I’m going to be on a plane for something like 12 hours next weekend, and I just know all you world travelers can give me good advice about how to make this as healthy and comfortable as possible.
So far the extent of my planning has been to start taking echinacea to help ward off the buggies in that nasty recirculated air. I’m also planning to take extra water.
Any other great ideas for dealing with long flights and the resulting jet lag?
Get one of those pillows that wraps around your neck…I think you inflate them. That is, if you plan to sleep on the plane.
I suggest a half dozen really good books and a bottle of Nyquil
Are you heading trans-Atlantic, west-to-east? If so, follow these steps:
Cut caffeine out of your diet for a day or so before you fly.
Drink plenty of water.
Get up and walk up and down the aisle of the plane every few hours to stretch your legs (you might need to do this, anyway, from all the water you drink).
Bring a book. A good book.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Think of the pants, underwear, shirt, sweater, etc, that you’re most comfortable in. Wear them.
Try to get close to the timezone you’ll be traveling to before you leave. Before I fly to Europe, I try to wake up at a slightly European time in the morning, say 4am Eastern, rather than 8 or 9. Go to bed early.
DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL on the flight. You will not sleep well.
Try to be friendly to the person sitting next to you, since a good conversation will kill time.
Eat well before you’re on the plane. Airline food, even international, is not as good as airplane food. And, being hungry on a plane sucks.
If you’re taking a red-eye flight, and land in Europe in the morning, DO NOT SLEEP until that night. Your second day on the ground will be much better if you do that.
I’m sure there are many other tips, but these have done me well in the past.
Don’t drink. It dehydrates you.
If you have any congestion or cold, talk to your doctor about it so you can get ear drops or whatever is
needed to counteract the altitude effects.
Wear comfortable clothes
Wear comfortable shoes
wear comfortable underwear
(get the picture?)
When I flew to Africa (24hrs.), I got a massage before the flight- it kept away the cramps and discomfort from inactivity.
If you have decent headphones, bring them if they will work on the plane as they will be more comfortable than the ice tongs that pass for headphones on the plane:D:
Don’t try that new sushi/ethiopian/indian/other unfamiliar and potentially gastrically upsetting restaurant the night before the flight.
As for jet lag, which wayare you going and what’s the time differential? i.e. Chicago-Stuttgart:+7hrs
If you are going to be there for a short time (less than a week), you might be better off simply running on home time and convincing your body that you are just partying a lot!
Good lord, don’t a get an inflatable one! I the first I thought of when I saw the thread title was my “neck bone”. It a little pillow that’s shaped like a bone. It’s great for cars and planes. But don’t get an inflatable one, unless you’re one of those weird people that can sleep with your face on plastic.
Upgrade to first class. It is so worth it.
Make sure to pick up some good-quality headphones and something relaxing like Thundering Rainstorm or Chopin.
If you snore, don’t forget to tell the person next to you not to hesitate to wake you if they need to.
Take a good book if you’re not going to sleep, and make sure you like it. If you have laptop with a DVD, make sure to get a few flicks you like.
Take some Pepto and some Nasal decongestant, and make sure you have some tissues.
The water is a great idea, never leave home without it. If there’s anything you would do normally at a desk that doesn’t require lots of space, do that. Like thank you cards or Christmas cards or writing a paper or something like that.
Bring a travel game like connect four or a deck of cards. You never know, you might be sitting next to your future ex-spouse.
Wear sweats and sandals with thick socks, if you can. If you can’t, dress a comfortably as possible-the more akin to pajamas the better. I remember my mom sent me off to Alaska once when I was like 12 or 13. I flew there from Arizona. She dressed me up in my suit for some brainless reason. Needless to say, by the time I got there after what seemed like 36 hour flight, I was wearing my swim trunks and a t-shirt.
In any case, that’s the best advice I can offer.
Thanks, guys.
Any leads on where to get one of those pillow thingies?
