14 Small Tricks That Will Make Even a Long Flight Enjoyable
Thanks to planes, we can quickly reach almost any point on our planet. At the same time, 52% of travelers complain that they feel uncomfortable during flights. The body feels numb when sitting for too long, and it’s very hard to sleep well. Luggage can be damaged or even lost. But there are certain tricks that can help avoid these troubles and make the trip more comfortable. Sometimes, all you need is the right hat.
The best time for a flight is early morning.
According to recent studies, morning flights are the most convenient. The flights that leave before 8 am, rarely get delayed, because there’s not that much traffic yet. Besides, the tickets are often cheaper.
At this time of day, pilots don’t have to deal with turbulence quite as often. It’s easier to get to the airport, and there are usually shorter lines to check-in and security. Also, you start your journey in the morning, so your impression will be better.
You can use a special app to choose the best seat.
Airlines use different models of planes, so choosing the perfect seat on the plane might not be an easy task. It’s better to find out what type of plane you’re going to fly with and then go to seatguru.com. There, you can find layouts of different planes with travelers’ notes on the pros and cons of certain seats.
Now all luggage stickers will help you keep your things safe.
If you’re worried about your things in the luggage, you can ask for the “Fragile” sticker during check-in. To have such a sticker, you need to have fragile things in your suitcase. Don’t forget to remove the sticker after the flight. Airport employees only pay attention to the new stickers, belonging to the airlines they know. And they should be located on the suitcase handle.
Your suitcase should have 3 handles: top, bottom, and side. This way, the employees will carefully handle the luggage. If there’s only one handle, there’s a huge chance the suitcase will simply be thrown.
Before buying a tracker, check the airline rules.
In order to know exactly where your luggage is, you can buy a special tracker. You put it into the suitcase and then track its location with an app. But before you buy it, check with the airline whether they allow using such trackers. Besides, make sure the tracker complies with the FAA requirements.
You can solve the excess weight problem by visiting Duty-Free.
Most airlines are very serious about excess baggage and might require a significant amount of money for it. You don’t have to throw away your stuff. You can buy something at the Duty-Free store, ask them for a big bag, and put some of the heavy stuff from your suitcase in it. Airport employees don’t always weigh these bags.
A power strip can help you charge all your devices and find new friends.
Finding several power outlets near each other at the airport is very hard. So, it’s better to get a power strip and take it with you. You will both charge all your devices and make new friends. Other people will be happy to charge their phones and laptops.
If your flight was canceled or delayed, you don’t have to stand in line for customer service.
Usually, changes in the timetable create huge lines of unhappy passengers. You can ask any representative of your airline. If they are not busy, they will help you with all the formalities.
Don’t eat too much before the flight.
Very often, the food you eat before the flight causes an unpleasant sensation during the flight. Even such good meals as cabbage, apples, beans, and broccoli, can cause bloating. Before the flight, don’t eat burgers or French fries. The former leads to unpleasant odors, and the latter causes fluid retention and swelling in your body.
It’s better to have special headphones, not to miss your flight.
Many people don’t like the noise at the airport, so they often use headphones. But if you’re listening to loud music, you can easily miss the announcement about the check-in or boarding. It’s better to buy noise-canceling headphones with an ambient sound mode that you can set to prioritize voice. They cancel the white noise, but you can still hear loud voices.
It’s a bad idea to check in last minute.
Many people believe that a last-minute check-in can give them a seat in first or business class. But airline employees say it’s not true. Only the passengers that fly often or have a special program can get a free upgrade. Such bonuses are given during check-in when there are too many economy-class tickets.
Yoga straps can help you sleep better.
Many people find it hard to sleep on planes because they don’t know what to do with their limbs. You can buy an adjustable cotton strap for yoga. Loop it through the tray table and close it, then adjust it so that your feet can rest as far up or down on the seat in front of you as is comfortable for your knees.
Pillows on the plane are not only for neck support.
In some economy-class places, there are seats without enough back support, and the seats are quite hard. So, after several hours, your tailbone and lower back will start to hurt. To prevent this, buy an inflatable donut pillow and a small flat pillow. The former goes on the seat, and the latter — under the lower back.
Prepare several small gifts for the flight attendants.
It’s hard to be a flight attendant, so it’s better to always be polite with them. Besides, an online user says you can get a small gift: candies, or hand sanitizers. They will remember where you seat and try to return the favor.
You can fix a phone or a table with the things you have.
- Domestic flight — rubber band, screen, watch stuff. © Menpachi / Reddit
Movies and series are a great way to kill time during the flight. But holding them in your hands all the time is so uncomfortable. You can use a rubber band, a boarding pass, or even your charging cable to fix your phone on the seat in front of you. If these hacks seem too difficult, just buy a special holder.
Bonus: Even a cowboy hat may come in handy during a flight.
- Guy on the plane used his cowboy hat to hold his phone. © Frosty_B***_99 / Reddit
What life hacks do you use to make your flight more comfortable?