| Subject: Beware 'Economy Class Syndrome' |
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LONDON (Reuters) - A bride-to-be collapsed and died from a condition
known as ``economy class syndrome'' just minutes after getting off a
flight
from Australia to London, British newspapers reported Monday.
Emma Christofferson, 28, developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot associated with long distance flights, while traveling home to London from the Olympic Games (news - web sites) on a Qantas flight via Singapore. The Marks &Spencer sales assistant complained of feeling unwell on the last part of the 12,000-mile (19,310 km) trip and collapsed in the arrival hall at Heathrow airport. She died 10 days ago, before reaching a hospital. The condition is frequently caused by long periods spent in cramped conditions. Tightly packed seating -- such as that found in the economy class section of airliners -- can restrict movement and trigger the blood clot illness. A post mortem confirmed the cause of death as DVT, in which a blood clot in the leg works its way into the heart or lungs. Sudden death is a likely outcome. A spokeswoman for Qantas was quoted as saying: ``The safety of our passengers is always of paramount importance and we refer to the possible effects of flying in our in-flight magazine.'' It advises passengers to move their legs and feet for three or four minutes per hour to improve circulation. |