Staying sane on a cramped longhaul flight ?

[anengineer]

Hi,
My wife & I have just booked a week in Cancun for next weekend, and I've today discovered that it's a Monarch A330 in a 'sardine tin' configuration of 3-3-3. :sad:
I get very stiff, achey and grumpy sat in cattle-class on european destinations, but this one's ELEVEN hours from LGW. I predict I may explode or go insane. :ugh:
I've only ever flown longhaul once before to Cuba in a DC10 and that was almost unbearable - and that had better seat pitches than what I'm about to endure.
Anyone have any tips on keeping comfortable, sane or unconcious ?

[Clarence Oveur]

Make sure you don't sleep to much before the flight. Have a few double Brandy and Bailey's early onto the flight, just to make sure, then pass out.

That seems to be the only way to endure the unpleasant experience, that air travel has become.

[TSR2]

If cattle class bothers you so much, suggest you book an upgrade.

[anengineer]

> If cattle class bothers you so much, suggest you book an upgrade.
...alas, I would have already done so if it weren't so prohibitively expensive.
- an additional £458.

[EastMids]

Two beers in the lounge (oops, sorry, charter so in the bar) before boarding, two G&Ts before the meal, a glass or two wine with the meal... Bingo - don't usually manage to stay awake long enough for them to take the meal tray away! :zzz: And with luck, wake up about an hour out from arrival WITHOUT a head-ache! :ooh:

Andy

[Tarq57]

Alcohol is only partly effective for me, and enough to do the job rewards with a cat3 hangover due to altitude/dry air/dehydration etc.
I have found the best way to endure such an experience is (a) Find a seat map for the aircraft, (i've googled it but nothing appears on Monarch's site, except a generous offer of a pre-allocated seat for just 30 quid!) and find a row beside an exit (or similar) to give more legroom. Can be very worthwhile. And (b) Get your doctor to prescribe some industrial power sleeping pills. (not recommended to mix with alcohol, but I had 2 wines with dinner on top of 2 pills, and woke refreshed well over halfway home.)
Provided you are able to sleep, this can work well. If you can't sleep, the effect of the pills will be to make the flight seem longer, though.

[Newforest]

This might help with your seating arrangments!
http://www.uk-air.net/seatplan.htm

[Gouabafla]

If, like me, you can't sleep on aircraft, then a pair of noise cancelling headphones will make the flight a lot better. You don't generally notice the whining of the engines but when you cut it out the whole flying experience improves greatly.

[Tarq57]

NewForest,
Checked that link, out of interest, unfortunately the evil gnomes at Monarch have removed the plans. You need to visit the airline/check in to access them.
I usually use seatguru.com; Monarch isn't there either.

Sorry to be unhelpful, OP, you might have to visit them to choose a seat, if you want that option.

[RevMan2]

If, like me, you can't sleep on aircraft, then a pair of noise cancelling headphones will make the flight a lot better. You don't generally notice the whining of the engines but when you cut it out the whole flying experience improves greatly.

Well, based on the price of these ones (http://www.bose.co.uk/GB/en/home-entertainment/headphones/QC3/pricing.jsp), an upgrade might be more economically viable...

[BellEndBob]

Take a good book. There should be in flight entertainment. Try talking to your wife :uhoh: . Walk about frequently. As has been said, try to be very tired by the time you fly. Alcohol is OK but you will feel $hite for a while.
I find the mixture of reading/sleeping/talking/watching movies and walking will help things along.

[angels]

The wonderfully-named BellEnd Bob said I find the mixture of reading/sleeping/talking/watching movies and walking will help things along.

and that does it for me. I too can't sleep on flights so I fight to get an aisle seat so I can have a potter around while everyone else is kipping.

I've flown from Sydney to London twice with just a transit. Never again. I always stop over. The first flight I tried a 'no alcohol' policy and was jet lagged for a week (I had been in Sydney for nearly two months). The second I tried a 'lets get pissed out of my brain' tactic. I was jet lagged for a week.

Good luck and enjoy your holiday!

[hpcock]

How about pretending to have a fit or some kind of seizure on board, & get the bloke next to you removed - so you can eventually have 2 seats to yourself

[BellEndBob]

Maybe I'm a Campanologist.


:E :E :E

[EastMids]

I fight to get an aisle seat so I can have a potter around while everyone else is kipping.

I prefer middle seats on overnights. That way I can sleep when I want to and I don't get disturbed when those next to me want to get up, and yet if I want to get up for a walk around I'm quite happy to ask the person in the aisle to let me pass... :E

Andy

[anotherglassofwine]

In cattle class, I am definitly a big fan of a 2 glasses of wine before I board and another one or two on the aircraft. Normally a couple of hours into the flight I am sound asleep! It's personal preference really, a couple of glasses of red and I'm sleepy on any occasion, so it works a treat flying. If I am travelling with work I get to go business so normally can doze off without any alcohol! If you not a drinker than it's all about entertaining yourself. Lots of books, a laptop with a couple of spare batteries and plenty of DVD's. I got through the entire first series of Lost on a flight to HK recently - that was immensely enjoyable!

[ThreadBaron]

BellEndBob
Maybe I'm a Campanologist
Pull the other one!!:ok:

I find I can sleep long-haul during the day but not at night. Go figure!:sad:

[SXB]

It's best to avoid alcohol completely, it will not help. Deal with the jet lag once you arrive, it's not too bad travelling west. Try to read for a couple of hours then watch a movie for a couple hours, then move around the cabin for a while. Plan what you will do and when as best you can.

