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Information about health
Our passengers’ health and comfort is of utmost importance to us. Therefore it is important that you are well-aware of any issues that may concern your health before and when travelling.
1. Pregnancy
If you are pregnant it is important to know if you are able to travel by plane.
If you have a normal pregnancy, meaning you don’t have any complications and are carrying one fetus, you can travel by air until the 35th gestation week and until the 32nd week if you are expecting twins. In any case, you must obtain a certification from your obstetrician. The certification must state that you were examined, face no complications and are allowed to travel by air. Above all, your gestation week must be stated, along with the estimated date of delivery. This certification must be issued 4 days at the earliest before the scheduled date of your flight.
If you are pregnant it is important to know if you are able to travel by plane.
If you have a normal pregnancy, meaning you don’t have any complications and are carrying one fetus, you can travel by air until the 35th gestation week and until the 32nd week if you are expecting twins. In any case, you must obtain a certification from your obstetrician. The certification must state that you were examined, face no complications and are allowed to travel by air. Above all, your gestation week must be stated, along with the estimated date of delivery. This certification must be issued 4 days at the earliest before the scheduled date of your flight.
2. Medical Information
Even though flying is considered to be the best way of travelling, due to the particular circumstances of flying, it is possible that during the flight, especially if it is a long-one, you might feel some kind of light discomfort.
In case you are a coronary, pulmonary, cerebrovascular or anemic patient the reduction in aircraft cabin pressure can cause distress and/or exacerbation of your illness. Therefore you are strongly advised to contact you physician before travelling and take any necessary precautions.
Here are some tips which will allow you to enjoy your flight and avoid any discomfort.
Fear of flying
Airplanes are considered to be the safest means of transport. However, there are many people who are afraid of flying and become very distressed during a flight.
Although fear of flying is a phobia in itself, it is often associated with other phobias, such as claustrophobia, acrophobia, agoraphobia, fear of losing control, etc. The most usual symptoms are sweating, quick heart rate, short breath, feeling of nausea, loss of appetite.
The following tricks can help you deal with your fear:
Earache
Your ears might ache or feel discomfort due to the changes in the cabin’s air pressure, especially during landing. Therefore, if you feel discomfort in your ears, try swallowing repeatedly or chewing gum.
Pretending to yawn will help a lot too, or you can try pinching your nose closed and, with your mouth closed as well, blow the air, as if you were exhaling through your nose. All the above contribute towards unblocking your Eustachian tubes and equalizing the air pressure within the ear with the air pressure outside.
In case you have a cold, it would be advisable to use a nasal spray 20 minutes before landing.
If you are escorting young children, it helps if you can give them something to eat during landing. This way they may chew and swallow repeatedly and facilitate air pressure equalisation.
Dehydration
Today’s aircrafts have very low cabin humidity. This is unavoidable because the air at high altitude is practically devoid of moisture. As a result, there can be a drying effect of airway passages (nose and throat), the cornea (particularly under contact lenses), and the skin.
Therefore, during and before the flight, you should:
Dizziness - Nausea
Passengers, who often feel dizziness and nausea when travelling, should know that this may be caused by movement when there is no simultaneous view of the horizon or of a steady point of reference. Dizziness occurs due to the feeling of imbalance caused by mismatch of sensory input; its main symptoms are nausea, vertigo and exhaustion.
If you often feel dizzy and nauseous when travelling, you are advised to take certain precautionary measures, such as:
Smokers
Smoking is not permitted on our flights.
The hazards of cigarette smoking, active and passive, are well known to everyone. Banning in-flight smoking has resulted in the vast improvement in cabin air quality and commensurate crew and passenger comfort.
For passengers with the potential for in-flight nicotine withdrawal symptoms, using nicotine gum or patches might be considered.
Even though flying is considered to be the best way of travelling, due to the particular circumstances of flying, it is possible that during the flight, especially if it is a long-one, you might feel some kind of light discomfort.
In case you are a coronary, pulmonary, cerebrovascular or anemic patient the reduction in aircraft cabin pressure can cause distress and/or exacerbation of your illness. Therefore you are strongly advised to contact you physician before travelling and take any necessary precautions.
Here are some tips which will allow you to enjoy your flight and avoid any discomfort.
Fear of flying
Airplanes are considered to be the safest means of transport. However, there are many people who are afraid of flying and become very distressed during a flight.
Although fear of flying is a phobia in itself, it is often associated with other phobias, such as claustrophobia, acrophobia, agoraphobia, fear of losing control, etc. The most usual symptoms are sweating, quick heart rate, short breath, feeling of nausea, loss of appetite.
