A group of medical specialists has provided an answer to a
dilemma that has faced flyers since the Wright brothers took to the air in 1903
- is it okay to fart mid-flight?
The experts' recommendation is an emphatic yes to airline
passengers -but a warning to cockpit crews that breaking wind could distract
the pilot and pose a safety risk.
The study concluded that anecdotal evidence that flying
increases flatulence is not hot air, finding that changes in air pressure at
altitude result in the gut producing more gas.
When Danish gastroenterologist Jacob Rosenberg encountered
the malodorous problem first-hand on a flight from Copenhagen to Tokyo, he
enlisted some of the finest minds in his field to address the issue.
How the study was
done
The result was an in-depth review of scientific literature
on flatulence, looking at issues such as whether women's farts smell worse than
men's (yes), what causes the odour (sulphur) and how often the average person
passes wind every day (10).
The bottom line, according to the 3 000-word study published
in the New Zealand Medical Journal on Friday, is that airline passengers should
ignore the social embarrassment of breaking wind and "just let it
go".
"(Holding back) holds significant drawbacks for the
individual, such as discomfort and even pain, bloating, dyspepsia
(indigestion), pyrosis (heartburn) just to name but a few resulting abdominal
symptoms," the study found.
"Moreover, problems resulting from the required
concentration to maintain such control may even result in subsequent stress
symptoms."
Benefits outweighed
any negative impact
The authors - five gastroenterologists from Denmark and
Britain - said that while passengers may experience poor service from the cabin
crew as a result of their decision, the health benefits outweighed any negative
impacts. However, they said the cockpit crew faced a lose-lose situation.
"On the one hand, if the pilot restrains a fart, all
the drawbacks previously mentioned, including impaired concentration, may
affect his abilities to control the plane," the researchers said.
"On the other hand, if he lets go of the fart, his
co-pilot may be affected by its odour, which again reduces safety onboard the
flight."
The authors canvassed a number of solutions to the issue of
flight-induced flatulence, including using methane breath tests to screen
wind-prone passengers from flights, but rejected them as impractical.
They did, however, note that the textile covers used on
seats in economy class absorbed up to 50 percent of odours because they are gas
permeable, unlike the leather seats in first class.
They suggested airlines could improve the odour-eating
properties of the seats and issue special blankets and trousers to passengers
to minimise mid-air flatulence.
"We humbly propose that active charcoal should be
embedded in the seat cushion, since this material is able to neutralise the
odour," they said.
"Moreover active charcoal may be used in trousers and
blankets to emphasise this effect."
Air New Zealand declined to comment when asked if it would
adopt such measures.
AFP