Good luck and drink lots of fluids

[BRISTOLRE]

Try a book of Soduko puzzles. It gets boring after 5 medium puzzles but passes the time beautifully. I find it works every time.

[10secondsurvey]

You do have my sympathies. If you want to sleep (to avoid much of 'the experience'), my best suggestion is a set of earplugs (usually sold in airport chemist shops like boots for a quid or so), and a good eye shade (again in airport shops - some airlines give them out on charters). I emphasise that it needs to be a good eyeshade, as some given out in economy are not much use (they let light in - BA for example). The total complete darkness from the eyeshade will actually trigger your brain to sleep.

You will be amazed at how much good earplugs a good eyeshade and a couple of drinks can be to get you to sleep. On the point of alcohol, it suits some people, but with many folks, it actually causes them to wake up a few hours later.

Failing all that, do as I do no matter what class I fly in, and wander around.

[Globaliser]

You will be amazed at how much good earplugs a good eyeshade and a couple of drinks can be to get you to sleep.I absolutely agree with this, and endorse the recommendation.

[gorgeous spotter]

Make sure you don't sleep to much before the flight. Have a few double Brandy and Bailey's early onto the flight, just to make sure, then pass out.

That seems to be the only way to endure the unpleasant experience, that air travel has become.

Will definitely be trying this one, presuming they sell Baileys on ThomsonFly in Oct.:E :)

[drichard]

Well, based on the price of these ones (http://www.bose.co.uk/GB/en/home-entertainment/headphones/QC3/pricing.jsp), an upgrade might be more economically viable...

The Bose headphobes are good but v. expensive, I use these (and am very happy with them) : http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp?SKU=AV07251

The cheapest I've found to date (in ear) : http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp?SKU=AV11893

(on-ear) : http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp?SKU=AV12664

FWIW, I have no connection with CPC, it just hapens to be where I bought mine from.

[MidlandDan]

Some very good tips there guys!

I normally like to have two cold beers and read a book before boarding and then take my shoes off straight away once onboard....make sure your feet are clean though:)

Il need all the help i can get, on tuesday im flying:
LHR-CMB (10h45)
CMB layover(8h)
CMB-NRT(11h45)

Should be fun

[Globaliser]

... and then take my shoes off straight away once onboardSlightly OT, but I believe that this isn't recommended. Although it's extremely unlikely you'll ever have to evacuate an aircraft at any time, if you do ever have to do it the takeoff phase is one of the top candidates. And if you have to evacuate, you probably won't want to be wasting precious seconds looking for and putting on your shoes - which may have travelled many rows forward as the aircraft came to a stop, anyway. And you probably don't want to be trying to evacuate the aircraft with unshod feet, if you can avoid it.

[Tolsti]

I thought people were advised to take off shoes in the event of an evac.... could damage the slides.... or does this just apply to spiky heels?
Some people have may well have problems putting their shoes back on at the end of a long flight.... going to a hot climate your feet may well swell and you'll find they are too big to put shoes back on.

[the dean]

personally...as a passanger. i do shoes with flaps.so after take off ...flaps up shoes off.on approach..flaps down..shoes on.hate running in broken glass and jagged metal.

[slim_slag]

Anyone have any tips on keeping comfortable, sane or unconcious ?Sit next to somebody you know, then you can each stretch out into the other's space, makes it easier. Drink lots of water, avoid alcohol which I know is advice I don't take myself. If you can get something like Ambien or Sonata from your GP then that is very good for knocking yourself out during the incredible tedium of transoceanic flight. Your GP might not go for that though, which I would say is reasonable, and it says on the label don't mix it with booze. I don;t think you can get that over the counter in Mexico, and even if you could it would not be something I'd recommend. I always use surgical stockings as they aren't going to do any harm, and might do some good. They also make it easier to put your shoes on..

No getting away from teh fact that long haul in economy sucks, if you flew transatlantic regularly there are things you can do. If on a once a year type journey then just think about the fact that you are being taken such a long distance so safely and so quickly for so little money.

[CHIVILCOY]

I regualarly fly to Buenos Aires which is a long slog of 13 hours on average and can never seem to get much of a sleep.
If in Economy my way is to make sure I get an aisle seat for ease of getting out and having a wander about down the back where all the other insomniacs gather for a chat, I take slippers and wear comfortable trousers with plenty room round the crotch!!!
Take some hobby mags and try and start a good book just before the trip to leave plenty still to read on the flight.
I also take a few of my favourite nibbles to munch during the night.
It's never fun but at least makes the journey a bit more comfortable

[PAXboy]

I take the point about Shoes Off/On to be synchronised with flaps as being a good idea. On long haul, I wait until we are established in cruise (20 minutes) to take them off and put them on at the start of let down, typically 25 minutes.

[Globaliser]

I thought people were advised to take off shoes in the event of an evac.... could damage the slides.... or does this just apply to spiky heels? I think it's just high heels that need to be taken off in the event of a slide evacuation.

[MyData]

If its an overnight flight, or just for some shut eye, I follow a tip given to me by an American Airlines hostie I met in LA when she was on a stop over after doing a number of Trans-USA trips and how she forced herself to get some shut eye.

Dramamine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimenhydrinate

On the return LAX->LHR I had a few glasses of wine, a couple of tablets. Next thing I knew we were starting our descent to LHR. I swear by it now for long economy flights. I don't think it is available in the UK, but definitely worth stocking up with when in the US. I see on the Wiki entry that Dramamine II isn't as potent, so you might want to find stocks of the original. I also haven't experienced any of the 'recreational' effects in my experience.