Kiwi Flyer

If the issue is boredom/sitting still for long period of time, a mediumhaul overnight flight (so can sleep) may be easier than a shorthaul daytime flight.

sonofzeus

True. All experimentation should be performed in the comfort/safety of your home.

BTW 2 generic Benedryls give me 6 hours of blissful sleep anywhere without nasty side effects.

NWIFlyer

Of course, the great advantage of TATL travel is that there's much more to do compared to US Domestic flights - you'll get a meal, and drink runs, and - most importantly if it's a boredom thing - individual seatback IFE on all but a handful of aircraft these days.

UK to the East Coast is about 7 hours depending on exact destination - by the time you've eaten, watched two or three films and perhaps listened to a bit of music, you'll be within a couple of hours maximum of your destination. The US to Europe part is even shorter so the timings are even easier.

Of course, Business Class makes this all seem even shorter because the meals are much more involved so take longer and there's more drink runs etc. You're also much more inclined to sleep because the seat is far more conducive to doing so, which passes another hour or so if need be.

Certainly on evening departures from the US when in Business Class I now eat in the lounge, have an alcoholic drink on the plane to make sure I'm drowsy, and then get a solid few hours sleep.

Low Roller

My husband also hates flying but Ambien REALLY helped. However, be sure to do a test run at home at least a week before your trip just to make sure there are no side effects or allergic reactions. Also, load an ipad with her favorite movies. It sounds obvious, but getting into a good movie can really take your mind off things for a couple of hours.

JerryFF

You haven't really explained what the problem is - fear of being in the air, discomfort on an airplane, fear of landing and taking off? There are different solutions for each of those. For most people who are afraid, the take offs and landings are the most difficult, so multiple stops are not the best solution. If it is discomfort in the air, nearly all international carriers offer premium coach seating equivalent to United E+.

If you flew nonstop from Cleveland to SFO, the international segment over the water to Europe really isn't much longer. With all of the electronic devices available these days, as well as inflight entertainment, boredom should not be a problem. Try to avoid a middle seat - if necessary, get two aisle seats across from each other.

Low Roller

After being married to a nervous flyer for years, I agree completely. Get as few segments as possible (even if you have to pay more or fly from a nearby airport) and NEVER settle for a middle seat - 2 aisles are much better. I also find that larger planes tend to be smoother with less bumps that elicit the "we're all going to die" look of terror.

jkumpire

First,

Thank you for all the responses so far, I appreciate them very much. I believe much of it revolves around not being comfortable; having to sit for so long, not being able to sleep, being crowded, seats not being easy to sit on. I have no problem getting up and walking around, talking to people, esp. flight crew if they are not busy, but she didn't/wouldn't.

She also is not comfortable with 'being confined in a tube for hours on end', an interesting statement that could mean several things.

I personally think a business-class flight would help, and maybe a day in Iceland to break up the flights if that is not too massively expansive (another issue).

As to medication, never, unless she is interested in trying it, especially a sleeping aid.

Any other advice is greatly welcomed.

I really think business class would help, if she is willing.

Gardyloo

Okay, a couple of things..

First re uncomfortable, not being able to sleep etc...

Solution - business class. Problems solved.

In a tube for hours... Not uncommon, and not necessarily just claustrophobia. Yes, it's a big tube, but there are also unfamiliar sensations - bumps and dips for no good reason, noise (a constant background roar) and of course acceleration/deceleration.

Solution(s) - business class on a big widebody, window seat, noise-canceling headphones. Sit in the last row of business class, which will usually put you close to or right over the wing - the smoothest place on the plane. Also look at daytime flights eastbound, which run from most of the big east coast cities plus Chicago to London. They're quick, you can look out the window, plenty on the seatback monitor or out the window. Book a hotel at Heathrow and you sleep in a bed rather than an airplane seat. For me (and many others) they also really help reduce jetlag.

Iceland - maybe, but the only planes flying to Iceland are narrow-bodies without decent lie-flat business class. With many nervous flyers, take-offs and landings are the most stressful, so why double them, in addition to really being in a narrow tube?

Standby option - Queen Mary II - lie flat beds, great food, a surprisingly cheap waterfront hotel that moves. No jetlag. However, six days instead of six hours.

jkumpire

Very interesting post, thanks! I would enjoy a daylight eastbound flight too, on something like a 747, 787 or A 380. But how do you search for flights on a specific plane type? Never seen that, even on ITC, and trying to put Flight Aware data together with future flights seems to be no guarantee of success.

