My wife and I are flying from Heathrow to Sydney next month via Dubai on Emirates, taking 22 hours. We’re really concerned about jet-lag. Any tips to mitigate the problem? — Name withheld
Aviation brings many benefits but jet-lag is an unwelcome side-effect. Human beings are not adept at dealing with crossing multiple time zones in a short space of time. Some of the most extreme cases are between the UK and Australasia.
The 1.35pm Emirates flight from Heathrow touches down at Dubai shortly after midnight, local time, with a short connection before the onward service to Sydney. You arrive in Australia’s largest city at 10.30pm the following day, corresponding to 11.30am in London. So while Sydneysiders are going to bed, you are working up an appetite for lunch.
In my experience there is no point in fighting against your body’s sense of timing — if you need a mid-afternoon nap, then treat yourself; if you’re wide awake at 5am then explore the city at dawn.
Next time, a couple of stopovers is the best way to limit the damage. Even if you need to reach Australia quickly, time your flights carefully. Take a late-morning departure from Heathrow to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. You arrive at around 7am — perfect timing for hitting the streets. Sightsee, shop and eat all day before heading back to the airport for an overnight flight. You’ll arrive in Australia at dawn — not fully adjusted but well on the way.
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