I’m flying to Scotland from San Diego, so Montfort’s timezone advice applies.
As for upgrading to 1st class, well, I don’t think my company would be amused.
I hope this is a direct flight. If it’s not, don’t connect in Chicago. I was recently stuck in O’Hare for 22 hours. And if your flight is delayed or cancelled, don’t believe anything the airline tells you.
ok, a couple of other hints.
In your carry one luggage, bring a change of shirt, and toiletries. if there’s even a short delay, trust me, to be able to “refresh” yourself will make all the difference.
In addition to the book, bring some magazines, maybe some puzzle books, things that take a different kind of concentration (I found puzzle books to help out if I wanted something to while away 20 minutes or so at a stretch).
I’ve found those neck pillow things at upscale gift shops - try bed and bath shops on line.
do stretch. the water thing is good. chewing gum to help with the cabin pressure thing.
have fun.
If you are prone to having your ears plug up because of the pressure, buy Afrin nasal spray and use it about 20 minutes before taking off and again about 20 minutes before landing.
Try to organize your carry-ons, with the things you will need more (kleenex, books, tapes) in outside pockets or easy to reach places. I prefer to put my carry-on bag in the overhead compartment. If it is under the seat in front of you, there is no room for your feet.
If possible, depending on the weather, pack your coat in your suitcase rather than wearing it on the plane. You will be lugging around a big bulky coat. For warmth, dress in layers so you can add or take off easily.
Some planes do not allow you to use portable CD players at ANY TIME during the flight. This always makes me nervous, surely if it bad for one plane, it’s bad for them all, right? But if you have a walkman that plays tapes, bring that instead.
Bring a toothbrush and travel-size toothpaste on the plane with you. About an hour before you land, this will be your best friend.
Any travel shop in an airport should have one of those pillows. Mine is the inflatable kind, and I like it just fine. It’s covered in some sort of fuzzy material, so it’s not like sleeping on plastic.
If you are not sleeping, pay attention to strategic times to use the restroom. Use it during the movie. Use it before they come around with the meal and beverage cart … it blocks your way if it is in the aisle. After they collect the meal trays, everyone needs to use the rest room all at once. After the movie ends, everyone needs to use the rest room all at once.
Whenever possible, I bring things to amuse myself that I can leave on the plane or throw away, like big magazines that I haven’t gotten around to reading yet. Or even a trashy paperback that I have no intentoin of keeping. Then I am not dragging this stuff all over the place during my trip.
The movie has a good chance of being awful, so don’t count on it to keep you entertained.
And everything everyone else said already.
[ul][li]0.00 Hour: Get on the plane[/li][li]0.25 Hour: Security will ask you to get off the roof of the plane. Do so, and get in the plane.[/li][li]0.50 Hour: Ask stewardesses why the oxygen bag doesn’t actually fill up.[/li][li]0:75 Hour: During take off, scream as loud as you can, “We’re all going to die!!!”[/li][li]1.00 Hour: When safely in the air, stand up and say, “Sorry… My bad…”[/li][li]1:30 Hour: Ask person seated next to you for his or her air sickness bag. Say, “A long flight like this, I might need two!”[/li][li]1.31 Hour: Enjoy the leg room after the person next to you moves.[/li][li]2:00 Hour: Ask the businessman using his laptop if he’s ever been to prisonbitches.com.[/li][li]2:30 Hour: Page for the stewardess. When she comes, click a stopwatch and say, “A little dissapointing there. This was only a drill, but what if I really needed another bag of peanuts, huh?”[/li][li]3:00 Hour: Turn lights on and off repeatedly until passenger behind you has a seizure.[/li][li]4:00 Hour: Ask the guy two rows back if he knows what “The Mile High Club” is.[/li][li]4:06 Hour: Show him.[/li][li]7:30 Hour: Go back to seat and sleep a while.[/li][li]9:00 Hour: When stewardess asks you if you want the chicken or the steak, tell her you only eat meat that you killed yourself with your bare hands.[/li][li]9:30 Hour: Scream that a large alien creature is on the wings ripping out wires![/li][li]9:45 Hour: Admit that it was just an overly realistic Twilight Zone episode you saw the day before.[/li][li]10:30 Hour: Ask the woman two rows in front of you if she knows what “The Mile High Club” is.[/li][li]10:32 Hour: Show her.[/li]11:30 Hour: Start a conversation about the sterardess. Mention how easy it is to sneal plastique explosives on a plane and comment on how nice the weather is in Cuba this time of year.
