7 secrets of a successful flight

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

For many people, traveling by plane is stressful. And it's not about aerophobia: before traveling by air, especially if it lasts several hours, you need to provide so many important nuances!

Andrey Osintsev from Svyaznoy Travel service shared with us seven secrets of a successful flight.

123RF / Irina Schmidt

How to choose the best seat

A comfortable seat in the cabin is a guarantee of a comfortable flight. If you plan to sleep, choose a seat by the window: there is where to lean on, and neighbors hurrying to the toilet will not disturb your peace.

Attention: do not select the seats in front of the emergency exit, they do not recline the backs! The same applies to the row at the very end of the cabin. This row is also inconvenient due to the fact that a queue to the toilet is constantly lining up around it. Keep in mind that many airlines offer window seats or simply pre-select your seat. There is a charge for this service and you may have to pay some extra in addition to the ticket price. But if the flight is long (more than 3, 5-4 hours), then the amount for a more convenient place will hardly seem large to you.

If you are afraid to fly, breathing exercises can help you: take deep breaths and think that every day tens of thousands of planes around the world take off and land safely. But if the fear of flying comes to panic, then you can try to bring yourself back to normal with the help of a sedative or light sleeping pills (but first, be sure to consult your doctor!).

A wonderful life hack for those who fly together: when registering online, choose not two seats next to each other, but one window seat and one aisle seat (for example, 17A and 17C). It happens that the plane is not completely filled - then the place in the middle will not be given to anyone and you will have a whole row at your disposal. And if the life hack does not work, you can try to negotiate with your neighbors.

By the way, do not be deluded by the attractiveness of seats in the first row or at the partition: they are often booked by mothers with babies or small children - one of the worst nightmares of a passenger.

How to take off without problems

Some passengers have unpleasant sensations during takeoff - from the banal stuffing of their ears to nausea. Here are some simple tips on how to deal with the vagaries of your body during takeoff.

There are several ways to treat congestion in your ears. The first is to suck on a lollipop or chew gum: this will normalize the pressure in the ears. Second - periodically move your jaw up and down. It looks funny, but - it works! But we do not recommend pinching your ears with your hands: you may become even worse.

If you feel nauseous during takeoff, try not to fly on a full stomach. And even more so, do not drink too much alcohol before boarding! If you think your body will rebel again, buy over-the-counter nausea and motion sickness medications from the pharmacy before your next flight. But if your child is nauseous, it is better to consult a pediatrician before purchasing this type of medication. If a child has a stuffy nose, be sure to take drops with you on the plane - flying with a stuffy nose is dangerous.

How to sleep on a plane

Sleeping during the flight is a completely doable task. For the most comfortable rest, buy an inflatable U-shaped pillow. It is better to do this in advance, and not at the airport, where it will cost several times more. This shape of the pillow will relax your neck and make it easier for you to fall asleep.

If you sleep lightly, then buy earplugs, they are sold in regular pharmacies and will also help if noisy children are in the salon.

A cloth eye mask will also help you relax. On long-haul flights, it is usually included in the onboard kit, as are the comfortable soft slippers. If you have a short flight, but you still plan to spend time with maximum comfort, then it would be wiser to stock up on a mask and slippers in advance.

Another tip: download calming music or a themed application to your smartphone or tablet - for example, the free Nature Space, which contains high quality sounds of nature. This will help you tune in and avoid unnecessary stress.

123RF / kasto

If you can only sleep peacefully after a hearty meal, do not hesitate to ask the flight attendants for an additional portion - they will certainly bring you supplements, and completely free of charge (unless, of course, you are flying a low-cost airline).

How to sleep at the airport and when transferring

If you need to spend the night at the airport, follow some simple rules. First, keep your printed plane ticket with you just in case. In small airports, the security may ask you why you decided to fall asleep here. In international hubs, the likelihood of such interrogation is practically zero. Small airports may not have open cafes and shops at night, so it is best to bring some food with you in advance.

If you are traveling alone and are afraid that you will fall asleep in the airport seat and miss your flight, take note of the following life hack. Write on the self-adhesive sticker "Wake me up at 06:00 please" (at the Russian airport - "Wake me up at 06:00 please") and stick it next to you. The chances of someone pushing you apart will increase noticeably! But just in case, set up an alarm clock on your phone.

To prevent your belongings from being stolen during sleep, put them under your head or under your feet. Choose a place to sleep right under the surveillance camera so that no one even dares to climb into your pockets and bags.

123RF / Olena Kachmar

Another important point: it is better to dress warmly and, if necessary, take off an extra jacket, than to freeze under the air conditioner. Put a few warm and comfortable things in your carry-on luggage - they will come in handy not only at the airport, but also during the flight if it suddenly gets cold. In addition, if your luggage is suddenly lost, you will have at least one more pair of socks with you.

If an overnight stay at the airport is unavoidable, prepare gadgets to brighten up your anticipation. You will most likely find an outlet easily, but just in case, put an external battery in your carry-on luggage to avoid unpleasant surprises with a dead battery.

If you're flying through a major airport, it usually has VIP lounges - lounges where you can relax, enjoy fast internet, grab a complimentary light snack, or even shower and work out in the fitness room.

Unfortunately, at most airports, VIP lounges are only available to business class passengers. But there is a life hack how you can use all the benefits of such a room for free. You need to buy an additional Business Class ticket for any flight departing from the airport where you have to transfer. Since this is a business class, then the ticket can then be returned with a full refund, and you will enjoy the VIP lounge during the transfer. True, there is also a minus: the money for the returned ticket will come to your account only after a couple of weeks.

The simplest and most obvious: when the connection is overnight and very long, you can try to spend the night in a hotel located at the airport, or in a hotel near the air harbor, if the visa regime and budget allow.

How to eat deliciously

Few people know that in some cases food on board can be selected and ordered in advance. Special meals may be offered in accordance with the religious beliefs or health conditions of the passengers. For example, you can order a kosher or halal meal, a reduced lactose or fat meal, or a vegan meal. Not all airlines have such a wide free menu, and sometimes the choice cannot be made if you bought the cheapest ticket in economy class. However, a number of airlines offer special meals for an additional fee. But you should take care of this in advance and order a special meal in your personal account on the airline's website 24-48 hours before departure.

123RF / Dmitry Sergeev

Unfortunately, the passengers in the back rows sometimes do not have a standard choice of "chicken or meat", because the people sitting in front quickly grab one or another dish. This is another plus of the special meal: having ordered it in advance, you can enjoy your chosen lunch. Moreover, if you have chosen special meals, then you will be served first of all, even when you are sitting in the back of the plane.

How to feel more invigorated after a flight

Even short flights have an adverse effect on the body. The fact is that the air in an aircraft is very dry due to the air conditioning system, and this can be very uncomfortable. Take eye drops with you to the salon: they will moisturize the mucous membrane, and you will not have the feeling of sand in your eyes. This is especially important if you wear lenses. Ideally, glasses should be preferred on long flights.

If you have dry skin on your face or hands, take a moisturizer to the salon (but do not forget that safety rules prohibit bringing containers larger than 100 ml on board). And try to drink plenty of water during the flight - the liquid will help get rid of the feeling of dryness on the skin and mucous membranes. Important: drink water, not coffee or alcohol - on the contrary, they dehydrate!

How to adapt to time zones

The rule here is simple: if you arrive at your destination in the morning, sleeping on the plane is strictly recommended, and if in the evening it is better to refrain from sleeping. You can also remember this rule: east-west - do not sleep, west-east - sleep. To make it easier to fall asleep, you can take medications containing melatonin.

What life hacks help you?