5 Tips for Stress Free Long Haul Flights
by James Wittering
The world is becoming smaller by the day. Flying long haul to
distant locations for business or pleasure is becoming increasingly
more popular. There are more aircraft, more airports to fly to and
more people ready to spend half a day or longer in the air. It is
quite simply easier and cheaper than it used to be fly long haul.
Unfortunately, the experience of traveling to the other side of
the world can very often be a stressful and exhausting affair, especially
for the uninitiated or unprepared. This doesn't have to be the case.
Just follow this guide to a stress free long haul flight and you
can sit back and enjoy the whole experience!
Step 1: Do Your Homework:
A little bit of homework will certainly help you to discover
the right airline for you. The Internet is an excellent resource
in this regard, but don't ignore you're local travel agent who may
have a wealth of customer experience with various airlines. You
might want to find out who is going to offer the most leg-room,
what the quality of food is like and how reputable their customer
service is. Most airlines now offer some sort of in-seat entertainment
such as Singapore airline's Krisworld system (Always very good)
and I particularly enjoyed Japan airline's onscreen camera views
allowing you to see forwards from the nose of the aircraft or down
over wherever you are flying. These systems are good way to kill
a few hours of any flight. Of course the price is important and
shopping around really pays off. Don't be afraid to go straight
to the airline and check out any special offers they might have
as well as using high street and Internet based agents.
Step 2: Airport Time:
You will usually be expected to check in 2 hours in advance of
your long haul flight although it always pays to arrive a little
earlier than this as most people will arrive in the queue around
this time. You are better off spending 3 hours sat in the departure
lounge with a good book than standing in the check-in queue! Of
course the earlier you are the better chance you have of reserving
a good seat. Many airlines are now introducing services on their
websites that allow you to reserve seats, order meals and allow
you to check-in via automated express check-in systems; the best
way to do it by far.
Step 3: Enjoy the flight:
On a 19-hour flight it is important to keep yourself occupied.
The obvious solution is a good book. I always start a book a few
days before I fly so that I'm already 'into it' before I get on
the plane, ensuring a pre-planned slice of escapism. These days
we are blessed with in-seat technologies to keep us entertained,
these will often include the latest blockbuster films, video games
and all sorts of TV shows and in flight information. I still find,
however, that the trusty book is the best way to kill some time.
The holy grail of long haul flight is being able to get some quality
sleep. Air quality, light sources, noise and cramped upright seating
is certainly not conducive to falling asleep. An Ezysleep inflatable
travel pillow, for example is designed to deal with the issue of
supporting your neck whilst upright but there are other things you
can do. Earplugs and an eye mask can help deal with light and noise
so combine them with your travel pillow for some quality sleep.
If the food isn't up to scratch, make sure you're prepared with
some healthy snacks and a good supply of water. It might be free
but alcohol and coffee are very dehydrating and this is the last
thing you want in an already arid environment. Stick to the water
and fruit juices. Most importantly, enjoy the flight! Enjoy that
time away from the mobile phones and the boss and the traffic and
relax. You're 40,000 feet away from everything, make the most of
it!
Step 4: Stay healthy:
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a constant worry for long haul
travelers. Although extremely rare, it is a very dangerous condition.
The condition is avoided by ensuring that the blood flow around
your body is kept moving. Do the exercises advised by the in-flight
video and magazines, take regular walks to the galley, the toilet
or just up and down the aisles and drink plenty of water.
Step 5: Avoid Jet Lag:
The best way to avoid, or minimize, jet lag is to start planning
whilst on your flight. Set your watch to your destination time as
soon as you can and do your best to sleep when it's nighttime where
you are going, even if that means missing onboard meals. Keep drinking
that water so you're not dehydrated when you land. When you get
to your destination, don't hit the hay straight away. Try to stay
awake until the evening and you'll give yourself the best chance
to adjust quickly to your new time zone.
Based in the UK, James Wittering looks
after online marketing for the Ezysleep travel pillow people. He
also has a home in South Australia and finds the flight back considerably
more comfortable with an inflatable
travel pillow.
Article Source:
http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=James_Wittering.
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