The study, published earlier this month in The Lancet medical journal, found tiny clots in the calf veins of about 10 percent of passengers who flew for more than eight hours. None of the clots in the study became a problem. Reports of passengers dying from clots after long flights have mounted recently, leading to speculation that the flights could be to blame. I don't believe this is a problem related to the airplane or the airline,'' said the study's lead investigator Dr. John Scurr, a vascular surgeon at London's Middlesex Hospital. Experts estimate that every year, about one in 1,000 people is diagnosed with blood clots in leg veins.
Clots occur when circulation slows, usually when people stay still for too long.
This is really about a change in our habits. There has been a general realization recently that people get on planes, drink far too much and just sleep - all bent up. Write a letter to the editor .