Health information

There is a range of different causes for allergies and intolerances. These cannot be completely excluded, even on board an aircraft.

On-board air filtering
So-called HEPA filters (high efficiency particulate air filters) circulate the aircraft cabin air (max. 40-50%) and add in outside air. The minimum fresh air volume and the filter outlet diameters are specified in the approval regulations for the aircraft model. This provides relief from symptoms for people with cat hair and house dust allergies.

Important information on peanut allergy
In general, Discover Airlines does not serve peanuts on its flights. Nevertheless, it cannot be guaranteed that the aircraft and food on board are absolutely free of peanuts or peanut products or that passengers may bring products containing peanuts on board. The same applies to other foods that may cause allergic reactions.

In the event of an intolerance or an allergic reaction on board, our medically trained crew has access to medication for emergency medical treatment at all times. There is also a 24-hour hotline on all Discover Airlines intercontinental flights for contacting a doctor by telephone.

If you still have any questions about your trip with regard to allergies, please contact the Medical Operation Center at medicaloperation.discover-airlines@lufthansa-group.com before your flight takes off.

Additional oxygen on board
Patients with impaired pulmonary or cardiac functions are asked to ensure that they have a supplemental oxygen supply using their own devices. The following devices are permitted on board and can be used under specific conditions:

• Personal oxygen bottles (oxygen gas/oxygen cylinder) – maximum weight 5 kg
• Portable, battery-operated oxygen concentrator (POC)

For further information and to check the suitability of the device for air travel, please contact the Medical Operation Center no later than 48 hours before departure at the email address medicaloperation.discover-airlines@lufthansa-group.com.

Before the start of your trip, please consult your treating physician about the procedures for the safety check and other potential risks. If you have a pacemaker fitted, you must present a medical certificate during the safety check.

Since the amount of insulin to be injected is linked to the meal timing, time factors play a particularly important role. The following information is relevant for persons affected by diabetes mellitus.

Please also note our instructions for taking medications with you.

Before the trip

• Talk to your doctor about the amount and type of insulin injections you need before your trip.
• You should also draw up a precise travel injection plan. That way, you know when and how much insulin you need to inject.
• Take twice the amount of medication and materials you will require on your trip (preferably in your carry-on baggage and suitcase) so that you can always fall back on a replacement in emergencies.
• For westbound flights where you cross time zones, due to the longer day, you should eat an additional meal and take an extra dose of insulin. Talk to your treating physician about this before traveling.
• In contrast, since the day is shorter on eastbound flights, it is recommended that you take less insulin accordingly. Here, too, discuss this with your doctor before you travel.

Upon arrival

• Please note that insulin should be stored in a refrigerator (+ 2 to + 8 degrees Celsius). It can be transported for up to 24 hours without being chilled, however never above a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.
• After the first night spent in your destination country, an extra blood sugar check and possibly an extra meal with carbohydrates may be recommended to provide the body with the nutrients it needs.
• If you have diarrhea and/or are vomiting, you should definitely visit a doctor at your location who will examine your hydration levels and, if necessary, readjust the insulin dose. This means that it is essential that you carry the documents needed for treatment with you abroad. Ask your doctor or health insurance company about this.

Have you arrived at your destination feeling drained and exhausted? This phenomenon is called jetlag, and people flying intercontinental routes know it all too well. Here, we will tell you about the causes and effects of jetlag and give you some general tips on what you can do about it.

Causes
Humans normally live according to a 24-hour cycle. While we are asleep, our heart and breathing rate slows down, our blood pressure drops, our muscles relax, and our mental and psychomotor performance significantly decreases.

Moving quickly from one place to another in a different time zone causes a phase shift in the human circadian rhythm. Not only is the sleep and waking cycle disrupted, but so is the regular sequence of many different bodily functions which are subject to a 24-hour pattern.

Effects
The most common consequences are fatigue and reduced responsiveness combined with problems with memory and concentration. In addition, you may suffer from fatigue, headaches and nausea caused by interrupted sleep.

