I agree with TransWorldOne and TA. At high altitude, your body is exposed to massive amounts of radiation (emitted by the Sun) that on the ground is deflected by the atmosphere. At 39,000 feet, without the shielding of much of the earth's atmosphere, long flights equal the radiation from at least one (and maybe more) chest xray.

The walk-thru magetometers are just big magnets, which really don't "zap" our bodies. (But don't go thru them with a pacemaker!) The bags go thru a powerful xray (don't ever stick your hands or arms in after your bags!). The wands are harmless battery powered devices designed to detect metal.

We breathe "recycled" air every day, everywhere we go, not just on planes. Even outside, in the park, the air is "recycled." Six billion people and billions of animals have probably already breathed in, and thus, used, each molecule you inhale. Not to mention that in the park, you get to breathe air that cars, trucks and busses have just used and "exhaled."

Many modern buildings (especially those designed in the late '70s, when the energy crisis was in full swing) are fairly airtight and don't constantly exchange their air volume. And I believe Boeing and the airlines when they lay out the facts on how often the air is exchanged on planes.

My vote for the most unhealthy aspect of flying goes to the radiation.

[This message has been edited by FWAAA (edited 04-25-2002).]