Are you going anywhere for the summer? I’ve just flown back to Hong Kong over the weekend and am reflecting on the things I do to make the long-haul journey a more comfortable one where possible.
1. Pick the aisle seat.
I love the window seat as much as anyone, but not on a long flight. Clambering over strangers to get to the washroom, particularly sleeping strangers, is not my favourite thing to do.
2. Bring an empty water bottle.
Flying is a dry business and it’s very important to stay hydrated, especially on long flights. You can’t carry liquids with you through security, but you can definitely get your bottle filled for you on the plane. I find this both a lot more environmentally friendly and less troublesome to flight attendants to ask once or twice to fill my water bottle than to ask for a tiny, non-reusable cup of water every hour.
3. Invest in a neck pillow.
A good, sturdy one that keeps its shape without any help is best, though this obviously depends on individual preferences. Although inflatable pillows definitely take up a lot less space, I don’t find them very comfortable and have now given up on them. These really decrease the severity of neck cricks, particularly if, like me, your neck doesn’t understand the concept of keeping your head upright when sleeping upright.
4. Wear loose, comfortable shoes — with heels, if short. Plus a pair of thick socks.
Your feet swell when you sit for a long time without moving. If you wear tight shoes and happen to take your feet out at some point in the flight, be sure that it will be hard to get them back in. I wear a pair of summer wedges that are easy to slip on and off, and have the additional advantage of giving me two inches of extra height to help me reach the overhead compartment. This is much quicker than climbing onto a seat to pop my luggage in, particularly in the initial rush of boarding the plane.
When travelling in winter, I keep my shoes in my carry-on and then change before boarding the plane, so that I won’t have to open the overhead at any point during the flight. Since you can have one carry-on in the overhead and one bag under the seat in front of you, I like to have anything I need during the flight readily accessible in front of me and all other items in the carry-on above.
I also like to have a pair of thick socks on hand; I get quite cold on planes. Some flights provide them and others don’t, but I prefer having my own at any rate.
And yes, I totally rock socks with sandals.
5. Get an airline adapter for your head/earphones if this is important to you.
Apparently, you can get one of these at Shoppers for about $1, which is where my brother got mine. I prefer using my own headphones because they’re more comfortable, they sound better, and I don’t have to waste opening more plastic bags. This also saves money in the long run when taking a flight that charges you to rent their headphones.
Safe flight!
