Debate Erupts Over Flight Attendant's Viral UV Radiation Warning for Air Travelers

A recent social media post by a flight attendant has ignited a debate among travelers and medical professionals regarding the risks of UV radiation exposure during flights. The video, shared by user Aislinn |Fitness&Flying, claims that "60 minutes in the window seat on a flight has as much UV radiation as 20 minutes in a tanning bed." The post further suggests that cabin crew and pilots are "double as likely to get skin cancer," urging passengers to "ALWAYS wear sunscreen on the plane and/ or close your window shades if sitting in the window seat!" The claims have been met with skepticism and strong rebuttals in the comments section. One user, citing the Cancer Council of Australia, stated, "This is absolute nonsense. The Cancer Council of Australia confirms that you have no idea what you're talking about." Another commenter, identifying as a former x-ray technician, highlighted the relatively low radiation exposure on flights compared to medical procedures, noting, "LGA-LAX is 0.04mSv. Chest x-ray is 0.1mSv." Several users also pointed out that most airplane windows are equipped with UV blockers, preventing significant exposure to harmful rays. While the video has garnered over 280,000 views and thousands of likes, the conflicting information underscores the importance of verifying health claims, especially those circulating on social media. Experts generally agree that while cosmic radiation exposure is a concern for frequent flyers and crew, the UV radiation passing through modern airplane windows is largely filtered, making the comparison to tanning beds highly debatable.

Mail Online

one month ago

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