'Unhealthy' flights criticised

The amount of legroom on flights is causing concern

Airlines are being criticised by the House of Lords for failing to warn long-haul passengers about the risks they face by flying.

A report by the Lords' science and technology committee recommends that health warnings should be issued to travellers about potentially fatal blood clots.

Anita Cox, who lives in Glasgow, says more should be done by the air industry to protect passengers.

She tested positive for tuberculosis after sitting near a fellow traveller with infectious TB.

I believe air filters should be changed regularly, I don't think they are changed regularly because of the costs involved

Anita Cox

Ms Cox believes conditions inside the aircraft helped transfer the disease.

Ms Cox, who has recovered from her illness, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland: "The airline should make a point of making people who are going to infect other people on a plane wear a mask.

"They do it in Japan, when people have colds they are made to wear masks.

"I also believe air filters should be changed regularly, I don't think they are changed regularly because of the costs which are involved."

The Lords' report says airlines have been slow to respond to public concerns about the risk of blood clots and fears about ventilation and air quality.

The condition, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), is a serious risk to public health.

Leg-room concerns

Previous studies have linked it to long-distance flights as it can be caused by sitting in one place for long periods.

The report, Air Travel and Health, raises concerns about the amount of leg-room available on flights - but concludes that first-class and business-class passengers are also at risk.

Baroness Wilcox, a member of the committee, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We certainly were disturbed by the amount of anecdotal evidence around and we decided we would try to separate fact from fiction.

Emma Christoffersen: Died after flight

"It really is time now to start looking at the health, not only of the passengers, but also of the crew, for the many, many journeys we do make more and more often around the world on long-haul flights.

"People sitting in cramped conditions is not good for us on any form of transport, so we will be looking for better ways of keeping yourself active and mobile, even if you can't get past the trolley."

A report from London-based consultant surgeon John Scurr - due to be published in The Lancet next month - is likely to suggest that as many as one in 10 passengers suffers from what has become known as "economy class syndrome".

Water and exercise

Chaired by Baroness Wilcox and Lord Winston, the committee calls for government-funded research on a much larger scale.

Airlines are also told to advise passengers on the precautions they can take - drinking plenty of water and exercising - during the flight.

Some airlines already suggest passengers exercise during long flights - but it can be hard for economy travellers who are more tightly-packed in than customers towards the front of the aircraft.

The inquiry comes the month after bride-to-be Emma Christoffersen, 28, collapsed and died from DVT minutes after stepping off a 20-hour flight from Australia.

Her parents, Ruth and John Christoffersen, have urged long-haul airline operators to give pre-flight warnings of the dangers of DVT to passengers.

The committee also calls for better standards to reduce the risk to passengers and crew of infection from poor ventilation and air quality.