The effects of the jetlag are worse on an eastbound flight than when flying towards the west. The reason for this difference is that the human “internal clock” tends towards a cycle that exceeds 24 hours, so if you fly from east to west (for example, from Germany to the USA), the day is longer - and this is more likely to match your biological cycle. The human body adapts to the new time 20% faster than on an eastbound flight (for example, from Germany to Thailand), as it “loses” several hours.

General tips to fight jet lag

During the flight

• Set your watch to the time in your destination country on board the aircraft so that you can mentally get used to the new time zone.

Upon arrival

• Try to follow the daily routine at your destination, i.e., eat at the time of day the people at your destination country eat, and don’t go to bed until the sun has set.
• Try to get enough sleep on the first night after you arrive.
• Try to avoid strenuous activities for the first two days after landing so that your body has time to get used to the new time zone.
• Avoid taking sleeping pills and melatonin, as these also disrupt the body.
• Spend as much time outdoors as you can – daylight helps the body adapt more quickly to the new environment.
• On short trips, you should maintain your home country’s day-night cycle if possible - this way, you avoid getting “double jetlag.
• If possible, stay at home for one or two days after you get back from your trip so that you can relax and get used to the daily routine at home again.

Westbound air travel

Before the trip

• A few days before your trip, try to get used to the new daily cycle by going to bed an hour or two later.
• If possible, plan to arrive around noon so that you can benefit from the brightest part of the day.
• Schedule your important appointments or meetings in the destination country at a time of day you feel most awake, i.e. in the morning after a westbound flight.

During the flight

• Try to stay awake during the flight.
• Move around and drink a lot of non-alcoholic beverages to fight the natural desire to sleep.
• Eat protein-rich foods (cheese, fish, meat, eggs, dairy products) - they help you stay awake for longer.

Upon arrival

• Do not give in to the feeling of tiredness. Instead, don’t go to sleep until the sun sets in your destination country.
• If possible, stay in a well-lit area. Light inhibits the production of the hormone melatonin; this makes you tired and prepares the body for sleep.

Eastbound air travel

Before the trip

• Try to adjust to the new daily cycle a few days before your trip, i.e., go to bed earlier and get up earlier.
• Plan important activities at a time of day when you feel the most awake, i.e., in the evening after flying eastbound.

During the flight

• Try to sleep during the flight.
• Eat foods that are high in carbohydrates (e.g., fruit, potatoes, noodles, rice, yogurt, fruit juices) – these stimulate your natural need for sleep.
• Fruit teas also promote sleep.
• Try autogenic training or relaxation exercises instead of sleeping pills.
• Avoid drinking alcohol to help make you tired, as it has a stronger effect on board the aircraft than on the ground, dries out the body and also delays the body’s adjustment to the new time zone.

When traveling to considerably hotter areas, you should bear in mind that your body needs a certain amount of time to adapt to the change in weather. This is because a sudden change in temperature, especially from cold to warm climates, puts an increased strain on your circulation.

Tips for managing a change in the weather

Before the trip

• If you visit a sauna frequently, you can train your body before a trip for the anticipated change in temperature.
• Alternating between hot and cold showers also boosts your cardiovascular system.
• Visiting a tanning bed can prepare your skin for increased exposure to the sun but does not affect your biorhythms.

Upon arrival

• If possible, wear clothing that suits the weather in your destination country as soon as you get off the plane. Remember to cover your head, especially when traveling to southern countries.
• In particular, travelers who are very overweight and patients with heart or lung conditions should avoid physical exertion in the first few days after a flight.
• Depending on the anticipated levels of humidity in your destination country, you should consciously drink fluids to help your body regulate its temperature. Here, the following applies: The drier the air, the more you need to drink.

In order to avoid difficulties with taking your medication regularly during your trip, please observe the following instructions.

Medication to be taken regularly
There may be some difficulties in taking medication regularly in relation to time changes. If you need to take medication at regular intervals, we recommend that you consult a doctor before flying across one or more time zones.

