How To Keep Occupied On A Long Flight?

[adroit]

Hey guys,
As some of you might have heard in my previous posts I am going on a trip to NYC on friday. The flight is 8-9 hours long and I am taking economy as usual . There is a high probablity I will commit suicide or become mentaly insane around the 5th hour. I wanted to know what you guys do to keep occupied in long flights. Sleeping is probably not an option since the flight leaves at 11am. Also I am 99.9% sure they dont but do they have power outlets or wifi for my ibook in economy on delta?
Tips are appriciated for my well being and mental stability,
Patmian212

Stay up all night and take lots of sleeping pills. This would help you adjust to the time change as well

 

[emw]

Use Smurfs instead.

More effective - pretend you're using Smurfs. Move "them" around and talk to them, but don't actually bring any. Bonus is you have less to carry.

 

[jsw]

More effective - pretend you're using Smurfs. Move "them" around and talk to them, but don't actually bring any. Bonus is you have less to carry.

Yeah, but since I've always got my Smurf dol..., um, "action figures" with me, I might as well use them.

 

[mactastic]

Masturbate?

 

[katie ta achoo]

Masturbate?

So why were you searching MR for this?

and it's not called "masturbation" it's called "CANCER PREVENTION EXERCISES!!"

 

[ToddW]

i take a couple of my special headache pills and drink until i board the plane. drink on the plane and pass out somewhere during the flight. that is how i got through going to England three times last year. I'm not a very good flyer, i get quite a few tension headaches. but my company paid for business class so it was okay. i usually get drunk and sleep works pretty good.

 

[Sogo]

you can always twidle your fingers.

 

[zap2]

iPod+Sleep= Happy

iPod+Laptop=Happier

iPod+Laptop+ Handheld game system+ cards=Happiest

(Gun+Plane= 3 big guys on top of you yelling ''give me the gun'')(best idea no guns on plane )

 

[7254278]

As far as handheld gaming systems go I only have a GBA with pokemon red, mario golf and tetris lol.

 

[mactastic]

So why were you searching MR for this?

and it's not called "masturbation" it's called "CANCER PREVENTION EXERCISES!!"

While I did have to search for the thread, I remember when this one was at the top of the community forum....

Talk about hilarious. Did you read through the posts? Skunk pretty much made several people wet themselves.

 

[yellow]

Ambien. <sleep>

 

[kiwi-in-uk]

This is what I do on long flights (23 hrs UK/AU) ...

Get an aisle seat (there aint much scenery over the ocean, unless you are lucky enough to go through a storm).

Before the food comes around (usually about an hour into the flight) play the stupid games in the entertainment system.

After the food, read a book (I usually buy short stories).

When you get bored with that watch a movie (check out start and finish times first if it is on a loop system - not all systems are on-demand yet).

When you get bored with that listen to the music channels, or have a laugh at the motivational channel.

Go back to the book.

On a nine hour flight there will probably be more food. Play with that (you won't be hungry).

Keep calling the attendants for assistance. After a while they will get annoyed. That's good for ten minutes of entertainment.

Don't drink or take sleeping stuff - you will be jet lagged afterwards.

Take eyeshades - it is easier to fall asleep. [edit: and you will find it easier to adjust to NYC time; stay awake on the way back].

Relax. 9 hours isn't long.

 

[Chundles]

Watch TV, listen to your iPod, sleep.

If any of these become boring just remember those poor sods on the longest single-leg flight in the world going over the top from NYC to Singapore. Or the poor tired skiers who decided the best way to get back to Australia from Canada is the Vancouver-Sydney direct (it might have a quick re-fuel in Honolulu but you don't disembark).

My longest trip was my return to Australia from the US:
Uncle's Place -> Boston: 1.5 Hours
Boston -> NYC: 4 Hours train
Layover: 2 Hours
NYC -> JFK: 2 Hours bus
Layover: 2 hours
JFK -> LAX: 5.5 Hours
Layover: 3 hours
LAX -> SYD: 14 Hours
SYD -> Home: 2 Hours

All up, 33 hours on the go. Thank God for 1st class.

