A six foot-plus friend of mine has just booked a flight to Australia with Air Asia, one of the world’s few long-haul budget airlines. Being quite tall myself I struggle to spend any more than three hours in the cramped seats offered by low-cost carriers, so I feel his decision is perhaps a brave one. Yet there are ways to make flying more bearable, whatever the airline.
Bagging the best seat
Finding a good seat is crucial, so I’d recommend using www.seatguru.com, which allows you to view seating plans by airline and aircraft type to find out which rows have the best legroom and which are worth avoiding (for example those by the toilets and the galley, which can be very noisy). I certainly wish I’d checked it out earlier this year when I ended up spending a 23-hour flight from Sydney in one of the few seats onboard the Qantas A380 which doesn’t recline.
Most airlines, including Qantas and Virgin Atlantic, will let you choose your seat when you book, although British Airways charges an additional cost for reserving seats prior to check-in. Both BA and Virgin Atlantic, however, offer the opportunity to pay around £50 more to sit on one the coveted emergency exit rows, which provide several inches of extra leg room. You can do this between ten and four days before travel with British Airways or at check-in with Virgin Atlantic, but bear in mind you will be moved if you are not deemed able to open the emergency doors by the cabin crew.
If you’re flying on a carrier with unallocated seating you may be offered the option of paying for priority boarding to get the first pick, but there are ways to increase your chances of a good seat without shelling out. Firstly, check in as early as possible to get a place in the first boarding group and hover by the gate so you can be at the front of the queue when your flight is called. If you’re taken to the plane via bus then try to stand at the same end of the vehicle as the priority boarders, as the doors here will be opened first when you reach the aircraft. I have twice managed to grab an exit seat by using this trick, although it’s by no means guaranteed.
Onboard essentials
Key to onboard comfort is dressing in loose, soft clothing rather than jeans, as the body naturally expands during flight. What’s more, aircraft cabins can get chilly so I always wear layers and travel with a pashmina and a pair of cosy socks.
I also take a neck pillow as they are far more supportive then the cushions provided onboard. And, although many airlines hand out eye masks, it’s always worth taking your own in case they’re not available; one friend of mine got so desperate to sleep during an Air Canada flight that she took off one of her socks – which happened to be bright pink – and tied it round her head to block out the light. If you suffer from painful ears during flights then avoid using earplugs, however, as they prevent your ears from adapting to the changing pressure as the plane ascends and descends.
I always take off my make-up as soon as I board the flight then slather on moisturiser and lip balm to prevent any discomfort from the dry air onboard. I also use eye drops, sip lots of water and spray on lavender-scented sleep mist to help me drift off (Molton Brown does a great version which is small enough to avoid the liquid restrictions at security).
Finally comes to the tricky question of jet lag. I find I suffer far less on night flights as they make it easier for me to reset my body clock, but whether or not you have the option of flying overnight depends on your destination – it’s near impossible to find a night flight from Tokyo to the UK or from the UK to the US, for example. I also try to adapt my routine to the time at my destination by altering my meals accordingly, but this is not always possible if the food onboard is served at set times.
