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Are Americans bad flyers? Survey shows poor flying habits may be impacting performance

The effects of flying and jet lag can be far reaching: from fatigue, low concentration and irritability to swelling in the extremities, headaches and dry skin, nasal and throat membranes.

NEW YORK – Flying takes a heavy toll on Americans’ performance: according to results released from a 1Above survey conducted online in May by Harris Poll among over 2,000 U.S. adults, 81% of U.S. fliers (Americans who’ve ever flown) whose most recent flight was an hour or longer say they need one full day or more to recover after a flight. Yet results show poor hydration and flying habits abound – factors that greatly exacerbate jet lag symptoms and health risks long after each flight. 1Above, the New Zealand brand behind the flight drink designed to help people combat jet leg and arrive ready, is releasing these findings as they launch in North America this week.

Already popular across Australia and New Zealand, 1Above is now launching in the United States. Founder Roger Boyd’s mission is to introduce a healthier approach to flying to America – a market where, despite the fact that conditions on most flights are drier than the Sahara desert, people are not hydrating. Results show that 71% of U.S. air travelers whose most recent flight was at least one hour long1 did not adequately hydrate2 on their last flight. In fact, the longer the flight, the less people tend to drink.

“Flying takes its toll on our bodies, resulting in a set of symptoms that collectively most of us know as ‘jet lag.’ Yet whether we’re traveling for business or pleasure, most of us are expected to arrive at our destination ready to operate at 100%,” said Roger Boyd, founder of 1Above. “1Above was developed to dispel the misperception that jet lag is an inevitable side-effect of flying, and to help people feel better from take-off to landing and beyond. 1Above is about bringing back the love of flying, and our North American expansion brings us just another step closer to making that a reality.”

The effects of flying and jet lag can be far reaching: from fatigue, low concentration and irritability to swelling in the extremities, headaches and dry skin, nasal and throat membranes. On top of that, the risk of DVT (venous thrombosis) more than triples on long flights, and studies show you are five times more likely to catch the flu or other illness. Dehydration exacerbates these risks, as cabin air at 35,000 feet creates conditions drier than the Sahara. Yet research shows U.S. travelers remain woefully unprepared and dehydrated when flying. Consider these stats:

  • We don’t even realize the cause. Only 11% of Americans believe they experience dehydration when flying, putting the cause of their negative symptoms down to other factors. Yet 71% of air travelers whose most recent flight was at least one hour long did not drink sufficient liquids (all drinks excluding alcohol) on their last flight.
  • The longer the flight, the less we drink. On their last flight more than a third of air travelers said they did not drink any water (37%). Instead, many drank beverages that actually cause further dehydration (e.g., coffee, alcohol, soda). In fact, fliers are drinking more of these dehydrating fluids than water.
  • Eighty-one percent of American air travelers whose most recent flight was less than an hour said they need at least one day or more of recovery time after a flight before operating at their best again, and a recent Loughborough University study showed those driving dehydrated commit as many mistakes as those over the legal drunk driving limit.


Co-Founder & Chief Editor - TravelDailyNews Media Network | Website | + Posts

Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.

She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.

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