I've seen 747/777, and 787 at ORD, and I know A380's have started landing there. But (for example) I've never seen anything but 777's at IAD, who flies widebodies TATL?

Thunderroad

Most search engines, such as Googleflights and Kayak, will indicate what kind of plane a given airline is using a given route.

Well, a 777 is generally considered a widebody, since a widebody is generally considered an aircraft with two aisles instead of one. So most TATL flights are widebodies.

Having said that, it sounds like, more than widebody versus narrowbody, the bigger issue for your wife is simply getting the extra room and comfort that a business class seat provides, particularly a lie-flat. Although it's worth checking out the relative roominess of various airlines' business class. Off the top of my head, for TATL UA (if you're in the middle section) is most claustrophobic, followed by BA.

One other step worth considering is loading up a laptop or tablet with whatever movies your wife would like to watch. That eases the boredom and sense of confinement quite a bit. Certainly useful for economy flights. But even for business class, it means she's not reliant on whatever the airline has on its system and not prone to interruptions by in-flight announcements.

honeytoes

If she hasn't, I'd suggest that a plane would not be be best time to try it for the first time.

squeakr

but I love traveling I love seeing new places. So hopefully this may help in at least talking to your wife about what the challenges are.

I too do not like to be sitting in a little metal to flying across water were no one's ever survived the crash. Or maybe two people. So what I do instead is focus on planning our trips. I read every guidebook, website etc. and I take charge of planning what we will do once we get to our destination. Believe it or not this is helped a lot in getting over my fear and uncomfortable feelings about flying.

Business class has also made huge difference. I actually don't drink on long haul flights, but with the food and snacks and entertainment, I'm able to trick myself into thinking I'm not actually on a small metal tube going across the ocean etc.

I also have a difficult time sleeping on any flight, so I've just resigned myself to the fact that I will get to my destination tired. Sometimes that means we lose a whole day of vacation, but I have tried every possible combination of medication, alcohol, no alcohol etc. and I just don't sleep well on an airplane. So maybe if your wife can see it is just something she's not comfortable with, and not beat herself up for not being able to sleep, it's possible just accepting this reality may help.

I also to be honest still have a point in the middle of every long-haul overseas flight why start to feel a little panicked. That's the reason I keep massively hydrated for any long-haul flight, drinking as much water as I can possibly stand, even if that means I need to use the lav every hour or so. Keeping hydrated has made a huge difference in my comfort level and my calmness while taking flights.

I don't know if you have kids, but I know it is relatively common for women to become more nervous about flying once they have children. I don't know what to say to that is I don't have any children, but if that's true for you and your wife you might want to have more conversations about that particular fear.

I also in the past have traveled with any number of "blank ease" which may have made me appear very silly, but actually helped. I carried a small stuffed donkey for years, a special little throw blanket, and some other comfort features that made a difference While I was still uncomfortable flying. I have tons of magazines, and other divergence games etc. to keep my mind occupied during flights.

Now I call myself a seasoned flyer � I don't think twice about flying, I'm pretty comfortable except during severe turbulence, and I've jettisoned most of the "safety" items I used to need to bring with me. But I say if you want to go on vacation and your wife is willing to endure the discomfort, do whatever it takes to help feel comfortable.

chgoeditor

You're looking for the morning flights to Europe, of which there are few. I'm only aware of flights to London, though there may be others. Go to your favorite flight software, and restrict the search results to flights departing between 6 am and noon. (That's surely too large of a window, but it ensures you don't miss anything.) You won't find many results. I'm in Chicago and AA #90 is the morning flight to London, which is on a 767-300. From the NY area, you have AA #142 (777), UA #934 (767), BA #178 (747) and Virgin #26 (A340).

Cat Man Do

You could also try another partner. Not permanently, just for the trip.

darthbimmer

I believe the solution to ALL of these problems is to fly business class.

• The large seat will be more comfortable
• It's easier to sit for a longer period of time in a larger, more adjustable seat
• It's easier to sleep in a lay-flat seat or at least a large recliner
• Even if every seat is full, the plane feels a lot less crowded when you're not rubbing shoulders with your neighbors and your knees aren't banging the seat in front of you
• 'Being confined in a tub for hours on end' is a lot less of a problem when all of the above are taken into account.