We’ve been travelling a lot recently, my wife and I, and (since we are not cozied up in business or first class) we’ve had to put up with cramped legs and the constant shuffling of seats as one of the kids needs a) a walk, b) the toilet, c) something else every 5 minutes.
We’ve come to associate the flight with being the most uncomfortable part of the holiday, but after thinking carefully about our “travelling strategy”, we found it didn’t take much to turn a long-haul nightmare into an acceptable (and even enjoyable) part of the trip!
Here are our top tips on easing the pain.
1. Fly east to west
This will work only if you are travelling around the world, but if you are like us and travel from Australia/New Zealand to Europe then it is a strategy worth considering. Typically, for those kinds of long-haul flights, the price is the same no matter which route you decide to take. By circumnavigating from east to west you avoid the worst effects of jet lag. Your body adjusts more easily to the new time zone and you can sleep in for longer, rather than find yourself lagging behind the clock. It is worth pointing out, though, that the moment you cross the International Date Line (in the Pacific Ocean) you will suddenly find that you have lost an entire day!
2. Book a decent seat
Most airlines allow you to book-in online up to 24 hours before you fly and in doing so you can choose your seat (first in best dressed). When we checked in early we found that there were still plenty of good seats available (aisle seats, exit seats, and seats closer to the front of the plane tend to give you the most space and convenience). So, as long as you are well organised and book-in online as soon as possible, you should be able to get decent seats.
The website www.seatguru.com gives excellent annotated guides to seat locations, pitches, plans and entertainment systems for the world’s airlines. It even lets you know which have limited legroom because of the equipment box for the entertainment system mounted under the seat in front. But you will still need to check which type of plane is flying on your route.
3. Break the journey
I would encourage you to break your flight if you are travelling for more than 12 hours. You are probably going to have to disembark while the aircraft refuels at some point anyway and it shouldn’t cost you anymore to break the journey. If your vacation time allows, this is a great chance to see a 2nd destination, to get some sleep, to ensure all your kids’ energies have the opportunity to be released and will make the journey so much more bearable.
Some really cool stopover destinations are Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Hong Kong; or for a beach break: Los Angeles, Tahiti, Hawaii, Miami. If you do arrange a break in the journey, and you are booking through a travel agent, try to negotiate the hotel booking at the same time – you will almost certainly save money by including it in the air fare.
4. Try for an upgrade
It sounds obvious, if a little cheeky, but (as my own mum used to say) “if you don’t ask, you don’t get”. I have noticed that airlines seem a lot more reluctant to do a free upgrade these days, but you can still consider paying that little extra to upgrade on a more difficult leg of the journey.
5. Pick a good quality airline
There is no doubt that most airlines have improved things for everyone over the past few years. However, there is still a considerable difference between economy class on a budget airline and economy class on a good quality carrier. For example, on Qatar, Kingfisher, Thai, Asiana and Malaysia airlines you get a couple of inches more room in economy class seats. The website www.airlinequality.com is the most useful source of ratings, passenger reviews and detailed information on legroom. Its overall top five for service are Asiana Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways and Air New Zealand.
6. Avoid peak-time
First and foremost, you will probably end up with more space on your flight, but that notwithstanding, you will almost certainly experience a more personal service, more attention, probably nicer staff (they will be less stressed) and let’s not forget that your experience at the check in should be so much smoother. There is another obvious reason to avoid peak times and that is cost! As a general rule of thumb the busiest flying days are the weekends and Monday.
7. Fly during the day
If you are like me, (I find myself struggling to sleep in my own bed if things aren’t exactly right!) there is no way that you are going to be able to sleep on a plane. I’m envious of those people who are able to sleep on planes, but for most of us (I think I’m in the majority here) a night flight is something to be avoided. At least if you fly during the day you are likely to be able to go to bed relatively soon after completing your journey and you don’t actively lose sleep while flying.
8. Take entertainment
I know there is most likely some form of entertainment on the plane. However, it’s hard to beat a pack of cards and a bag of dice to keep kids and adults entertained. The great thing about travelling as a family group is there are always enough people around to play a group game. Also, a good book, pens and paper are a good time killer.
9. Beat jet lag
Not that I’d be encouraging you to be drinking when travelling with family, but I’ve learnt from experience (don’t worry, the kids weren’t in tow when I was experimenting!) that not drinking alcohol before and on the plane is one of the best ways to avoid jet lag. Also, when you arrive at your destination, try to stay up until evening before hitting the sack.
So there you are. Short of using ear plugs and an eye mask and hanging a “Do not disturb notice” around your neck, these are some of the best ways we have thought of that makes long-haul trips with the family a lot more bearable. Let’s face it; the travelling part of your holidays are not going to be the best bit, but hopefully you can avoid the locked neck, twisted legs, knees jamming into your back and whining that often accompanies travelling with children.
Hey, if all else fails just remember the reason you are travelling in the first place. To enjoy your vacation, right?
Enjoyed every bit of your article.Thanks Again. Cool.
Thanks Larry.