Long-haul secrets: When to eat, whether to remove shoes and why you might fart more

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN

In our latest CNN Travel roundup, we bring you the airports offering the best customer experience, the cruise ship where you can live on board for $30,000 a year and why you’re more likely to fart when your plane is taking off or landing.

The aviation experience

Flying long-haul can leave you dried up, zonked out and unusually prone to flatulence. (And some of us were that way before we even boarded the plane.) So keep yourself well hydrated, eat slowly, avoid fizzy drinks, and read this guide to what exactly happens to your body on a long flight, along with tips on avoiding the most common problems.

As for the farting, that’s because of the change in cabin pressure and the gas in your system reacting accordingly — so be careful as the plane climbs and descends.

We also have flight attendant Kris Major’s insider secrets on how to survive a long-haul flight: from when to eat, to how to maximize your layover and whether it’s okay to take off your shoes. He also explains why he always hangs his tie on his bunk’s curtain before he goes to sleep.

Airports also do their bit to make sure passengers get the optimum experience at ground level, whether they’re setting off for their flight or arriving at their destination. The Airport Service Quality Awards recognize the aviation hubs doing the finest work, including an Italian mega-airport and a Southeast Asian wonder with its own indoor waterfall.

Cruise news

A round-the-world cruise sounds for many like an impossible dream, but seeing the sights by boat just got a little more affordable.

Life at Sea Cruises has opened bookings for its three-year, 130,000-mile voyage to 135 countries, with a ticket price that works out to a not-unreasonable $30,000 per person per year. Passengers will be able to work remotely from the full-scale business center and make use of the gym, pool and 24-hour hospital with free medical visits, as well as all the usual cruise ship amenities and entertainment.

Living life at sea as you do back home also means being just as mindful of environmental concerns. The cruise industry is known for its carbon-spurting vessels and excess waste production, but there are plenty of companies out there working hard to make water-bound adventures a lot more sustainable. Here are some of them.

Finally, it’s not just seas you can cruise upon: The world’s longest river cruise set out in January on the Ganges, launching new 3,200-kilometer (1,990-mile) trips through waterways in India and neighboring Bangladesh, visiting national parks, major cities and UNESCO World Heritage sites along the way.

Misbehavior of the week

A man and woman have been sentenced to four years in prison for carrying out a $1.7 million wine heist at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain. The couple stole 45 bottles of wine, including an 1806 vintage with a six-figure price tag.

Unruly dudes were caught on video throwing punches while boarding a Phoenix-bound plane at a Dallas airport. In a separate incident, a man was caught on video causing disruption before being arrested for allegedly trying to stab a flight attendant with a broken spoon and attempting to open the emergency door.

It seems there are some passengers who could benefit from traveling inside protective cases with a few chew toys and shiny tassels. But for the moment, at least, that honor is reserved for our furry friends. And so we end with a pet PSA: Please do not send live cats through the X-ray scanner at the airport.

We don’t recommend dead ones either, but it’s once again a fully animate kitty that has turned up at a US airport. TSA officers are therefore asking travelers to please, please unpack your puss before throwing your bag on the conveyor.

Family affair

A family of five — three of whom are pilots — are traveling around the world in an itty-bitty, single-engine plane. Here’s how they’re managing it without too much intrafamilial turbulence.

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