignoring each other. We glue our eyes to screens. We get anxious and annoyed with every inconvenience. We don’t acknowledge the person sitting right beside us as we recline our seat into the face of the person behind us.
My flight home was made worse by turbulence that prevented the crew from providing service. We eventually got a meal, but no drinks, precisely when a little alcohol might have eased the frustration.
On the bright side, research shows it is possible to offset unhealthy circumstances with healthy behaviours. For example, following up with exercise, healthy meals and hydration, and social time with friends can blunt the negative effects of long flights, drinking excessively, or missing sleep.
I have little hope flying is going to get any better, but if travel can increase empathy and broaden perspective, then perhaps that is why, despite cramped seats, lost luggage, and endless lines, millions of people keep boarding airplanes every day. Somewhere on the other side of the discomfort is the reward of discovering the world.
This column offers opinions on health and wellness, not personal medical advice.
Stay in the loop with exclusive news, stories, and insights—delivered straight to your inbox. No fluff, just real content that matters. Sign up today!