Medication in carry-on baggage
Medication packaging should be able to withstand impact, and, if possible, the medication you need should be spread across several pieces of hand luggage. It is advisable to take with you around one and a half to two times the amount you expect to take in your carry-on baggage. In exceptional cases, flights may be redirected or their departure delayed for a long time - even if you are already sitting in the aircraft. Please note that your medication cannot be refrigerated on board. Medication can be kept cool on board using ice packs or dry ice.

Going through customs with medication
When taking medication and syringes in your carry-on baggage, it is advisable to carry a medical certificate with you confirming that this is personally required medical material.

Lost medication
In the event that you lose your medication while traveling or in your destination country, you should ask your treating physician to provide you with a record of your blood group and other important health information, as well as the dosage of the medication and its generic names (non-proprietary, international non-proprietary names of drugs). It is essential that you carry the documents needed for getting prescriptions and treatment abroad with you. Ask your doctor or health insurance company about this.

The contraceptive pill
To ensure reliable contraception, it is best to take an extra pill when traveling westwards, where the day is extended by at least 6 hours. We recommend that you consult with your treating physician in advance.

Administering medication using an EpiPen™
In principle, we recommend that people with allergies and intolerances always carry their medication with them in their carry-on baggage. Our flight crew cannot administer medication using an EpiPen™ (epinephrine) autoinjector in an emergency. Children and adolescents carrying an EpiPen™ (epinephrine) autoinjector can only fly on board Discover Airlines aircraft if they are accompanied by a person who knows how to use an EpiPen™.

Travel sickness medication
As a preventive measure, you can take over-the-counter medications such as travel chewing gum, which reduces the symptoms that accompany travel sickness such as fatigue and lack of concentration. There are also drugs that suppress nausea, but, due to their potential side effects, they are prescription-only.

Occasionally, passengers experience ear pain due to the drop in air pressure in the aircraft. Below you will find valuable tips to prevent symptoms.

Possible causes of earaches on board
Cabin air pressure in commercial aircraft can drop to a level equivalent to an altitude of around 2,500 meters above sea level. This occasionally causes earaches for passengers.

Earaches occur primarily when the pressure between the middle ear and the surrounding pressure conditions cannot be equalized. Such symptoms can arise in particular with colds where there is swelling of the nose and the connecting passage between the back of the throat and the middle ear (what is known as the eustachian tube).

Take-off: less problematic
The take-off and the climb are usually not too problematic. This is because negative pressure is created in the cabin. The excess pressure in the middle ear can then be equalized relatively easily via the eustachian tube, even if you have a cold.

Landing - can be painful if you have a cold
Landing more often causes problems, because when the cabin pressure goes back up during the descent, there is a possibility that the natural equalization of pressure will be disrupted due to the mucous membranes swelling up because of a cold. This causes negative pressure in the middle ear with pressure on the eardrum, which can be painful.

You can do this to prevent ear pain
The best technique for equalizing the pressure is called the Valsalva method: Pinch your nose closed and force air into the back of your throat with your mouth closed. This forces the eustachian tube open and equalizes the pressure.

As a preventive measure, you can use a decongestant nasal spray in both nostrils about half an hour before the aircraft descends from cruising altitude. The passages that connect the paranasal sinuses to the middle ear are then unblocked and allow pressure to equalize between the external pressure conditions and the middle ear.

You can also speed up the pressure equalization by chewing. The best thing to do is to take some chewing gum with you, but you can also enhance the equalization of pressure by deliberately yawning.

If you have a severe inflammatory infection of the paranasal sinuses, you should always consult your treating physician before flying.

If you get sick quickly when flying, you probably suffer from motion sickness. You can alleviate this unpleasant feeling of nausea with the following helpful methods.

Don’t fly on an empty stomach
Don’t fly on an empty stomach, as this does not help - as is wrongly believed - against travel sickness; it actually increases it. Instead, we recommend eating light foods such as fruit, vegetables, salad, cookies, muesli bars and crackers before and during a flight, but avoid coffee, black tea, alcohol, nicotine and spicy, fatty foods.

