Tips For Long Haul Travel – Having A Stress Free Flight (Part Two)

Posted May 27, 2009 by BookingBuddy

Last week, we left you with a bunch of tips on how to lessen your stress levels before a long haul flight. This week, we’re back with some tips on how to relax while on the flight itself.

During The Flight

Be quick
Once you’re actually on the plane, try to stow your carry-on luggage in the overhead storage compartment as soon as you get to your seat. You can always open it up later on in the flight to get your necessities out of your bag. If you wait till later to store your bags, you may not be able to keep them near you as all the available space nearby gets taken up by other people’s luggage. Instead, you may end up having to keep your bags further away. You do not want to spend the duration of a long haul flight worrying about strangers accidentally walking off with your carry-on luggage when you could be relaxing and enjoying the flight.

Sit down
After your carry-on bags are safely stowed away, sit down and let the other passengers get past you and on to their seats. There’s always time to stand up and chat or stretch later on in the flight. Boarding the plane can be a long and tedious process, so the faster everyone gets seated, the sooner the plane is able to take off. Besides, you probably wouldn’t like having two hundred angry people shoving past you and yelling at you to sit down.

Pillow talk
If you’re travelling in economy, it is also a good idea to pack an inflatable travel neck pillow along with the rest of your carry-on stuff. This supports your neck when you sleep, giving you a more comfortable and restful sleep. You’ll also wake up without that annoying pain in the sides of your neck that you get when your head keeps slipping over.
You may also find it useful to carry a sleep mask and earplugs with you, to help block out ambient light and noise, for an even more peaceful sleep.

Mind your P’s and Q’s
You may be in a relaxed holiday mood, but that’s no excuse for relaxing your manners. The cabin crew are there to help you, so remember to be nice and polite to them, and they will help make your flight more comfortable. After all, their journey will be just as long as yours, and they will be just as tired and stressed out as you will be. It’s also never a good idea to antagonise someone who serves you your meal.

Be patient
Once again, patience plays a large part in having a stress free flight. When the plane lands, wait for your turn to disembark. Pushing and shoving won’t get you off the plane much quicker, and also leads to increased stress levels, both yours and the passengers you’ve annoyed. Wait till people in the rows in front of you have got off, then quickly get in line and file off the plane.

We hope these tips have contributed to you having a more enjoyable flight. Have you got any other stress-busting tips you’d like to share?

(Photo: securityenglish.co.uk)

Categories: Travel Tips