Longhaul flights and how best to deal with them - Ausralia looms !!?

Answer 1

I usually take six or seven pairs of boots and mend them during long-haul flights. The hammering keeps the pilot awake.

Answer 2

We go to Australia every year(Perth) and fly via Singapore or Dubai. The first leg is roughly thirteen hours and we try to adjust our sleep at home so we will be tired after about 6 hours flying,that way we sleep nearly half that leg only waking to eat and we usually doze off again.The second leg is 5 hours and we cope with that one by watching a film, reading a book or playing the interactive games.We wear flight socks which help with swelling legs, drink plenty of water and have no alcohol and when we are awake we walk round the plane quite often.If you have something to interest you and you can snatch some sleep it won't seem as far.Have a great trip, it's a beautiful country and well worth the travelling,we are back there in April.

Answer 3

Who are you flying with and where are your stopovers? The first time I flew with Japanese Airlines and it was incredibly cramped, the second time we learned our lesson and flew with Quantas.

Firstly try and check in as early as possible to get good seats. I would recommend that you sit at the end of an aisle. This allows you to get up and walk around a lot without annoying anyone (this is if you don't intend to sleep a lot). I do recommend this as it helps keep the swelling in your legs and feet down. Drink A LOT of water or decent fluids. You dehydrate badly in a cabin and both times I have flown my skin looks grey at the end of the flight. Take some really nice face creams and stuff and half way through the flight go and give your face a good cleansing (obviously these need to be in tubes less than 150ml). Don't eat too much, eat little and often and take some munchies with you incase they leave you a long time in between meals (they did on JAL - but on Quantas we had a goodie bag when we got on that had fresh fruit and sweets in it).

Take a really good book, an Ipod video if you have one will keep you entertained. Also most flights now have really good entertainment. Quantas had a choose your own and watch when you like system, so I just cosied down and watched loads of films. Some of these systems also have games.

Make the most of any stopover that you have, if you stop at Singapore, Changi airport is fantastic and has a roof top bar, a great way to liven yourself up. The shopping is also very good. When we stopped at Osaka there was nothing there, but it was incredibly clean and the seating was comfy so I got a bit of sleep. Both of these airports have showers so you can freshen up.

I always try to keep awake as long as possible and don't sleep until the evening when I arrive. Oz does do your head in when you arrive and it takes a while to get used to it. We ended up awake at 4am the first morning and watched the sunrise, but by lunchtime were knackered! We just went down to the beach and stayed as long as we could.

Good luck, I know it's horrible gettting there, but just think about your destination and it will all be worthwhile.

Answer 4

Last summer we flew from LA to Sydney. Qantas departed shortly after midnight, served a meal - very nice. My friend & I both popped an Ambien and didn't wake up until about an hour outside of Sydney, were served breakfast, had a little walk up and a potty break. It's a 14 hour flight, 12 hours back from Aukland.

Ask your doctor for a prescription to Ambien - you'll rest well on the flight and it will help you get to sleep at night. If you're well rested, you'll be able to adjust much more easily.

Answer 5

If you are going to Australia from the UK it is best to go East via Asia. This will mean you fly with the jetstream and your flights will be shorter.

My favourite route is to leave LHR at about 10pm on a Friday night and fly to SIngapore (12½ hours). Get up relatively late that day, and you will find yourself in Singapore at about tea time (local time) the next day. On the aircraft, have your meal, watch a movie and then get your head down for a while - the cabin crew encourage this by darkening the cabin. Wake for breakfast and you will see some fabulous sights out of the window (Iran is particulary spectacular from the air) before landing in SIngapore. Stay in Singapore for 24 hours before picking up the same or similar flight the next day and your body clock will have adjusted quite well. Again have your meal and then get your head down for a while, as Sydney / Melbourne / Adelaide are about 8 hours' flight time away. You will land in Australia in the morning on Monday having had a nice breakfast, and you will be quite awake until early evening, when you will fall into bed and sleep soundly. By the time you wake the next morning, your body clock will be on Australian time.

Coming back, I find it best to fly into LA(11 - 12 hours) and again I like to stay 24 - 48 hours somewhere cheap. Leave on an early evening flight if you can, and you are still flying with the jetstream because you are going East. Lots to do (I loved Hollywood) and your body clock adjusts again quite easily. Home to the UK (10 - 11 hours) look for a flight that lands quite early in the morning, so on the aircraft you eat, watch a movie, sleep, have breakfast and land.

Your air fares won't be dearer for breaking your journey, and you will get three places for the price of one.

Answer 6

A few years ago we got a cheap flight to Oz from Britain with Garuda Indanisia Airlines. They stopped all over the place and it took forever to get there but my lasting memory of the trip was that every couple of hours usually just when I 'd managed to nod off I was awoken by a smiling hostess offering me a plate of noodles. Have you tried to eat a pot noodle at 4 in the morning after 2 hours sleep? As a breakfast it just doesn't cut it.

Answer 7

Take some good reading matter, maybe a puzzle book or two, wear something comfortable, along with comfortable shoes. Try and move about as much as possible, and follow the leg and foot excercises suggested in the safety video. Try not to dink too much alcohol....but drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. And, if possible, try and get some sleep. On arrival, try and adjust to the time there as soon as possible to avoid jetlag. Have a good trip!

Answer 8

Where do you live? Lets assume its England and you have a choice, ignore the advice of the MarkEverest who suggests you fly East, unless like him you have the chance to stop over on the way. Its ALWAYS best to fly East to West. So if you are leaving England fly to Los Angeles and then to Australia and then fly back to England via Singapore, Bangkok or HongKong. If you have a choice DONT fly Qantas or JAL (hopeless leg room) prefer BA or United where there is the chance to upgrade to their Economy Plus cabin - you get tons more leg room and a better seat. (Qantas though DOEs have video on demand with lots of recent movies, with BA you have to watch when THEY decide to load the movie, I dont know about movies on JAL). Whoever you fly, try to sleep at night time in the country you are flying into e.g. if you are to land at 6am stay awake untill 6 or 7 hours before you land and get at least 5 or 6 hours sleep; if landing at mid day sleep until 6 hours before you land. When you get there stay awake until say 9pm then you have a good chance of sleeping thru your new night time and being awake during the next day. Good Luck and enjoy your stay in Aus

Answer 9

I suggest you wear loose fitting clothes and shoes, as feet swell up from sititng for a long time. try to get up and walk the aisle once an hour if possible, also do some exercises to keep your body limber and your joints from aching.

Drinking more water than usual is a good idea, to prevent dehydration.

Answer 10

i wish i could help but im in same boat
New Zealand in 2 weeks for me and i dont know how il cope with 10hours on one flight then 11 hours on another (2 hour gap)

but ive been told best way is to walk around regulary, avoid drinking alcohol (much to my disapointment) and just keep yourself well occupied, ie books or films :)

have fun, good luck

Answer 11

No airline gives you lodge lodging for layovers. the only time they do this's if there's a important put off to the schedule and then they do it reluctantly. there is in all probability a transit lodge on the airport the place you ought to purchase a room in blocks of roughly 4 hours, different smart you will possibly ought to bypass by way of immigration and get an lodge on the brink of the airport.