Tips To Survive A Long Haul Flight

Being penned inside the metal tube for long hours could take a toll on even the most frequent fliers. Travellers often worry about surviving a long haul flight, which in my belief could be made a really convenient one.

Here are a few tips to survive a long haul flight.

Tips To Survive A Long Haul Flight

Choose your seat

Let’s face it, not everyone would be lucky to get the best seat. Although, you can be among those handfuls of people to get one.

A window seat would not only serve as a solid wall to rest your head but would also not hinder your sleep by passing beverage carts. Choosing a seat above the wings would be a good idea. These rows usually experience less turbulence as they are closer to the aircraft’s center of gravity.

Avoid choosing bulk-head seats (seats in the front row). No doubt, they certainly have extra legroom like those in the exit rows. However, these seats are equipped with bassinets for infants and you won’t want to have your sleep interrupted by a crying child.

Tip: Ask your travel agent or the airline booking agent to add a comment in your booking to offer you the desired seat. Also, consider checking in online hours before your flight. You can save time at the check-in counter. All you would have to do is walk into the Fast Bag drop counter to check your bags.

Eat Healthily

Avoid eating starchy foods like the butter roll and desserts that would raise your blood sugar level and would give you a boost of energy when you should be sleeping. Also, avoid creamy and heavy food that could bloat your stomach and cause discomfort.

Try to stick to protein-rich foods and easy to digest vegetables.

Consider carrying some snacks, like almonds, peanut butter, and crackers, or protein bars. It’s better to snack more frequently than having a heavy meal with ingredients that may make you uncomfortable.

Tip: Request for a special meal while booking your ticket, if you want to be served first.

Drink Wisely

Although alcohol is a depressant, it can act as a stimulant for a few hours after you drink it. Which means it might actually keep you up. If you can easily fall asleep after a glass of wine, then order for a glass or two along with your meal.

Beer would be gas inducing. Drinking more alcohol or caffeine would frequent your visits to the toilet.

Tip: Tomato juice tastes better in the air than on the ground.

Stay Hydrated

Air travel can be extremely dehydrating, as the air in the cabin is re-circulated. Drink plenty of water throughout the flight. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to ask the flight attendant for some water. Carry a bottle of water with you so that you can sip in some whenever needed. Most of the airport security would deny you from carrying a bottle of water. Carry an empty water bottle through the security screening, then fill it up at a drinking fountain. Cost = $0.

Tip: Ask the cabin crew for a decaffeinated green tea, it helps to prevent the onset of jet lag.

Download A Soft Music App

Your sleep could be easily interrupted by a screaming baby or loud passengers. Earplugs won’t necessarily do the tricks. I have often seen people relying on sleeping pills like melatonin or Ambien to have uninterrupted sleep. I won’t recommend you to do so, since you need to be completely awake in case of an emergency.

Pop on your noise cancellation headphones or your earbuds and play music or sounds that would drown out the noise and would serve as your sleeping aid.

Sleep Stream 2  is a great sleep inducer app that offers specially designed binaural beats that can be integrated into the sound experience.

Tip: Consider waking up 45 minutes before you land. You will have enough time to use the restroom and gather your things. Try to ask the attendant to pour you a cup of coffee so that you could walk off the plane fully awake.

Charge Up and Back-Up

Carry your gadgets fully charged. If you are flying on a low-cost airline you won’t have an Inflight Entertainment. Carry your gadgets in your hand, so that you can use it whenever you want. Have a power pack to keep your gadgets powered up throughout the flight.

Tip: Most airlines offering an Inflight entertainment system do have a USB output mounted right next to the screen in front of the seat or in the arm-rest. If you want a power socket, you may look for one under your seat.

Dress For Comfort

Consider wearing loose-fitted comfortable clothing and layers, like a T-shirt with a sweater or sweatshirt over it. The temperature in the cabin could change as per the altitude. Avoid wearing tight clothes which would make you more uncomfortable. Bring a pair of socks, and keep your feet warm and cozy. Make sure they are loose enough that you don’t end up with elastic band marks on your legs.

Tip: Consider carrying a spare set of cloth on your carry-on bag, you can walk into the lavatory inside the aircraft and change before landing.

Stay Buckled Up

If you’re planning to sleep, make sure your fastened seat belt is visible over your clothing or blanket. This way, the flight attendants won’t have to wake you up while the seat belt sign goes on.

Tip: Carry a scarf that you can also use as a blanket if the airline that you are flying on won’t offer blankets on board.

Stretch Yourself

No one would like to arrive with creaky bones, cramped muscles, neck, and back knots. Sitting immobile for long periods carries a risk of deep-vein thrombosis, which is what happens when blood clots form in the leg.

Tip: Take a walk to the back of the aircraft and have a glass of water in the galley, while the seat belt sign is turned off.

Carry A Moisturiser

Skin gets very little oxygen as you are enclosed in an encapsulated environment without fresh air, this results in sensitivity and tired dull skin. Have cream or moisturizer packed in your hand carry.

Tip: Carry some mints or mouth refreshing spray to avoid having a bad breath.

Do you have any Tips To Survive A Long Haul Flight? Let us know in the comment section below.