Long-haul flight routine?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA GS 1MM, CM PP
Posts: 688
Long-haul flight routine?
While I appreciate my routine for long-haul flights, specifically TPAC UA routes, I've been recently finding things to get a bit, well, routine. Do you have a system down that works well for you? Sleeping, eating, drinking, reading, working, number/type of tv/movies, specific soundtracks, caffeine, sleeping pills, entree selection, salad dressing, dessert, specific snacks, etc.
I realize this may vary on routes and timing, but looking around the plane, I see people with different but seemingly routine strategies. Care to share?
I realize this may vary on routes and timing, but looking around the plane, I see people with different but seemingly routine strategies. Care to share?
Last edited by 1015-1k; Apr 7, 2016 at 8:46 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC / TYO / Up in the Air
Programs: UA 1k (12 year fallen GS) 1.7MM, AA 2.1MM, EK, BA, SQ, CX, Marriot LT, Accor P
Posts: 6,153
It took me years to figure out how to best manage the trip and resulting jet lag - and I am out of the US 25 days per month.
1) I stay up late the night before
2) I drink freely starting with my PDB on the first flight to the hub
3) I enjoy myself in the club at the hub as most lounge personnel / select members here are aware....
4) Get on plane - skip any meal/food - Have a drink / take pill and go to sleep immediately and sleep like death and pray plane doesn't divert / turn around (happened once and it wasn't pretty) - have had multiple FA ask me how I manage to sleep for 8 hours straight....
5) wake up - eat lightly - get to hotel and exercise - go out to dinner (APAC) or head to meetings (Europe).
The big revelation to me was skipping the eating and getting my body clock on the new time....
Now - on the return trip I actually do the opposite - I still drink but don't allow myself to sleep and do eat lightly - so I arrive exhausted and can sleep once I finally get back after connecting from the hub.... UA's lack of food I want to eat makes this easy - when on NH or SQ this is hard part....
1) I stay up late the night before
2) I drink freely starting with my PDB on the first flight to the hub
3) I enjoy myself in the club at the hub as most lounge personnel / select members here are aware....
4) Get on plane - skip any meal/food - Have a drink / take pill and go to sleep immediately and sleep like death and pray plane doesn't divert / turn around (happened once and it wasn't pretty) - have had multiple FA ask me how I manage to sleep for 8 hours straight....
5) wake up - eat lightly - get to hotel and exercise - go out to dinner (APAC) or head to meetings (Europe).
The big revelation to me was skipping the eating and getting my body clock on the new time....
Now - on the return trip I actually do the opposite - I still drink but don't allow myself to sleep and do eat lightly - so I arrive exhausted and can sleep once I finally get back after connecting from the hub.... UA's lack of food I want to eat makes this easy - when on NH or SQ this is hard part....
Last edited by bmwe92fan; Apr 7, 2016 at 9:01 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP/LTG | UA P
Posts: 13,515
Drink, eat, watch movie(s) then sleep. Have as much water as I can fit in. Then get some more water. Sleep with ear plugs but without a blanket wrapped around me - I'd rather be cool than wake up sweating and feeling like death as I try to cool down.
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Sydney Australia
Programs: No programs & No Points!!!
Posts: 14,203
I prefer to fly during the day. On long haul I try and last as long as I can without reading or watching tv. Once I am bored I break out my book as I can read for hours. I often carry 2 books on board (no kindle for me!).
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
I keep it simple, and on such trips..yes, I do utilize drugs. A benzodiazapine. I find that it knocks me out for a good portion of the flight, but doesn't linger when I arrive and I am not groggy. Plus, the way it tends to wipe your memory makes it feel like you have not been on a plane for 15 hours.
So my routine is to listen to my ipod for awhile, have my drink, some dinner, maybe a movie there is 4 hours..then I take the pill and wake up 6 to 8 hours later...breakfast, coffee, maybe more television then landing.
So my routine is to listen to my ipod for awhile, have my drink, some dinner, maybe a movie there is 4 hours..then I take the pill and wake up 6 to 8 hours later...breakfast, coffee, maybe more television then landing.
