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Modern air travel has become increasingly unpleasant as airlines continue to shrink seat sizes to fit more passengers on board, especially in economy class. What do you do to make your flight more bea

29 Comments

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Make sure I have an unlimited supply of Adult beverages coming my way to get through the flight.

3 ( +9 / -5 )

Sake or wine ( not beer unless you have an aisle seat or a bulkhead row seat or an emergency exit row seat so you can go to the toilet ) and a few sleeping pills helps.

"first class/business class"

Some people don't have tons of money to waste.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

A couple of beers plus imagining what that cute c.a. looks like without any clothes on.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

"If it's economy, hang out with the crew in the rear galley for a while"

Unless you're flying with Delta, ha ha, well, once on a Northwest ( merged with Delta ) flight I asked a flight attendant what the bad point of her job is, and she said - get this - "Talking to passengers." Being the masochist that I am, I asked her what the good point of her job is,and she said - get this - "Days off." lol

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The Business class is all I need. No need to spend more on first class. I do not fly very much on my own and I shop around.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Take a couple of Lorazepam.

0 ( +4 / -3 )

Pay a little extra to fly on airlines that treat you a bit better, and do everything I can to get an exit row seat. Because if I can't, flying is a nightmare for me and my 195 cm frame.

0 ( +3 / -2 )

More leg room. Bigger seats. Period.

Moderator: That's not what the question asks you. What do you do on flights to cope?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I fly anyone other than United.

0 ( +5 / -4 )

This isn't what the question asks you. Please state what you do to make the flight more bearable.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

the aisle seats are best for long flights in economy (as stated above). but soon they will be a more expensive. the airline owners have specialists doing statistics on passenger preferences, and as soon as some preference increases above a threshold, they sell it to you as special deluxe and pricier.

0 ( +3 / -2 )

Qantas is the worst airline in terms of food and service. The crew stand in the galley and gossip the whole time, no catering to passengers' needs. They are oftern rude too.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

For long-haul flights, I go business class or stay home. Economy class syndrome is a real risk. The last time I flew economy was on a short hop to Shikoku by JAL. It was pretty cramped, but I'm glad I went for the experience of seeing an inflight shopping catalog with a lawnmower in it alongside the expensive cheap watches and souvenir teaspoons.

My all-time worst flight experiences were a long-haul QANTAS flight that was advertised as smoke free but wasn't (the ban only applied to passengers, not crew), and an Air New Zealand flight (first class) on which I reached into my seat pocket for the inflight magazine and put my hand into the previous passenger's used airsick bag.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I stay up all night before a flight. Easy for me since I'm nocturnal. Then I naturally fall asleep within 15minutes of take-off, and typically wake up 10-15-minutes before landing. Unless food is served, I'm knocked out and don't notice much of anything ^_^.

I need to start bringing one of those neck pillows though, my only consistent problem is neck pain when I wake up and disembark.

-1 ( +3 / -3 )

On the ten-hour flight to and from Tokyo from Vancouver, I get up and walk the aisle every few hours, or just stand and stretch, after watching a movie. I also prefer the window seat because research has shown you're a lot more susceptible to germs and disease from other passengers constantly walking by to go to the bathroom.

-1 ( +2 / -2 )

If it's economy, hang out with the crew in the rear galley for a while after the dust settles. Show genuine interest in their stories, and they'll help make your flight more bearable.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Make sure I have an unlimited supply of Adult beverages coming my way to get through the flight.

And an aisle seat.

Flights themselves are one thing, but the security checks at international airports are invasive, time-consuming, expensive, frequently over-officious and generally unpleasant. Once on stop-over in Manila going to Australia, all the Australia-bound passengers were told to line up and were told that in partnership with the Australian government we all had to do a body security check, including a wedgie. I was going to Sydney but the flight stopped in Melbourne where we had to get off for an hour and straight off the plane (at about 6 in the morning) was another body security check including a wedgie. Then they pushed us through the airport duty-free emporium which was fully open (!!!) down a couple of corridors to another body search and another wedgie. (If you don't know, a 'wedgie' is if you straighten your hand flat and then shove it straight up another person's you-know-what). Yes, at that time any pleasantness of my flight to Australia was interrupted by sexual assault by a Philippino proxy of the Australian government.

So, a couple of drinks, an aisle seat and a set of movies to watch, hopefully not on a short-haul Boeing 737 with the seats all squashed and slanted such as to make standing to get out impossible, and it is possible to bear a wedgie-free flight.

-2 ( +2 / -3 )

I try and book a night flight, preferebly a seat toward the rear of the aircraft but not too far back , because of turbulance, and of course away fron the crib seats, along with that, a couple of beers , my headphones and a good movie or book...

-3 ( +0 / -2 )

Fly at the front of the bus? First class is generally getting better year on year

-3 ( +1 / -3 )

What else can a mere " econo-mist(?)" do? Unless the flight is half-empty you really can't shoo away the guy next to you now, can you? sleep inducing medications may be?

-3 ( +0 / -2 )

Interesting about the aisle seat preference on here. I actually request a window seat for long haul because a) I hate people and the trolleys etc going past right by me and b) I can tuck myself up in the corner and don't have to move for anyone. I'm only 175cm so if my neighbours are asleep and I need to get past I just climb over without disturbing them.

-3 ( +0 / -2 )

Nothing can make it bearable. Sleeping pills help. One tip, fly direct to your city if you can, even if you have to take a more comfortable midnight bus ride or Shinkansen. Delta's Nagoya to Detroit is not very full and you can often find a better open seat RIGHT after all have boarded, but act fast.

-4 ( +1 / -4 )

Buy business class.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

United sucks, but Delta is even worse. Sometimes those are my only two options.

-6 ( +3 / -8 )

United sucks, but Delta is even worse. Sometimes those are my only two options.

Can't argue with you that much there. Most of the US air carriers are not that great and Delta is by far the leader of the pact, the absolute worst! AA has gotten better a lot, but overall, the US ranks the lowest in virtually every category from the air carriers.

-6 ( +0 / -5 )

Flights themselves are one thing, but the security checks at international airports are invasive, time-consuming, expensive, frequently over-officious and generally unpleasant.

Ah, poor diddums.

-6 ( +1 / -6 )

I fly for free on U.S. military flights on cargo planes and they are FAR more comfortable than commercial flights.

-6 ( +1 / -6 )

I quite flying economy and paid upgrade to business class. Now I own my own plane.

-7 ( +0 / -6 )

I fly first class because it is the only way to go. So to make it better, I bring my own comfortable slippers.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

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