Despite the airline companies' attempts to make travel as efficient and comfortable as possible, spending several hours in a cramped economy class seat trapped in a metal tube with hundreds of other people is not a pleasant proposition. Add to this the prospect of flight delays and long security lines and overseas travel turns can become an intolerable ordeal. By following a few simple tips, you can make a long jet trip more palatable.
If you're assigned to an undesirable center seat, you don't have to stay there. Even before the doors are closed, head to the back of the plane to see if any vacancies are available. Because airlines tend to fill from the front, you may find entire rows empty of passengers. Then, return to your assigned place and wait until right after the doors are closed. Pick up your gear and head to the back as quickly as possible to score a better space.
Individually controlled vents are becoming rarer on international flights, so more than likely, the air will become uncomfortably warm for stretches of your journey. Just before you board the plane, change into comfortable loungewear, which can mean as little as a T-shirt, shorts and slippers. You can always wrap yourself in a blanket if you get cold. Conversely, if you know the plane does have vents, your flight may become too cold. In that case, wear something warmer like sweats.
However, don't try to enter a foreign country dressed so casually. About an hour before landing, head for a restroom so you can change into ordinary street clothes. If you're concerned about carrying too many clothes in your carry-on, you can always wear old clothes as your loungewear, which you then discard in the trash when you're done.
Though the entertainment system is typically online the minute you enter the plane, you don't get headphones until after the flight has leveled off. You can enjoy the onboard video before anyone else by bringing your own headphones, however, be sure that you also bring a two prong adapter. As a bonus, your own headphones set frequently supplies better sound quality than those of the airline.
Depending on where you sit, you may be the last one to receive any meals especially on a crowded aircraft. Not only do you remain hungrier longer, you may have no choice in what to eat. To avoid this, as soon as you buy your ticket, order a special meal like kosher or halal (Muslim). The flight attendants typically serve special meals before all others. In addition, you'll be finished eating before all the passengers and can use the restroom before it becomes crowded.
