It seems these days that the world’s biggest airlines are more keen to reveal their aircrafts’ exquisite interiors than their technological advancements. Flight times reduced significantly? Emissions cut in half? Ha! That’s nothing - check out our Egyptian cotton seat covers! 

Airlines no longer market flights solely on affordability and travel destinations, but on luxury and class. An aeroplane is one of the few remaining parts of Western society where classes are so blatantly segregated - in some instances up to five times.

The modern traveller is often more concerned about comfort and in-flight movies, rather than the internal workings of their airborne vehicle. I mean, you’re in a steel capsule, hurtling at hundreds of kilometres per hour thousands of feet above Earth - isn’t that incredible? Planes are, by far, one the greatest innovations since the wheel.

So let’s take some time to disregard those designer pyjamas and top chef menus - and look at the science.

First-class and business travellers often say increased comfort lessens jet lag, and makes flying more of a treat. For those of us in cattle class - science has got our backs. 

Modern planes, such as Airbus’s A380 and Boeing’s new Dreamliner, pump a higher percentage of humidity throughout the plane to prevent as much jet lag, and make your surroundings feel a little more like land. This means no more dry skin, chapped lips and a sore throat - and a more restful sleep.

Qantas’ A380 first class ‘suites’ come equipped with a touch screen controller, meaning you can operate the 43-cm TV, raise the window shades and move your chair, all while barely lifting a finger. What they’ve failed to mention is the fact that this plane - the Airbus A380 - while one of the biggest in the world, is also one of the most efficient. 

Up to 25 per cent of the plane is made from carbon fibre, a light, but extremely strong, material. Extensive tunnel testing has allowed for the most aerodynamic shape possible, and special dampeners halve the engine noise. What’s even more amazing is that sections of the plane were essentially ‘stitched’ together by ginormous industrial ‘sewing machines’. 

The A380 has a massive 80 metre wingspan, weighs almost 300,000 kilograms when it’s empty, and has a top cruising speed of over 1,000 km/h.

And then there’s the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. After years of trials and tribulations, Boeing delivered a jet to its first Japanese customers. Already, it has taken on almost 1,000 orders from airlines around the world. It can fly 52 per cent further than the old Boeing 767, and uses 20 per cent less fuel due to the ultra-light carbon fibre design. 

The windows can be electronically dimmed, to enhance viewing of your Android-based entertainment system. But Japan’s All Nippon Airlines, the first to implement a 787, offers a cocktail bar and luxurious lie-flat beds for its big-spending customers. Forget about its awesomely flexible wings, which can be bent 25 feet upwards - resisting 150 per cent of the most extreme forces the plane will ever encounter.

So next time you board an international long-haul flight, take a bit of time to appreciate the science, the technology and the efficiency, before you dig into your caviar and truffles, change into your cashmere pyjamas and turn on ‘Con Air’.