4 ms·

I don't have proof to back this up, but I strongly suspect that the fact that all flights are now exclusively non-smoking has had a big influence on that declin

by Renaud 12y ago

I don't have proof to back this up, but I strongly suspect that the fact that all flights are now exclusively non-smoking has had a big influence on that decline. I remember as a child how the smell of cigarette, coupled with the decrease sense of equilibrium that you can experience in a plane, would easily cause nausea.

gojomo 12y ago
Secondhand smoke also upsets my stomach, so I'd agree this could be a major factor. It's amazing to think smoking used to be so common in the confined plane cabin: every plane like those glass-encased "smoking areas" remaining in many airports! Moderated drinking habits probably also play a role: when flying was rarer, and a rougher ride, throwing back excessive drinks before/during/between flights may have been a bigger part of the adventure – then also boosting airsickness rates.
micheljansen 12y ago
Good point, apparently this is the case [1]. I had horrible car sickness as a child, on both trains and cars and I always thought I just grew out of it as I got older. A few weeks ago I was in the passenger seat of a heavy smoker's car and felt as sick as ever. Never realised the link. [1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21036110/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21036110/
pm90 12y ago
Interesting. By the time I was born, all flights were non-smoking, so I've never ever seen anyone smoke on flights.
joezydeco 12y ago
My wife has flown overseas every year to Europe (since she was a newborn) to visit family. She got violently airsick every single flight and nobody could figure out why. Then when the international flights went non-smoking, the nausea stopped. She's 100% convinced it was the smoke. Even sitting in the "non-smoking area" got a constant wave of second-hand smoke that wafted around.
lordbusiness 12y ago
I'll second this as my own anecdotal experience. I rate the primary cause to be cleaner and fresher air, perhaps about 90% of the problem solved. I'd say the last 10% is that airlines are smarter about dealing with turbulence.

by Renaud 12y ago

gojomo 12y ago

Secondhand smoke also upsets my stomach, so I'd agree this could be a major factor. It's amazing to think smoking used to be so common in the confined plane cabin: every plane like those glass-encased "smoking areas" remaining in many airports! Moderated drinking habits probably also play a role: when flying was rarer, and a rougher ride, throwing back excessive drinks before/during/between flights may have been a bigger part of the adventure – then also boosting airsickness rates.

micheljansen 12y ago

Good point, apparently this is the case [1]. I had horrible car sickness as a child, on both trains and cars and I always thought I just grew out of it as I got older. A few weeks ago I was in the passenger seat of a heavy smoker's car and felt as sick as ever. Never realised the link. [1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21036110/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21036110/

pm90 12y ago

Interesting. By the time I was born, all flights were non-smoking, so I've never ever seen anyone smoke on flights.

joezydeco 12y ago

My wife has flown overseas every year to Europe (since she was a newborn) to visit family. She got violently airsick every single flight and nobody could figure out why. Then when the international flights went non-smoking, the nausea stopped. She's 100% convinced it was the smoke. Even sitting in the "non-smoking area" got a constant wave of second-hand smoke that wafted around.

lordbusiness 12y ago

I'll second this as my own anecdotal experience. I rate the primary cause to be cleaner and fresher air, perhaps about 90% of the problem solved. I'd say the last 10% is that airlines are smarter about dealing with turbulence.