These airlines help flyers meditate and zone out in the clouds

More and more airlines are launching in-flight meditation programmes. — AFP Relaxnews

Virgin Australia is the latest airline to launch a meditation programme on their in-flight entertainment system, to help flyers find a bit of zen 35,000 feet (10.7km) in the air.

More and more airlines are recognising the power of meditation to help improve the flight experience for passengers, particularly with long-haul routes: there's a captive audience, a lot of time to fill, and nowhere for flyers to go.

After Qantas, Air France and Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia has become the latest carrier to add a meditation programme to their in-flight offerings in a partnership with Aussie meditation app Smiling Mind.

Developed by psychologists, the 10-minute programmes are designed to assist users with the pressures and stress of daily life and are tailored for users as young as seven years old.

With the growing popularity of meditation apps, Qantas also added guided meditation programs this summer. The 12-minute sessions are narrated by holistic coach Vicki Gus. Another series features drone footage of beautiful landscapes across Australia to lull viewers into a meditative state.

Air France has also been offering 10-minute meditation programmes on long-haul flights, which have been used more than 2.5 million times since the launch last year.

The programmes are developed for both children and adults, with sessions like "Mind travel" and "Achieving inner calm and peace".

One of the most popular meditation apps, Headspace, also has a special in-flight channel aboard carriers like Air Canada, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines. – AFP Relaxnews