The following tricks can help you deal with your fear:
- Arrive at the airport early, in order to become accustomed to the circumstances and the atmosphere.
- During the flight, try to be calm and breathe normally.
- Keep your mind busy by listening to music or reading.
- If you begin to feel unwell, breathe deeply and slowly, inhaling through your nose. Hold your breath for a while, and exhale slowly. Repeat these steps, until you feel better.
- Do not hesitate to ask for the cabin crew’s assistance. At any time you deem necessary, take any natural or pharmaceutical product with a calming effect, following your doctor’s recommendation or prescription.
Earache
Your ears might ache or feel discomfort due to the changes in the cabin’s air pressure, especially during landing. Therefore, if you feel discomfort in your ears, try swallowing repeatedly or chewing gum.
Pretending to yawn will help a lot too, or you can try pinching your nose closed and, with your mouth closed as well, blow the air, as if you were exhaling through your nose. All the above contribute towards unblocking your Eustachian tubes and equalizing the air pressure within the ear with the air pressure outside.
In case you have a cold, it would be advisable to use a nasal spray 20 minutes before landing.
If you are escorting young children, it helps if you can give them something to eat during landing. This way they may chew and swallow repeatedly and facilitate air pressure equalisation.
Dehydration
Today’s aircrafts have very low cabin humidity. This is unavoidable because the air at high altitude is practically devoid of moisture. As a result, there can be a drying effect of airway passages (nose and throat), the cornea (particularly under contact lenses), and the skin.
Therefore, during and before the flight, you should:
- drink plenty of water and fruit juices
- use hydrating creams/lotions to moisturize your skin
- avoid wearing contact lenses
- avoid drinking alcohol* or caffeinated beverages (*All Hellenic Imperial Airways flights have non-alcoholic wines and beverages, supporting a healthy lifestyle and preventing our passengers from any discomfort caused by the consumption of alcohol during flights.)
Dizziness - Nausea
Passengers, who often feel dizziness and nausea when travelling, should know that this may be caused by movement when there is no simultaneous view of the horizon or of a steady point of reference. Dizziness occurs due to the feeling of imbalance caused by mismatch of sensory input; its main symptoms are nausea, vertigo and exhaustion.
If you often feel dizzy and nauseous when travelling, you are advised to take certain precautionary measures, such as:
- have a light meal before and during the flight – your stomach should be neither full, nor empty
- avoid excess liquids, high fat, spicy or gas-forming foods
- direct cool ventilated air onto the face
- request a window seat, preferably over the wing
- look outside the window to the horizon, or at a steady visual reference point
- use medication recommended for this condition by your doctor, or another non-prescription aid.
Smokers
Smoking is not permitted on our flights.
The hazards of cigarette smoking, active and passive, are well known to everyone. Banning in-flight smoking has resulted in the vast improvement in cabin air quality and commensurate crew and passenger comfort.
For passengers with the potential for in-flight nicotine withdrawal symptoms, using nicotine gum or patches might be considered.
3. Alcohol
As part of promoting a healthy lifestyle, as well as increasing safety on board, Hellenic Imperial Airways does not serve any alcoholic beverages. Instead we offer our passengers the option of delicious non-alcoholic wines and drinks, which give you all the flavour of your favourite drinks without any of the disadvantages of consuming alcohol during a flight.
Why shouldn’t I consume alcohol during the flight?
As part of promoting a healthy lifestyle, as well as increasing safety on board, Hellenic Imperial Airways does not serve any alcoholic beverages. Instead we offer our passengers the option of delicious non-alcoholic wines and drinks, which give you all the flavour of your favourite drinks without any of the disadvantages of consuming alcohol during a flight.
Why shouldn’t I consume alcohol during the flight?
- Understand that your blood oxygen level decreases in flight, so the concentration of one glass worth of wine is heavier than on the ground. While a gin and tonic may not make you loopy at home, it will likely have the effect of one and a half or even two cocktails in the air. Besides the effects that this may have on your physical state, this can also influence your mental state of mind which is possibly to cause displeasure to other passengers.
- Alcohol can also increase sensitivity of the vestibular system, which causes dizziness and nausea. Susceptible individuals should avoid alcohol for 24 h prior to their flight as well.
- Another effect of alcohol is its natural tendency to act as a diuretic while on the ground or in the air. Diuretics will increase blood flow through the kidney causing more water to filter out. Your urine production goes up; your water volume goes down. Avoid alcohol and caffeine to keep your kidney in check.
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