#7
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: DL PM, 1MM, DL SC, Kimpton Inner Circle
Posts: 2,416
For TPAC in particular I've figured out over the years that the hard routine works best for me: no alcohol or pills, as much water as I can stand to drink, getting up out of my seat frequently and trying to watch movies and stay awake as much as possible. Arrival times in Japan, Korea etc. tend to be late afternoon/early evening, so I just get to my hotel, have something to eat, and go to bed by 9 or 10 p.m. But I wake up the next morning and feel pretty normal. I definitely miss having a few drinks in the SC or onboard, but overall the sacrifice is worth it for me.
#8
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 1,549
I try not to sleep deprive myself other than maybe just a bit if the timing will allow me to sleep better on the plane. I've tried skipping a sleep cycling and the jetlag just killed me.
On the plane I try to align with destination time asap by sleeping immediately or staying up.
I try not to eat much before flying and not each much other than a few snacks and water on the plane. The lack of a "full" meal for 3/4 of a day isn't an issue for me with the couple of snacks and water.
This has been working pretty well for me of late and I've suffered less jetlag than the missus who does her own thing.
On the plane I try to align with destination time asap by sleeping immediately or staying up.
I try not to eat much before flying and not each much other than a few snacks and water on the plane. The lack of a "full" meal for 3/4 of a day isn't an issue for me with the couple of snacks and water.
This has been working pretty well for me of late and I've suffered less jetlag than the missus who does her own thing.
#9
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: New Zealand/ UK
Programs: NZ, EK, QF, SQ.
Posts: 776
My next long-distance travel will be:
1. AKL-BNE -4 hour fight, then 1 hour 50 minutes on the ground. Arrive BNE 19:10
2. BNE-DXB -14 hours, 20 minute flight, then 2 hours 20 minutes on the ground. Depart BNE 21:00, Arrive DXB 05:20 the following day.
3. DXB-LHR - 7 hours, 30 minutes flight. Arrive LHR 12.15 p.m.
I've chosen a night flight for the longest leg of the journey, BNE-DXB.
Its departure time allows for time to have a dink, eat a meal, stock up on water, take a sleeping pill, turn on a boring movie, wear noise-reducing ear buds, and doze for most of the flight.
I walk around during ground time at BNE and DXB and stretch and walk any time I wake during flights.
On the DXB-LHR flight, I read or watch a couple of movies.
I usually arrive feeling reasonably rested, and try to go to bed about 10 p.m. in England.
1. AKL-BNE -4 hour fight, then 1 hour 50 minutes on the ground. Arrive BNE 19:10
2. BNE-DXB -14 hours, 20 minute flight, then 2 hours 20 minutes on the ground. Depart BNE 21:00, Arrive DXB 05:20 the following day.
3. DXB-LHR - 7 hours, 30 minutes flight. Arrive LHR 12.15 p.m.
I've chosen a night flight for the longest leg of the journey, BNE-DXB.
Its departure time allows for time to have a dink, eat a meal, stock up on water, take a sleeping pill, turn on a boring movie, wear noise-reducing ear buds, and doze for most of the flight.
I walk around during ground time at BNE and DXB and stretch and walk any time I wake during flights.
On the DXB-LHR flight, I read or watch a couple of movies.
I usually arrive feeling reasonably rested, and try to go to bed about 10 p.m. in England.
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bangkok or San Francisco
Programs: United 1k, Marriott Lifetime PE, Former DL Gold, Former SQ Solitaire, HH Gold
Posts: 11,886
While I appreciate my routine for long-haul flights, specifically TPAC UA routes, I've been recently finding things to get a bit, well, routine. Do you have a system down that works well for you? Sleeping, eating, drinking, reading, working, number/type of tv/movies, specific soundtracks, caffeine, sleeping pills, entree selection, salad dressing, dessert, specific snacks, etc.
I realize this may vary on routes and timing, but looking around the plane, I see people with different but seemingly routine strategies. Care to share?
I realize this may vary on routes and timing, but looking around the plane, I see people with different but seemingly routine strategies. Care to share?
#12
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: East Coast, USA
Posts: 1,032
In theory, for the US-bound TPAC flights departure time around 17:00, it would be ideal for me to sleep on the plane quickly then wake up at morning local time (east coast flight) or just before landing (west coast flight), in the hope of re-acclimatizing to the new (old) time. In practice, I have had mixed result (usually do better with NRT to midwest or east coast, worse for NRT to west coast), and no matter what I do, the jet leg has been brutal for me. So, yeah, I'm still trying.
Two things that help me sleep: eye mask and noise-cancelling earbuds.
Two things that help me sleep: eye mask and noise-cancelling earbuds.