What practices do airlines apply to avoid jet lag?

What practices do airlines apply to avoid jet lag? - Gray Airliner

A lot has been written about ways to avoid jet lag. My question is what practices airlines adopt to assist travellers with this on long-distance flights, e.g. serve meals at certain times, dim cabin lights, only display the local time at the destination etc.

Is this something airlines take into consideration?

My experience is that it differs a lot between airlines. For example, I flew with British Airways recently (London-Singapore return). They served dinner shortly after departure and breakfast shortly before arrival and kept interaction with the passengers to a bare minimum (no snacks, no drinks unless you asked for them etc.) for the rest of the flight (which is quite a long time). They also dimmed the cabin lights for most of the flight and in hindsight, all these factors may have played a role to minimize the signs of jet lag for me.

Update 20.10.2019: Qantas is performing some research in this area.



Best Answer

I've never seen any indication that jet-lag has even the slightest consideration in cabin service, other than letting passenger sleep through all services if they choose to.

Consider, not all passengers are at risk of jet-lag. A day trip NYC<->LON will not have a significant effect on most people.

Your experience with BA is fairly typical, though you should see FAs a bit more often on day flights since most passengers would be awake anyway. Sleeping passengers require little attention. You can always hit the call button.




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Quick Answer about "What practices do airlines apply to avoid jet lag?"

  • Start to shift before the trip. Gradually move mealtimes and bedtime closer to the schedule of your destination. ...
  • Keep well hydrated. Mild dehydration is common when traveling by air — and being dehydrated worsens the physical symptoms of jet lag. ...
  • Switch as rapidly as possible.


How do you prevent jet lag on a plane?

A few basic steps may help prevent jet lag or reduce its effects:
  • Arrive early. ...
  • Get plenty of rest before your trip. ...
  • Gradually adjust your schedule before you leave. ...
  • Regulate bright light exposure. ...
  • Stay on your new schedule. ...
  • Stay hydrated. ...
  • Try to sleep on the plane if it's nighttime at your destination.


  • How do airline pilots deal with jet lag?

    Drink at least two litres of water on a flight, and have bottled water throughout your stay, taking frequent sips. Dehydration often follows jet-lag and adds to the risk of headaches and diarrhoea. 3. If travelling east, sleep for at least two hours as soon as you get in if you can.

    What is the best method to jet lag?

    8 tips to get over it
  • Adapt quickly to your new time zone. When you arrive at your destination, try to forget your old time zone as quickly as possible. ...
  • Manage sleep time. ...
  • Drink water. ...
  • Try light. ...
  • Drink a caffeinated beverage. ...
  • Keep your sleeping space comfortable. ...
  • Try melatonin. ...
  • Use medications.


  • How can we avoid the negative effects of jet lag?

    Ways to reduce jet lag
  • drink plenty of water.
  • keep active by stretching and regularly walking around the cabin.
  • try to sleep if it's night time at your destination.
  • use an eye mask and earplugs if they help you sleep.




  • 14 Pro Tips to Avoid Jet Lag | Travel Hacks




    Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

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