Bugs take flight (From Haringey Independent)

Bugs take flight

10:18am Friday 18th July 2008 in

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At the time of writing I’m hurtling through the air in a glorified tin can.

The air is cool and recycled - it feels artificial as it seamlessly hits the back of my throat.

I’m trying not to think about how many different passengers aboard this flight this air has already passed through. With such a thought in mind find myself flinching at every cough, sneeze or yawn that I hear around me.

I know it’s petty, but the last thing I want to take from my holiday is a virus caught in the plane - the Petri-dish of infection. I ought to stop thinking about it really… the nocebo affect and all that.

Despite my ridiculous angst, I quite enjoy the flying process. Sitting here, observing the cabin crew, passengers and the view from the window, I find it hard to be anxious. Some people’s fear of flying means they cope with travel by taking sedatives (either prescribed by a doctor or prescribed by the air steward with the drinks trolley), travelling by ulterior means, or avoiding travel at all.

My fear is different - understanding the statistics and knowing my chances of dying in a crash are extremely insignificant is enough for me. I can deal with that, so I won’t avoid flying. I’ll just board the plane holding my breath, and I won’t stop doing so until I’m outside. Or at least I’ll try.

Maybe it’s just me. But all flights, probably universally, follow a simple infrastructure. There is always at least one baby on board, and they always cry. There is always someone with a horrendous cough/cold (four or five by the time the plane has landed) and there is always a pretty air stewardess being nagged by a fat bloke with a big ego trying his luck. There is always one drunk person and always a man in suit reading a John Grisham novel.

I find comfort in this - the routine check in and wander about duty free, the familiarity of the whole process; even if it’s only one’s second ever flight, it’s very likely to be much the same as the first. Although tedious and time consuming, I find it almost therapeutic - one of the few times I can spend with just my thoughts for company.

Ok need to go, the seatbelt sign has just come on and my computer could apparently make this plane crash.