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What do people do on long flights?
- Thread starter Bubble99
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Madhatter32
macrumors 68000
Sleep whenever possible. Then eat. Maybe a movie. A few trips to the bathroom to stretch the legs.
splifingate
Contributor
Look at the landscape below; sometimes while I play an audiobook.
BotchQue
macrumors 65816
I'm 6'5", with a 37" inseam. Started flying in '83 (1 to 3 times a month) and in those days the gate attendants would see me approach the desk and start typing immediately, to give me an aisle seat change, no extra charge. That didn't last long but it was great for about four years. Usually just looked out the window or read a book or magazine. If I was lucky I had an interesting seat-mate to talk to.
When I got my first laptop (13" MBA) I was excited to use it on the plane; when we reached altitude the guy in front of me immediately reclined his seat all the way, and so my new laptop was put away. Never got tired of just looking out the window, especially at night during a lightning storm.
Then the carry-on wars started. I would always pay the $25 to stow my overnight bag, so I could put my briefcase in the overhead bin and keep my footwell free (Size 13.5 shoes). Then the stewardperson would ask,
"Sir, could you put your briefcase under the seat in front of you, so this biker dude can put his carry-on up there?"
Me: "Uh, I paid $25 to stow my carryon, so I could place my briefcase up there; I have big feet"
Stewardperson: "Uh, okay. Biker dude, we'll have to put your carry-on into the hold below"
Biker dude: ".... " (but glared at me in a deadly manner).
This happened for about three flights in a row, and about 8 years ago I just refused to fly commercially anymore, even drove from UT to Sioux Falls SD for my own mom's funeral.
Now, what do I do on long drives? Half the time, just watch the scenery, sometimes with music. (I love music, but I also love just the quiet drone of the highway, and getting lost in my thoughts). If I ever get the urge to go somewhere overseas I'll pay the money for first-class, but I already hate the airlines so much that probably won't happen in this lifetime.
Sorry for blabbing so long.
When I got my first laptop (13" MBA) I was excited to use it on the plane; when we reached altitude the guy in front of me immediately reclined his seat all the way, and so my new laptop was put away. Never got tired of just looking out the window, especially at night during a lightning storm.
Then the carry-on wars started. I would always pay the $25 to stow my overnight bag, so I could put my briefcase in the overhead bin and keep my footwell free (Size 13.5 shoes). Then the stewardperson would ask,
"Sir, could you put your briefcase under the seat in front of you, so this biker dude can put his carry-on up there?"
Me: "Uh, I paid $25 to stow my carryon, so I could place my briefcase up there; I have big feet"
Stewardperson: "Uh, okay. Biker dude, we'll have to put your carry-on into the hold below"
Biker dude: ".... " (but glared at me in a deadly manner).
This happened for about three flights in a row, and about 8 years ago I just refused to fly commercially anymore, even drove from UT to Sioux Falls SD for my own mom's funeral.
Now, what do I do on long drives? Half the time, just watch the scenery, sometimes with music. (I love music, but I also love just the quiet drone of the highway, and getting lost in my thoughts). If I ever get the urge to go somewhere overseas I'll pay the money for first-class, but I already hate the airlines so much that probably won't happen in this lifetime.
Sorry for blabbing so long.
Basic75
macrumors 68030
Macky-Mac
macrumors 601
Mousse
macrumors 601
Only in cattle class. Business/First Class seats are very comfortable.🤗 I got a free upgrade to Business class once. Once.
On the my flight from Houston to Taipei I mostly tried to sleep to adjust for the time zone difference. From Taipei back to Houston (16 hours in cattle class😓), I mostly stayed up watching inflight movies. I napped for 10-15 minutes at a twice to take the edge off. When I got back home, it was 2am. I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow. Woke up 6 hours later, no jet lag. The wife and kids were jet lagged for 3 days. Come on, man. Stay awake during the day even if you're dog tired. You'd only be jet lagged for a day.
On long fights, aisle seat is a must for me. Close to bathroom is a bonus.😉
I go to Germany (from Canada) every 3 or 4 years, sometimes a bit more with family over there. I have been fortunate enough to fly first/business class on KLM the last 4 times and can't imagine going back. I did not pay full price and had regular economy plus seats booked. When at the counter I will ask if they have any upgrade options or deals and for all those times I got upgrades for less then $800 CDN. Price has varied so not sure how they come up with it. The benefits make travel enjoyable and relaxing. First you get access to a lounge with open bar and buffet and just a comfortable atmosphere. Then the plane itself you get a seat that basically turns into a bed. Very comfortable. Most of the time I wish the flight was actually longer to enjoy it all. I would fly economy plus again but it would be harder to go back to that. I will normally just sit back and relax, sometimes watch a show and much of the time just enjoy the silence... no crying babies up there!
This scene sums it up perfectly
This scene sums it up perfectly
rhett7660
macrumors G5
Having done many flights that 10 plus hours this is both me and the wife's routine.
Eat the first meal.
Take a melatonin (or two) pill.
Sleep the majority of the flight.
Both of us have noise cancelling headphones and sleep masks.
Eat breakfast
Use the restroom to freshen up (we bring the toiletry/shower wipes), brush teeth etc.
