Farting on a Flight is Okay, Researchers Find

Do you ever get extra gassy when flying, but you're afraid to fart on a plane full of passengers? Researchers say it's best to just let go.

Medical researchers did a study on in-flight flatulence. Being at a high altitude causes more gas to form in the body, but many people are too embarrassed to let go. However researchers claim it's best to get over this fear and let it rip, the New York Daily News reports.

"(Holding back) holds significant drawbacks for the individual, such as discomfort and even pain, bloating, dyspepsia (indigestion), pyrosis (heartburn) just to name but a few resulting abdominal symptoms," the researchers said, according to the Daily News.

"Moreover, problems resulting from the required concentration to maintain such control may even result in subsequent stress symptoms."
The results of the study were published in the New Zealand Medical Journal on Friday.

While the researchers are encouraging passengers to let their farts fly, they advise pilots to refrain from doing so. They concluded that it would be a safety threat for pilots to fart in the cockpit.

"On the one hand, if the pilot restrains a fart, all the drawbacks previously mentioned, including impaired concentration, may affect his abilities to control the plane," they said, according to the Daily News. "On the other hand, if he lets go of the fart, his co-pilot may be affected by its odour, which again reduces safety onboard the flight."

With passengers being encouraged to fart, planes could get a bit smelly, but the researchers have an idea to curb that issue.

"We humbly propose that active charcoal should be embedded in the seat cushion, since this material is able to neutralise the odour."

This charcoal could also be used on a person.

"Active charcoal may be used in trousers and blankets to emphasise this effect," the study said.

The researchers also took into consideration banning gassy travelers from
flying, but this idea wouldn't be practical.

The study was researched by Hans C. Pommergaard, Jakob Burcharth, Anders Fischer, William E.G. Thomas and Jacob Rosenberg. Rosenberg came up with the idea after he endured a smelly flight from Copenhagen to Tokyo.