since i fly united.....

ch9 if it's on
ipod with three stooges and family guy videos if ch9 is not on
bailey's 'n coffee to sleep
chatting with the f/a's (but not keeping them from their duties) if i can't sleep

read a book/use laptop

I actually use the time to meditate while listening to Deepak Chopra on the ipod. I can burn-off 1-1.5 hours doing this and it also sets you into a relaxed state for sleep.

This is why I have a polarizing filter over my laptop screen. Though I would hesitate to describe someone who is working as "stupid". That would be like calling you a "crook" for sticking your nose into other people's business, now wouldn't it? :)

Generally I read or do the sudoku and/or crossword in the in-flight magazine. If I happen to have brought my computer and am sitting by a power outlet, I might watch a movie. Sometimes, I might even do work (so stupid of me) :rolleyes:.

The word sleep comes in my mind... :D

I am SO envious of people who can sleep on planes in economy. I'm a light sleeper and the fact one is basically upright and the fact I usually sleep on my side means sleep eludes me in-flight.

(I've only ever flown up in the pointy end a few times.)

Sudoku!
 

I really enjoy working on the sudoku puzzles, especially as they're now in about every in-flight magazine. Depending on how long I'm flying, how fast I'm working, and how hard the puzzles are, I can sometimes make them last over an entire trip.

Read, listen to music, do crosswords/sudoko, watch the IFE if there is any, enjoy the scrumptious meal, sleep, drink, chat with my seatmate (although I've had a few wingnuts lately so I'm leaning towards "ignore" mode).

Drink
Listen to music on my iPod
Drink
Watch movies on my laptop
Drink
Listen to Channel 9 on UA
Drink
Sleep
Repeat

Listen to my iPod touch (Apple sent me $3 to type that ;)), watch a film on my laptop, or if there's a personal IFE system, I use that for the majority of the flight. GoGo wifi is also a good way to pass time if you find yourself on an aircraft that has it, and you can usually find a decent coupon code for it too.

I've been on a flight with IFE once in the past thirteen years, so I read, do crossword puzzles, eat a meal if offered, and sleep.

PP

I have given up on airline-provided IFE. The screens are too small and the selection is awful. I used to bring my work laptop with me but it's basically impossible to get a proper viewing angle in Y with the seats so close to each other. Now I use a netbook loaded with DVD's or TV shows that interest me. A long plane ride is a great way to do a marathon of sorts for a TV show you're behind on. The 10 and 11 inch netbooks are a perfect mix of good screen size for viewing and compactness for travel.

Find a good pair of headphones to match. Anything that covers or surrounds your ears is way too big to travel with (no matter how great the purported sound quality is). Cheap earbuds (the ones that come with most i-products) are similarly useless as the ambient noise on a plane will interfere with your listening. A good middle ground would be a modest pair of "sealing" in-ear earbuds (like the ones pictured here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002RWJD7A) that block outside noise while directing all the sound into your ears.

I always make sure to have a book or magazine with me to peruse as there is a long window around takeoff and landing where electronics are prohibited.

I'm a newspaper and magazine reader. I'm usually behind in my reading of business and financial magazines and flying is my time to catch up.

Read, sleep, window gaze, eat, drink (usually fly in J/F), maybe watch a movie and just veg out from my very stressful Manhattan lifesytle. I have no desire to connect and read email. Its the perfect way to put the sometimes very bothersome world on hold for a few hours.

I feel silly window gazing like I do. But it puts me in a place that is relaxing. I fly every week, pretty much the same route, and I still gaze.

Recently bought the iPad and love the way a movie or the games look on that thing. Now I don't have to squint at the iPod to see a movie or drag out my laptop.

So, my answer is window gazing, movies and reading...oh, and if in F, drinking. If I am in Y, then my answer is complaining, grunting, spitting, and clock watching.