Long-Haul Flights
A couple of weeks ago, I was reminded of the realities of a long-haul flight - overnight across the Atlantic. My neck was locked rigid and my legs were twisted, shins cramped against the underside of the seat in front and knees jammed against the seat back. Nevertheless, after three or four hours of fitful wakefulness, I managed to drop off to sleep. Then, as they always do in economy, the crew switched on the cabin lights so that they could serve breakfast. It is the most brutal awakening and the nadir of most night flights.
Short of using ear plugs and an eye mask and hanging a "Do not disturb notice" around your neck, I can't think of a way around this particular downside to long-haul flying. But there are some things you can do. Here are 5 tips to make a long journey more bearable.
1. Book a decent seat
Most airlines that fly long haul allow you to select your seat well in advance of the flight via their website. Some have started to charge for this privilege. In BA's case, it will cost you £25 per seat for return flights in the World Traveller cabin (long haul, economy class).
However, free seat choice and online check-in opens 24 hours before departure. When I checked a couple of virtually-full flights recently, I found that there were still plenty of seats that hadn't been booked. So, as long as you are well organised and log on at the right time, you should be able to get decent seats. Choosing the best seat to book is the next problem. Bulkhead seats and seats in the emergency-exit row (for which you often have to pay extra) are popular. Seats in the emergency-exit row give you extra legroom but you are right by the lavatory door, and the legroom in the seat nearest the side of the plane is compromised because part of the door juts out. The bulkhead seats at the front of the cabin seem attractive since there is no one in front of you to recline a seat into your space. But it is also the row most often used by parents with babies.
2. Fly east to west
This will work only if you are travelling around the world, but it is a strategy worth considering for those flying to Australia or New Zealand, when a round-the-world ticket may be the same price as a normal return, or only slightly more expensive.
If you do circumnavigate in this way, you will avoid the worst effects of jet lag. Flying east to west means that your body adjusts more easily to the new time zone and you can sleep in for longer, rather than find yourself lagging behind the clock. However, the time you gain on each leg will be lost the moment you cross the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean, when suddenly an entire day will be wiped out. Travel the other way and you will gain a day, but lose time on each leg.
3. Use a top-quality agent
One area in which travel agents can still give good advice on a consistent basis is long-haul travel. The complexity of possible routings, fares and airlines, especially on a round-the-world ticket, is not something that lends itself well to online systems. An idea or suggestion from an on-the-ball consultant who is compiling itineraries every day could save you both time and money.
4. Pick the best airline
There is no doubt that the top airlines have significantly improved things for long-haul passengers over the past three or four years. Key developments include seats with more space in front of your knees; "wings" on the headrests to support your head; and on-demand seat-back entertainment so that you can choose what you want to watch and when and can put programmes on pause. But not all airlines offer equal standards of service or the same amount of legroom and, since there is a choice of carriers on nearly all routes, it is worth thinking about more than just the cheapest fare when deciding who you fly with.
5. Avoid peak-time flights
You will have more space, more air, more personal service and a nicer experience all round on a half-empty flight. Since fares vary according to demand, you are also likely to pay less for it. A good agent (see above) will be able to advise on the quietest times on individual routes but obvious times to avoid are school holidays, weekends and Monday - the busiest flying day of the week.
The author feels that the worst part of the flight is when the go on before breakfast.
Some airlines have started to charge for the of booking a seat in advance.
Emergency-exit row seats have the problem of being next to the .
One way to reduce jet-lag is to the globe east to west.
Despite online systems, are still a useful source of help particularly for round-the-world tickets.
'Wings' on headrests are an example of recent in seat comfort.
You may pay less for an off-peak flight because fares depend on .