Whether it’s your first time attempting to “Survive Your Long-haul Flight” or you’ve already experienced the dreadfulness of it, read these 10 tips to help you become well-prepared.
1. Reserve A Good Seat!
Check-in or reserve EARLIER for a good seat. Many airlines offer advanced seat selection online for free or with a fee.
Score the window seat for nice solid wall to lean on (and for a nice cliché picture for your Instagram). Take the aisle seat if you go to the washroom or get up often.
Never settle for seats near the washroom. I once went through 12 hours flight right beside the washroom and I can definitely say that it was horrible.
If you are ever stuck in the middle seat, good luck, my friend.
2. Drink Right!
Think twice before ordering tea or coffee on a flight! Choose decaffeinated tea and avoid drinking coffee, because it will make you stay awake and become extremely dry.
Dry air in the plane already messes with our body by numbing our taste buds, evaporating our nasal mucus, and causing our membranes to swell up. Stick with water and juice!
3. Move Around The Plane
What’s worse than dry skin and a dry throat is economy class syndrome. Economy class syndrome refers to blood clotting in the veins; usually in the thighs and calves, because of being stuck with limited leg room and being on a long flight. Without moving from time to time, you’ll experience the magic of your swollen feet no longer fitting into your shoes.
4. Avoid Eating Certain Foods
The last thing you want is bloating and stomach aches, although they are very common because of pressure change and immobility. Never chew gum because it will only allow excess air into your body. In addition, avoid any comfort food that will be too difficult to digest, as it will only result in more gas and bloating when mixed with high altitudes.
Read another Spoon University article; 5 Snacks to Travel With, if you want to avoid airplane food.
5. Do Something To Keep You Busy
“I’ve got 12 hours so that means I can watch 4-5 movies.” Think again. Not all the featured movies will interest you and you could easily get bored just watching movies. You might want to work on your last minute assignment or binge-watch your favourite TV shows without feeling guilty.
Snack offerings vary by flight but my favourite thing to do on the plane is think about what kind of late night snacks I can eat such as instant noodles!
6. Pack Your Carry-on Light and Right!
Your carry-on bag may already be full or you might travel with one travel bag. Whether you packed your bag meticulously or stuffed it in an hour before leaving, always put whatever you think you’ll need, such as medication, on top, so that you can easily access it on the plane.
I put all of my clothes inside my luggage, but I always carry an extra set of clean clothes in my small carry-on bag so that I can feel fresh after long hours of being stuck with people.
7. Cancel Out Distractions
Sitting down in a fixed position for a long period of time is difficult. It’s even more difficult when you are trying to sleep in the same position. The best advice I can give is to use ear plugs or wear an eye mask to cancel out noises and lights even when they’re dim. Don’t forget to use neck support so that you don’t wake up with sore muscles.
Unlike other sleeping pills, melatonin does not leave you feeling groggy when you wake up, so if you really have a hard time sleeping, take it when necessary and with precaution.
8. Comfort is Key
Comfort above everything. To avoid economy class syndrome, wear compression socks and loose pants. You can always change clothes when you land!
Avoid putting on perfume or deodorant to cover up your smell on plane. Just because you like the smell, it doesn’t mean that everyone will like it too. Use them AFTER you land so that you don’t bring any discomfort to other passengers on the plane.
9. Prepare Well Before
Make sure to shower before your flight — you really want to look as fresh as you can be when you land and even more so, don’t make your seat neighbours suffer any more than they should.
Download your favourite Netflix TV show and movie when you have Wi-Fi!
10. Set Your Watch
When you cross two or more time zones, it’s best to stick with the time zone of your destination as soon as you get to your seat. To help your brain adjust to the new pattern of daylight and darkness, sleep when the time tells you to and stay awake if it’s still bright in the city all the way across the world.
Whether you love being on a plane or wish to leave it immediately, we just want to make sure you start your travels on the right foot. So, do you think you can survive your next long-haul flight?