 

[iJon]

I've had quite a few international flights. I like to stay up pretty late the next night, or not go to sleep at all so that I have no choice but to crash and burn on the flight. You will also get a good selection of television and movies to keep you busy. To be honest that is about all you have to do unless you bring a laptop, book or something.

jon

 

[7254278]

I wouldnt mind goin on a long flight in 1st class but in economy its DEATH! I doubt delta has an entertainment system. Hey I am only 16 and flying alone, any chance they might put me in first if it isnt full?
I will be taking an ipod and an ibook with football manager 2006(3 hours battery life if I dim the screen and turn of the airport).
I might stock up on mac addict and macworld magazines but last time in the european terminal in Madrid Barajas airport they only had PC world

 

[iJon]

I wouldnt mind goin on a long flight in 1st class but in economy its DEATH! I doubt delta has an entertainment system. Hey I am only 16 and flying alone, any chance they might put me in first if it isnt full?
I will be taking an ipod and an ibook with football manager 2006(3 hours battery life if I dim the screen and turn of the airport).
I might stock up on mac addict and macworld magazines but last time in the european terminal in Madrid Barajas airport they only had PC world

Even though any American flight company is terrible (well not considering AeroMexico), they do have entertainment on their long haul flights. If anything, they will have better movies than most cause they are American. Unfortunately you won't get free unlimited liquor. Also, many planes have DC inverters I believe so you can hook up things like laptops. I never take my powerbook so I'm not sure what else is involved to get that to work.

jon

 

[balamw]

I doubt delta has an entertainment system. Hey I am only 16 and flying alone, any chance they might put me in first if it isnt full?

Possible, but doubtful. Be nice and friendly to the flight attendants and others who are there to take care of you as a UM, and you never know... On transatlantic flights there are usually a long list of frequent fliers who are on waiting lists to get into first and business. Once, many moons ago, when I was 13ish traveling UM I got stuck overnight in Montreal and the flight attendants took us sightseeing and to the movies.

Another tip. Dress relatively nicely. No ripped jeans & sneakers. Another time my wife and I were upgraded for free they guy asked to see our shoes before he carried it through. The airline had a policy not to upgrade anyone in jeans or sneakers. Of course if you bought your ticket...

B

 

[ZoomZoomZoom]

Make up a list of stupid questions that you can toss into dinner conversations. It's actually alot more fun that it sounds, especially once you put it into practice. And with a 9 hour flight, you'll be able to keep the table rolling with laughter for quite a while.

Or (learn) a new language. You can probably cram in a bunch of elementary Chinese phrases in under 9 hours.

 

[yellow]

Or (learn) a new language. You can probably cram in a bunch of elementary Chinese phrases in under 9 hours.

LOL! Like: Please, superior sir, I am about to deficate in my pants, I think that steamed dumpling contained dog.

 

[_bnkr612]

My father and I will be flying to New Zealand in three weeks. We are bringing our iPods (I plan to buy the 5G). I am bringing my 12" PB and buying some cheesy $3.99 dvds (i.e., wild things 4, titanic 3, jurassic park 7) I can pitch when I am done with them.

2 months of kiwi land... I am glad to be a citizen, maybe I won't come back to the USA...

There is also some Apple re-sellers there... Bo-ya. Getting anxious!

But yea, I plan to take some meds too... Codine (sp?) is nice.

 

[puckhead193]

well if your that board you can try this https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/157148/

 

[7254278]

Hey guys,
Well I'm in NYC. The flight wasnt too bad, I played a lot of PSP and I got the bulk seat cuz I went to check in pretty early. They played Mr. and Mrs. Smith and herbie fully loaded, not great movies but entertaining.
Theres no internet in my hotel so I am typing this in the theatre in the soho apple store, the itunes presentation is up now and in about 30 mins I'll catch the garageband workshop. AHHHH I love new york, nothing like the smell of smog in the morning

 

[swiftaw]

Does delta haver personal screens and stuff in economy on intercontinental flights?

Check your reservation, somewhere it will tell you what type of plane you are flying on. Then go to seatguru.com and it will tell you all about the plane, where the TV's are at, where the power outlets are, etc.

 

[jalagl]

I just which that 'a la Google' there was a camera in the plane's nose so we could see what the pilots saw.

Fly Finnair sometime. That's one of the few cool perks of those flights.

Several airlines that fly A340s have that feature. I think the ones I've been on had the camera on the tail, though.

In the last 2 years I've logged more than 250,000 miles, most of it on economy. Here are my recommendations:

- Sleep. I have no problem falling asleep anywhere, and so far I spend most of my time on planes sleeping.
- Music. I used to have a Minidisc player, now I use my iPod all the time while on the plane, when sleeping and reading. Get a nice pair of Noise Cancelling headphones as well.
- Books. I read A LOT on planes as well. This september I spent 3 weeks traveling in Europe, and completed the first two books of The Wheel of Time reading on either planes or trains.
- Movies. In-flight movies SOMETIMES are good.

And get an aisle seat. Someone recommended http://www.seatguru.com on the thread, I second the recommendation.

 

[emw]

Hey guys,
Well I'm in NYC. The flight wasnt too bad, I played a lot of PSP and I got the bulk seat cuz I went to check in pretty early.

Glad everything went well. It's always exciting to be in a new place - especially somewhere like NYC where there's always something to do. Enjoy your trip!