Take Vitamin B1: It plays a key role in the transmission of nerve impulses and helps travel sufferers alleviate balance problems. The following foods contain a lot of vitamin B1: artichokes, fish, oats, brown rice, asparagus, wheat and pork.

Ginger helps with nausea in a gentle, natural way, so drink ginger tea well in advance of your flight. This will help you naturally combat your nausea without any side effects.

Choosing the right seat
Request a seat in the center section of the aisle near the wings, as this is where the aircraft’s movements are least noticeable.

If that’s not possible, make sure you have a seat by the window. If it’s a daytime flight, you can settle your queasy stomach by fixing a point on the horizon to give your sense of balance a reference point. As a result, the feeling of nausea will subside.

Find out below what the causes of a travel thrombosis can be, whether you are in the at-risk group and what you can do to prevent this type of complication during your flight.

Possible causes of travel thrombosis
Sitting without moving for long periods of time, such as on aircraft, restricts the return flow of blood to the heart, which is actively stimulated by muscle movement. This can lead to the build-up of fluids, particularly in the lower leg area. The increased pressure on the tissues then reduces the return blood flow.

In rare cases, at-risk persons may develop a blood clot on the wall of the vein, called thrombosis, which also significantly impairs the return flow of blood.

In very rare cases, part of this clot may break off and be carried into the lungs by way of the bloodstream. This can lead to serious impairment of the heart’s ability to pump if a blood vessel is blocked. This is called a pulmonary embolism, which in extreme cases can lead to sudden heart failure.

Special at-risk groups

• People over the age of 60 years
• People who have previously suffered from thrombosis
• Overweight people
• Pregnant women
• People with a malignant disease
• Women taking the pill while smoking at the same time
• People who have recently undergone surgery
• People who have a congenital clotting disorder

You can do this to prevent thrombosis
Compression socks (preferably compression tights) can significantly reduce fluid retention in the legs. These socks should also be individually fitted for people in at-risk groups.

Try to move around during the flight and make sure you drink enough during the flight to achieve a reasonable fluid balance with the dry air in the aircraft.

Limit your alcohol consumption, and do not use sleeping pills or sedatives.

We strongly recommend that particularly vulnerable people consult their treating physician. In individual cases, it may be necessary to take medication to prevent blood clots.

On the following page, we inform you about what you need to bear in mind if you are traveling during pregnancy.

If you suffer from sleep apnea and are equipped with a sleep apnea machine (CPAP device), you do not need to register the device when you travel on Discover Airlines flights. You can travel with your sleep apnea machine as you would a laptop bag, in addition to your regular carry-on baggage (max. 8 kg). If you need to use the sleep apnea machine (CPAP device) during the flight, you must register in advance via the Medical Operation Center at specialservice.discover-airlines@lufthansa-group.com. Please note that the sleep apnea machine can only be operated using batteries. It is not possible to guarantee a power supply via the on-board electrical system. Please also switch off your humidifier, if you have one. We recommend that you take the equipment description with you for possible presentation at the security checkpoints.

Further information about transporting medical devices in carry-on baggage and the requirements for transporting batteries, for example, can be found on the following page.

Anxiety or fear when on board the aircraft?
Many people cannot relax during a flight, and some even suffer from flying anxiety. Bearing in mind how safe flying really is, these are mostly irrational fears (often due to a lack of or incorrect information) that can be overcome, ideally with professional support.

Tips for fear of flying

• Try to take your flight feeling as rested as possible.
• Get to the airport well before departure to familiarize yourself with the atmosphere and situation.
• During the flight, distract yourself with conversations, by listening to music or reading, etc.
• Drink plenty of water during the flight, and avoid alcoholic drinks and beverages containing caffeine.
• Before you fly, learn some relaxation techniques (e.g., progressive muscle relaxation and breathing techniques) and use them regularly before take-off and during the flight.
• You should only take sedatives, especially psychotropic drugs such as benzodiazepines (“Valium,” “Tavor,” etc.), after consulting a doctor. This also applies to herbal supplements such as St. John’s wort and valerian.