If you are a regular traveler, you know that long haul flights can sap your energy and really test your patience. If flying long haul leaves you tired and dehydrated by the time you reach your destination, fret not as we are going to give you some easy yet effective tips for surviving a long haul flight:
- Bring Your Own Entertainment – If possible, consider going with the airline which offers Audio Video on Demand(A.V.O.D); this is a Television screen in front of your seat which lets you select what you want to play, watch or listen to. It’s very useful as it helps time pass by much faster by keeping your mind occupied. That said you should know that this can be really expensive. The best alternative is to bring with you, your own form of entertainment. You can bring an iPod (fully charged and loaded with the latest songs and movies), iPad, iPhone, Game Boy, among such others.
- Choose Your Seat Wisely – Even within the same class and airfare, some seats are much superior to others. You should consider an aisle or an exit row seat for some leg room, or a window seat for those who want to sleep. Try and avoid seats which are near the toilets since other passengers will be accessing them regularly; it’s common on a long haul flight for there to be passengers walking to and from the toilets, and they may knock or bump your seat. Also the light and noise which escapes whenever the toilet door is opened can be very disturbing.
- Move Around – This is especially important in long haul flights as it helps prevent body aches because of poor circulation. That said, it’s important to note that, there are some airlines which provide guidance on in seat exercises which you can do like stretching your arms; this is also an excellent time to go for a stroll down the aisle a couple of times. You can also keep the blood circulation flowing in the legs and arms by doing some gentle exercises while at your seat. Stretching your arms and legs will help avoid the risk of incurring DVT (deep vein thrombosis).
- Dress Well – How you dress depends ultimately on where you’re flying to or where you are flying from, however, the micro-climate in the airplane can vary greatly. The solution to this, is wearing loose layers which can be easily taken off and on without a lot of hassle. Wearing several loose layers helps you adjust your temperatures as you fly. In addition to wearing loose layers, consider opting for closed shoes instead of flip flops, in case of an emergency. Also don’t wear any footwear that is too snug, since feet tend to swell at high altitudes.
