Ultra Long Haul flights -- Your personal impressions please!

[Nonstop2AUH]

While I love to fly (if I didn't, would I be here?), I have some apprehensions about flying ultra long haul, say more than 8 or 10 hours, without any stops.

Worried about claustrophobia, boredom, DVT, bad cabin air, etc. As, thanks to new ULR aircraft, there are more and more 12 to 15+ hour nonstops on the schedule, I wonder how do people deal with this?

Would love to hear some personal experiences or thoughts on this issue from anyone who's endured it, whether in economy or premium cabin.

[T-Bird76]

Longest I've flow was 10 hours straight. I try to pick a seat row with no one sitting in it or one person so I have some extra space. Otherwise I bring my iPod and plenty of DVD's. I also make sure the plane has power outlets for the my laptop. The new aircraft coming on line today are more and more passenger friendly making super long haul trips more comfortable. It depends to on the airline, like I would never fly on Air India or the likes of them.

[madcatimages]

1) Bring an ipod.
2) bring noise cancelling headphones w/ airplane jack adapter.
I fly long haul every summer, every seat is full,and I fly in economy.
It is VERY uncomfortable, all that I can hope for is a window or isle seat.

[mirrodie]

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/trip_reports/read.main/90241/


read this. It was our 2nd trip to Sydney and beyond from NY. WIll give more comments later.

[MarkLawrence]

We've done USA-South Africa (between 14 and 19 1/2 hours) twice...we took books, watched the movies on the plane, and had some help with sleep - boredom unfortunately can settle in - but, you can get past it.

[PhilDernerJr]

I've done 10 hours. Try to get your own row by picking seats in the back and try to sleep the whole time.

Ambien or benadryl helps.

[njgtr82]

I couldn't imagine doing the Singapore flight to/from EWR. 18 and a half hours is alot of time to be on a plane.

[Midnight Mike]

Longest flight was 15 hours in the days before the Inflight Entertaiment. I brought a bag full of books, mags, snacks, & water, I slept, read, & talked with the other passengers.

I did a couple of LAX to London flights, on one flight, I took a sleeping pill, stayed up the night before & slept most of the flight.

[moose135]

I've done 10 hours a couple of times, avoiding boredom wasn't too hard, given I was up in the pointy end at the time :wink:

[Midnight Mike]

I've done 10 hours a couple of times, avoiding boredom wasn't too hard, given I was up in the pointy end at the time :wink:

Moose

That was some time ago, your prostate can't handle those long flights anymore! :lol:

[Iberia A340-600]

The longest flight I have been on was 8hr30mn from MAD-JFK on an Iberia A340-600. I watched a couple of episodes of "Friends" on my computer and starred out the window. Time passed by quickly.

This August I might be venturing on this set of flights:

JFK-LAX
LAX-SIN
SIN-BKK
BKK-CNX

That is a lot of flying, I guess the longest sector is LAX-SIN which is a good 16 hours. At least it is on a comfy A340-500 and a great Singapore Airlines!

[nwafan20]

Pfft, my longest flight? 5 hrs! You all beat me!

[mirrodie]

Worried about claustrophobia, boredom, DVT, bad cabin air, etc. As, thanks to new ULR aircraft, there are more and more 12 to 15+ hour nonstops on the schedule, I wonder how do people deal with this?


Well the first time over, it was in economy. Chose exit row seats. Watched a few movies, founda row of empty seats to sleep in and took turns with my GF. Drank a lot of water and also drank some red wine to put me to sleep. Regardless of what some may saw, after 3 galsses of water, the glass of red did put me to sleep.

On the 2nd trip, it was all in First class, so the flats seats helped dramatically, as did an Rx for Ambien, PTV's, airline issued pajamas and magazines. BUt what I find most crucial is my journal. I get my best writing done up above FL280 ;)

I do try to get my body clock on par with the new timezone, but its sometimes too tough to do this.


On the way home, it was PER-SYD, which was a 4.5 hour red eye. It left Perth at 1230am and arrived in SYD at 0930am. Three hours later we boarded another 8 hour flight to PPT and arrived at 8:30 PM the NIGHT BEFORE WE LEFT!! No way to trick your brain and circadian cycle out of that!

[Winglets747]

I've done 8, 10, 14 hour flights in Y with no problem.

I just read, watch the IFE if available, look out the window, roam the aisles and talk to other pax or FAs. I don't take sleeping aides or anything. I've also noticed jet leg doesn't affect me as much as it used to.

I guess that's a sign I've flown too much. ;)

[T-Bird76]

talk to other pax

Reason number one why I use noise cancelling headphones or what I call "don't bother me headphones."

[Winglets747]

talk to other pax

Reason number one why I use noise cancelling headphones or what I call "don't bother me headphones."

I meant talking to people (who want to talk :wink:) in the galley or other areas not too filled with pax.

[Nonstop2AUH]

Great answers folks, you've confirmed alot of what I suspected.

The reason I asked the question is I might be doing the 'nonstop to AUH' (EY has a really good biz fare at the moment). Every time I've gone to the Gulf before, I've connected through Europe, in fact until recently there was no alternative. Personally, I found the chance to get up, walk through Heathrow, and maybe visit a lounge or shop enough of a break to make the next 7 hour flight more bearable.

I think it sounds like the key to ULR flying as a pax is the ability to sleep soundly on planes (which I don't have, flat bed or not) and ideally to have a travel companion to talk to (which I also don't have - I'm just another single guy flying with a laptop). I know myself and even the 10 hour return to JFK from FCO a couple of years ago had me climbing the walls, and this was AZ's then-new 777 with IFE. I start to get bored around the 8 hour mark if alone, and I don't mind socializing on flights, but (as someone pointed out) most other pax don't want to talk to you, and the cabin crew certainly doesn't want to talk to you.

It's TMI for you guys but I am working on getting an old friend whose dad works in the UAE to come along with me if I do the nonstop, somebody to talk to, but she's a smoker and will probably be less able to deal than me. She's also a woman and since this is a bit of a boys club here, I'll also mention that she changes her mind every 30 seconds and probably won't even go. So I guess I'm flying via Europe (and paying more for the option)...

[RDU-JFK]

I'm prepping for JFK-IAD-ICN and ICN-JFK in May on Korean Air in economy. Not looking forward to it. I will take all of this advice

[Adeel]

Did JFK-DXB last summer which was about 13 hours. Didn't sleep a wink, didn't even try. I'm not good with sleeping on anything other than a bed. I was glued to Emirates's inflight entertainment the whole time. That and their underbody and nose cameras. So cool to be able to see the sun rise from FL310. Honestly the time just flew by, no pun intended. I'm definetly a fan of ULH flights. I'd much rather get there as soon as possible rather than lounge aimlessly around at some stopover. The A340 is very long so ample opportunity to take a stroll :)

[heeshung]

Most of my long hauls have been on Northwest's 747-451's. I've taken them a once or twice from JFK-NRT which is about 14 hours. I usually take DTW-KIX which is about the same time, but head to DTW via EWR. I've also taken AA's 777-223ER once from JFK to NRT.

My own tips for long hauls: Just relaxing makes you feel surprisingly better. Watch a movie, read the magazine, and take advantage of the amenities your airline offers. I usually try to get some sleep, but it usually isn't very deep. I've found though, that even light "combat naps" help me greatly.