Monthly Archive: December 2024

Turbulence, Avoidance and Legalities

Turbulence is becoming a real issue flying, especially on long haul flights where there’s more chance of it happening. I won’t get into the scientific or technical explanation of how and why turbulence happens and whether it is exacerbated by climate change, etc. I’m more interested whether the passengers aboard flights can be notified visually of bad weather (and the possibility of turbulence) instead of being warned by a chime and a seat belt sign lighting up. Before take off the captain or co-pilot make an announcement—the one where they welcome you on board and give some general info on the flight including if there’s chance of bad weather or turbulence, etc.,—is the only time, except when required during the flight, the cockpit makes...

Medicines: Preparing for the Unexpected

A recent trip to Europe made me realise my lack of planning regarding health and whether I should have taken any medications with me as a precaution. Of course I was super confident I’d be fine and thought I’d be immune from any of the usual nasties, like a cold, a sore throat, etc. What made me think this way? Well, throughout the “COVID-19 pandemic” I was fine. No colds, no sore throats, no fevers and no coughs, etc. I did get something but didn’t get tested to see whether it was COVID or not. It did feel different and it wasn’t like any cold or influenza (which I haven’t had for probably 30 years) so it made me think this has to be...

Plus Size People on a Plane

Every now and then a post or video crops up on social media, whether parody or serious, about being large bodied or overweight and how this affects them (and to a lesser extent others) while flying in Economy Class. There’s a recent video I happen to catch on X of a woman having a whinge. Hard to say if she was serious or it was tongue in cheek. A mild mannered one anyhow. She goes on, “I’m plus-size and on a plane”…then demonstrates the difficulties she has to face starting with the tray table saying, “of course I can’t put the tray table down”. Then goes on about having to have the smallest member of her family (little boy) sit adjacent in the middle...