People like to talk stories; particularly, stories they don’t fully understand or they stand in awe of. They love to relate unrelated things and present them like reality. These stories are transmitted by word-of-mouth as indisputable facts, and without any rational thinking, people accept them for truths although they are absolute myths.
The same happens with some popular air travel myths that have been passed around without any critical questioning. Yet, the last thing you would like to happen to you is to get trapped in a common air travel myth and possibly reduce your air travel.
- Myth: Cabin air can be responsible for the proliferation of colds and flu viruses
Many passengers suggest that the cabin air is not recycled properly, encouraging the breeding of flu viruses. This statement could be true, but there is no scientific proof to support it. Cabin air in modern airplanes is drawn from the external atmosphere when the aircrafts fly in big heights. Normally, the air, about 50% from the exterior and 50% recycled after having passed from the filters, enters at the top of the cabin and cleans the old air. Then, the ventilation system keeps the air from flowing back and forth in the plane and limits it to the immediate row, before it exits through grilles in the cabin floor.
As the process of recycling cabin air is pretty expensive, requiring big quantities of fuel, there are suggestions that many airlines recycle the air that already exists in the cabin, drawing much less than 50% of the external atmosphere. Therefore, if one passenger has the flu, remainder passengers breathe the air that is already in the cabin, increasing the risk of getting the flu virus.
- Myth: Using electronic devices interfere with the airplane’s instruments
Passengers are kindly requested to deactivate their cell phones and any portable electronic devices such as laptops, PlayStation Portable (PSP), and iPods. Electronic signals emitted from these devices can cause problems to the sensitive instruments in the cockpit. In the absence of scientific proof, this is another travel myth.
In effect, the Service of Civil Aviation has conducted tests in the airplane system with electronic devices such as laptops, iPods and Game Boy games. The tests have shown that, over the last 25 years, the interference of radiofrequencies of these electronic devices are increased by 100 times more over the regular levels and in distances smaller than one meter from the sensitive electronic systems of the cockpit without causing the slightest problem. No associations have been detected between the use of electronic devices and interferences in the governing system of an airplane. So, the plane will definitely won’t fall if you sms your friend. The warning is probably a good way to get passengers concentrate on takeoff and landing procedure.
- Myth: You get full compensation if your flight is delayed or cancelled, including compensation for hotel accommodation and any other expenses incurred
This myth is half true. If the cancellation is the airline’s responsibility they will re-route you to your final destination as soon as possible, but with no legal obligation from their end. Normally, you will be offered the next available flight and you will be compensated.
However, if the flight was delayed or cancelled due to force majeure, you are not entitled to any type of compensation. Typically, force majeure includes natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, or earthquakes, terrorist attacks or wars, employee strikes, server failures, software glitches and similar situations. Instead, a mechanical problem is the airline’s responsibility and compensation is due.
In any case, don’t expect that you will be refunded for everything if you miss your flight for any reason that is not your responsibility. The best thing to do is to purchase a cancellation insurance that possibly covers cases that otherwise are not covered. You should always be prepared for the worst case scenario when it comes to compensation.
- Myth: Airport X-rays are harmful for computer media
Many people believe that their laptops or floppy disks will be damaged if put through the airport X-ray machines. In fact, this is absolutely wrong. Airport X-rays pose no threat on laptop disks because they are not magnetic. This means they are as dangerous as your visible light, microwaves and radio waves. If you put your laptop in the microwave it will be damaged, but this is because the energy levels in a microwave are high. Airport X-rays have much lower energy levels than those required to produce damaging heat. Besides, research shows that the radiation released from the X-ray detecting hardware is 10% of the radiation used in the medical machines.
- Myth: if you flush the airplane toilet while sitting, you might get stuck to the toilet seat
Sometime ago, a woman got stuck to the toilet while flying with Scandinavian Airlines. Since then, there is an ongoing rumor that if you flush the airplane toilet while sitting, you might get stuck to the toilet seat. This is a myth. First of all, you should never SIT on any toilet, other than your home toilet. You never know what kind of viruses you may end up carrying after visiting the plane toilet. But even if you sit, there is absolutely no reason to be afraid of getting injured if you flush while sitting. No airplane toilet is so strong to hold a human body down, no matter how powerful the suction sounds.
Ah, myths, myths, myths. No matter if you believe them or not, if in the back of your head you have second thoughts about how reliable they are, do not let myths deprive you from traveling. Air travel can be an exhilarating experience and you owe that to yourself. Welcome aboard!
Christina Pomoni has acquired her MBA Finance from the American College of Greece. Her advanced familiarity with financial statement analysis, capital budgeting and market research has been acquired through her professional career at high-esteemed organizations. As part of her long journey, Christina has served as an Equity Research Associate at Telesis Securities (EFG Eurobank) and a Financial & Investment Advisor at ING Group. Besides, having lived at Chicago, IL, Boca Raton, FL and Paris, France has helped her, not only to be a successful professional, but mostly to see life under a more creative and innovative perspective.
Since 2005, Christina provides high quality writing services to numerous websites and research companies contributing her knowledge and expertise. Her areas of specialization are Business, Finance & Investment, Society, Politics & Culture. She also has a very good knowledge of Entertainment, Health & Fitness and Computers & Technology.
Christina currently designs the website of her own writing company. Believing that knowledge is the road to opportunity and development, her mission is to promote her already established knowledge to a growing number of visitors and to provide high quality writing services to meet the most demanding customer requirements.
Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/the-top-air-travel-myths-1646306.html
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