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This Man Didn't Get Up Once (or Use the Bathroom) on a 17-Hour Flight

June 04, 2018
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2 min read
Qantas 787-9
This Man Didn't Get Up Once (or Use the Bathroom) on a 17-Hour Flight
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Can you think of a more miserable travel experience than subjecting yourself to being on an aircraft for 17 hours straight?

Well, one person has managed to make a 17-hour nonstop flight all the more unbearable. A man on Qantas' ultra long-haul flight from Perth (PER) to London (LHR) was found to not have moved from his seat once during the 17-hour flight.

Researchers from the University of Sydney were conducting a study on the effects of jet lag during long-haul flights. They outfitted passengers with devices attached to wrists and thighs to measure their movements during the flight, but found that one man didn't move for the entire journey.

''The one thing we couldn't believe was how little [he] moved. One subject took zero steps,'' Professor Stephen Simpson of the University of Sydney told the New Zealand Herald.

Surprised researchers checked if the equipment were faulty, but Simpson said it appeared to be working properly.

That means the man stayed in his seat for the entirety of the second-longest flight in the world. It's unclear how a person could go that long without using the restroom or stretching, although the passenger was seated in business class, which probably helped. He would have been in one of Qantas' lie-flat suites on its Boeing 787-9.

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The initial pilot survey of 20 passengers on the Kangaroo route actually gave the Dreamliner high marks for its ability to combat jet lag. On a scale of one to eight, passengers' average rating was only a 2.2 out of eight for jet-lag severity. The 787 Dreamliner was crafted to dampen some of jet lag's effects — its cabin's pressured to 6,000 feet and holds humidity better, helping minimize dehydration that occurs on flights.

Simpson said that those who tried to fight jet lag by repeatedly moving during the flight ended up feeling worse by the end of their travels. Participants who led healthy lives and kept to their sleep cycles were more likely to feel better when they landed.

Featured image by Tim Stake

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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