Doctor reveals the real reason why you fart on planes and why it's unavoidable
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@drkaranrajan/Getty/Thomas Barwick
If you've ever noticed that you are concerningly more gassy while on a plane, it turns out you're not alone.
Needing to fart while stuck on a plane in close proximity to hundreds of other people is arguably one of the worst times to let out a bottom burp.
It's hot, it's stuffy, and you're sharing the same oxygen with a large group of people for hours on end (depending on the length of your flight), so the last thing you want is to fart and have everyone suffer around you.
Advert
But your apparent flatulence on planes technically isn't your fault - unless you've eaten tonnes of Brussels sprouts before boarding your plane, that is.
Explaining why you end up notably gassier while airborne, TikTok's resident doctor, Dr Karan Rajan, took to social media and shared all.
"When you fly, the cabin pressure decreases so the air inside your intestines increases by up to 30 percent more than usual," he said.
"Since your colon has limited space and can only expand so much, a natural consequence is to release these fumes."
And while you might try hold in the deadly fart, it's likely that you'll still end up releasing some of the gasses.
Apparently this is why airlines will make sure the meals given out to passengers are low in fiber and high in carbs as it's less likely to make you bloated and gassy.
According to Dr Rajan, airlines even go as far as having charcoal filters in the air conditioning 'to absorb your sulphurous fumes' - a 2018 study even suggested that the presence of 'charcoal-equipped HEPA filters' improved the air quality.
If you're worried about your flatulence while flying, however, Dr Rajan went on to urge people to steer clear of foods like diary products, garlic, onions, seeds, and certain types of bread to before travelling.
He also recommends taking your time while eating to avoid any unnecessary air swallowing.
His sentiments on the matter come after a passenger forced a plane to turn around earlier this year after the man let one rip is someone's direction.
The man in question got into a heated discussion with another passenger over a reserved seat, sparking the man to forcibly fart at the person they were arguing with.
Eventually, the culprit ended up in a dispute with the rest of the plane and the airline chose to turn around and have him escorted off the aircraft.
Don't fart and fly, folks.