Traveling by air is glamorous. No other mode of transport is as mystical as gliding through the clouds in a metal tube. However, air travel does have its side-effects too. Imagine spending 15 longs hours tied up to a cramped seat with no views but of wandering clouds, no e-mails, no phone calls, and above all, no space to stretch your legs. If we go by the mileage, the Air India flight from Newark, NJ to Mumbai, India is the longest flights in the world, which takes around 16 hours (non-stop) to reach from one destination to the other. Now, imagine yourself stuck in one of these non-stop flights for hours that translate into days. Fret not, here are 10 ways to survive a long-haul flight.
1. Get on board with a positive attitude
The positive attitude can be the determiner in many tricky situations and long-haul flights are one of them. Before boarding the flight, prepare yourself for a long journey and don’t look at your watch every 5 minutes. Be prepared to utilize the time judiciously. Remember, how you cribbed about no time for yourself to read or listen to music. Here’s plenty of free time in hand, utilize it.
2. Get your own entertainment
It’s a long journey and you will need variety of entertainment options to keep you engaged. Don’t rely on the carrier’s options as they are bound to be limited. Download movies into your laptop that you have missed but always wanted to watch, stock your device well with your favourite music, carry books and magazines of your choice. Don’t forget to carry your own headphone. Make sure you are watching or reading the light, peppy stuff, not something that will depress you. The idea is to make the long-haul flight entertaining, not tiring.
3. Keep moving and exercise at regular intervals
When we say exercising, doesn’t mean you start jumping on the aisle in your track pants. Imagine yourself chained to your work desk for the entire day and do the simple movements to keep your body awake. For example, inhale deeply and shrug your shoulders by lifting them up the ears and release. This will relax your neck and shoulders. Remove your shoes and rotate your feet clock and anti-clockwise to relax your leg muscles and take a walk in the aisle to stretch your limbs.
4. Carry sleep gears
A sound sleep is important to survive a long-haul flight. Carry inflatable pillow and neck support to get some sleep. Eye mask is a must. The temperature inside the aircraft can be freezing, therefore, carry an extra blanket for your own comfort. Although, there can be plenty of disturbances on board, try to catch on some sleep to feel fresh and rejuvenated to survive the mundane flying hours in the air.
5. Freshen up at regular intervals
Don’t forget to keep your toiletries in the cabin baggage. Wash your eyes and face, apply some lip balm, and keep the skin hydrated to feel fresh for as long as possible. If the tiredness sets in within the first few hours of the flight, it will be a torture for the rest of the flying hours.
6. Carry healthy snacks
Carry some snacks and in-between meals to keep yourself hydrated. Avoid airline food as it may end up dehydrating your body.
7. Don’t consume alcohol
Avoid alcohol if you are taking a long flight. Alcohol will surely dehydrate your body, making you uncomfortable for the rest of the flight.
8. Pick the right seat while checking in
If your flying hours are more than 3 hours, opt for an aisle seat for comfort. If you are fine with the engine noise, you can also opt for the last seat which has larger leg space in certain aircrafts such as the Boeing 747 series. However, the seat may not recline and you are also exposed to the sound coming from the laboratories.
9. Plan your time in the flight in advance
A simple way to survive a long distance flight is by planning in advance. Account for each hour on board and think how you would like to spend it. In other words, have a blueprint of those many hours ready in your mind.
10. Dress comfortably
The most important survival tip for a long-haul flight is to dress comfortably. Don’t wear clothes which are too tight or made of fabrics that don’t breath. Dress light. Ladies, ditch those stilettoes and fancy clothes, stick to basics and comfort.