[li]11:45 Hour: Don’t put your seat into the upright position and see if the stewardess notices. If she does, tell her that she made up for the tardiness when you pages her earlier.[/li][li]12:00 Hour: Upon successful landing, jump in the middle of the aisle and loudly thank Jesus for landing the plan correctly.[/li][li]12:03 Hour: Run like hell to the nearest ground transport. Odds are SOMEONE will be after you…[/ul][/li]Have fun on the trip, let us know how it makes out!
Yer pal,
Satan
*I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR:
Six months, two weeks, four days, 19 hours, 37 minutes and 31 seconds.
8072 cigarettes not smoked, saving $1,009.09.
Extra life with Drain Bead: 4 weeks, 40 minutes.
*THE YANKEES WIN! THAAAAAAH YANKEES WIN!
1996 · 1998 ··· WORLD CHAMPIONS ··· 1999 · 2000
26 Titles! The #1 Dynasty of all-time!
And most importantly… RULERS OF NYC!!
"4:00 Hour: Ask the guy two rows back if he knows what “The Mile High Club” is.
4:06 Hour: Show him.
7:30 Hour: Go back to seat and sleep a while."
Um, Satan? How long does it take YOU to show your average male the Mile High Club? Notice that it only takes 58 minutes to show the woman…
:eek:
Hey, Satan, how come the guy gets, like, 3 1/2 hours and the woman only gets one hour.
Are you implying that I’d be stingy with my favors just because she’s a girl?
(Those were hilarious, by the way. I think the “Thank you, Jesus” one may actually happen.)
The time difference is simple… You go into the lavatory with the guy. You do the girl right in your seat! 
Yer pal,
Satan
*I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR:
Six months, two weeks, four days, 20 hours, 0 minutes and 54 seconds.
8073 cigarettes not smoked, saving $1,009.17.
Extra life with Drain Bead: 4 weeks, 45 minutes.
*THE YANKEES WIN! THAAAAAAH YANKEES WIN!
1996 · 1998 ··· WORLD CHAMPIONS ··· 1999 · 2000
26 Titles! The #1 Dynasty of all-time!
And most importantly… RULERS OF NYC!!
With Satan, the woman always finishes sooner than the man…
What makes you think the air is recirculated? It’s vented to atmosphere and replaced by fresh air (as fresh as it gets after passing through the Bleed Air System and Environmental Control System, anyway). Didn’t Cecil do a column about how often the cabin air is replaced (where did I read about that)?
I also meant to suggest crosswords, lots and lots of crosswords. That’s how I deal with my flying anxiety. Regardless of whether you’re an anxious flyer or not, it’s a good activity to keep you occupied.
Not just crosswords, but make sure you bring some of the easy ones. I am very good at crosswords but when you get tired and cranky it is nice to have something mostly mindless to keep you occupied.
To all the other excellent suggestions, I’ll just add:
Request an exit row, there’s more leg room. Those get taken early, though.
If the flight is NOT very full, don’t board when they tell you to. Most people obediently get on when their block of rows are called and sit right where they’re “supposed” to. Wait until the last moment, then sit wherever you feel like. This is a good way to get 2 or more seats together, so you can stretch out a bit.
And finally: For lord’s sake, it’s only 12 hours. If you’re uncomfortable, so what. Deal.
