The father of an apparently healthy woman who died on a long-haul flight heading home to the North-East for Christmas hopes it sends a message to other travellers.

Regular flyer Alayne Wake, 28, died from deep-vein thrombosis (dvt), the condition commonly called "economy class syndrome", as she flew from Singapore to spend Christmas with her father, Kevin, younger sister Gillian and other family members in Sunderland.

She collapsed just 30 minutes before the 13-and-a-half hour Singapore Airlines flight was due into London's Heathrow Airport, last Thursday (DEC 20).

A doctor, nurse and paramedic, who were among the passengers on the Boeing 747, joined cabin staff in administering aid to Alayne.

Despite the use of defibrillation equipment she died, from what is believed to have been a blood clot which accumulated in her right calf during the flight, in which she travelled in economy class.

It was the second tragedy to hit the family this year as Alayne's mother, Pat, 57, died five months ago following a two-year struggle against cancer.

Speaking Sunday at home in Fernways, Tunstall, Mr Wake said he and his wife warned Alayne of the dangers of dvt when they travelled to visit her in Singapore, in April and May.

Alayne lived for the last 18 months in the former British colony, where she worked as Asia-Pacific region customer services manager for French plastics company Oberthur Card Systems.

Mr Wake said his daughter, a keen diver, took all necessary precautions over her hobby, but probably believed dvt was something which affected older people.

"I imagine, like the vast majority of the flying public, she thought dvt was something that happens to somebody else."

Mr Wake said he and his wife bought stockings designed to help prevent dvt, aiding circulation, for their last visit to see Alayne.

"My wife spoke to Alayne about it, but she just said 'yeah', 'yeah'. It's awful to think 'if only she had listened'.

"I only hope that her death can prevent one other family having to go through this.

"Our whole family is devastated by this, especially so soon after losing Pat.

"Alayne was a smashing girl and we'll miss her more than anything. But she thoroughly enjoyed her life.

"She would phone from Singapore twice a week and just talked and talked to me.

"She was outgoing and chatty, and always had loads to tell me about her life over there."

He said Alayne was looking forward to a "real family Christmas" at home. "We'll miss her more than anything, but I just hope her death will make young people stop and think that this could happen to anyone," added Mr Wake, who retired as commercial manager with Sunderland Training and Enterprise Council when it closed in March.

* The funeral service takes place at Sunderland Crematorium on Friday (Dec. 28), at 12.30pm.