We don't check luggage at all so when we get off the plane, we are good to go and head straight to the hotel to drop off our carry-ons and or check in depending on the time of day we land and then off to our first stop.
Eat the first meal.
Take a melatonin (or two) pill.
Sleep the majority of the flight.
Both of us have noise cancelling headphones and sleep masks.
Eat breakfast
Use the restroom to freshen up (we bring the toiletry/shower wipes), brush teeth etc.
We don't check luggage at all so when we get off the plane, we are good to go and head straight to the hotel to drop off our carry-ons and or check in depending on the time of day we land and then off to our first stop.
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Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Read, sleep, look out the window at the passing scenery unfolding beneath (for which reason I usually try to secure a window seat), listen to music on my iPod.
Exactly and completely agree.
Exactly and completely agree.
rm5
macrumors 601
I rarely take any long flights, because I rarely fly outside the U.S. Longest recently was when I went up to Michigan last month, that was going diagonally across the country so the flight going there was about 4 hours, and the flight coming home was about 5 hours. For the outbound flight, I slept the entire time, because I had not the night before. For the return trip, which left in the evening and arrived back home just short of midnight, I watched a 2-hour YouTube video of someone sailing from England to Australia on a cruise ship, and for the rest of it probably just listened to music or looked out the window. (Since my home airport is small, I needed to connect in LA for both the outbound and inbound trips -- so the flight I speak of was LA to Detroit and the other way back.)
Ordinarily, the flights I take are never more than about 2 hours. Depending on which airline I use, I usually fly from my home airport to either airline's hub (LA on Delta, Denver on United, or Dallas on American), before catching an onward flight to the destination.
The last REALLY long flight I took was from Munich to Houston which clocked in at about 12 hours -- on that I remember sleeping for the majority of it.
Ordinarily, the flights I take are never more than about 2 hours. Depending on which airline I use, I usually fly from my home airport to either airline's hub (LA on Delta, Denver on United, or Dallas on American), before catching an onward flight to the destination.
The last REALLY long flight I took was from Munich to Houston which clocked in at about 12 hours -- on that I remember sleeping for the majority of it.
TheIntruder
macrumors 68020
Survive, basically. Thankfully, I'm able to sleep, though recently, not in longer stints like in the past.
Class upgrades are nice, and state-of-the-art airplanes do have better environmental conditions, but that doesn't change the fact that you're still cooped up in an aluminum/carbon tube with hundreds of other people, in an environment with noise, low level vibration, and less humidity that on the ground.
A king size feather bed plopped on Fifth Avenue is still a bed plopped on Fifth Avenue.
And the way that the airline business works nowadays doesn't point toward things getting any better, as the profit comes from the upper classes, so the choice is pay for business, or get nickeled-and-dimed to death in steerage.
Class upgrades are nice, and state-of-the-art airplanes do have better environmental conditions, but that doesn't change the fact that you're still cooped up in an aluminum/carbon tube with hundreds of other people, in an environment with noise, low level vibration, and less humidity that on the ground.
A king size feather bed plopped on Fifth Avenue is still a bed plopped on Fifth Avenue.
And the way that the airline business works nowadays doesn't point toward things getting any better, as the profit comes from the upper classes, so the choice is pay for business, or get nickeled-and-dimed to death in steerage.
960design
macrumors 68040
Enjoy a nice glass of port (or three) and warmed nuts. Lay back and watch a movie ( read a book ).
splifingate
Contributor
dmr727
macrumors G4
Depends on whether I'm working or just along for the ride. 😉
As a passenger, I read and listen to music. Maybe watch a movie. I try to sleep some, but I'm terrible at sleep if I'm at all upright.
Like @Scepticalscribe , I still love looking out the window too.
As a passenger, I read and listen to music. Maybe watch a movie. I try to sleep some, but I'm terrible at sleep if I'm at all upright.
Like @Scepticalscribe , I still love looking out the window too.
Madhatter32
macrumors 68000
BotchQue
macrumors 65816
For legs, especially hamstrings, do a lot of stretching while you are in the airport.
On the plane, it can depend on your height. Too tall and you have no options but to stand up and move around, do some stretches. You can start your stand up cycle as soon as you reach cruising and are allowed to, then set your timer for every 30 minutes or whatever.
If you are shorter, you may be able to get some movement in while in your seat. At average height (about where I am) I shuck my shoes off and really stretch my feet way under the seat in front of me, with just socks you can move and stretch a bit more. While this is happening my under seat bag is moved towards my seat and rests under my knees, it allows you to stretch your leg a bit more. You may want a lumbar roll (waistpack, pillow, or rolled up clothes) to support that part of your back.
How often to get up: stay in tune with the people on the plane. If there is a lull in people using the restroom, stand up then. If you see a serving cart coming, you will have to time it with however they are moving.
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
And, another thing I do, on planes that provide this facility, is study and stare at - lose myself in - the maps - sometimes dangling on large screens from the ceiling of the plane over passenger seats, sometimes - with smaller screens - at the back of passengers' seats - of the flight path during the journey.
I love maps, and I love travel, and some of the regions, countries, cities, seas, I have flown over are places of legend, an experience which always leaves me breathless with awed wonder.
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