What Is the Best Way to Fly?

[thaibeachlovers]

36 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

I bought two economy seats last time ended up cheaper than the business class 

But unfortunately the two in front decided to put down their seats so I couldn't watch the screen 

 

Business class now 

 

????????????????

Fly an airline that has screens that tilt so you can see it when they put the seat back down. No problem on THAI.

Back when I was flying Saudia ( the worst major airline on the planet in the 90s ) so few would fly on it that I often got the 4 seats in the center to lie on. I never found 2 seats enough to sleep properly.

 

Saudia in the 90s didn't have individual screens ( Emirates did then ), and the movies were so censored not worth watching, so sleeping was all that was left.

[richard_smith237]

13 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Your friendly travel accessories store will be able to supply you with a natty inflatable seat cushion to make those seat woes fly away. As they are inflatable won't take up any space, and weigh next to nothing.

 

Going for a walk around the cabin every so often helps too. Seems most people not AN posters are able to go to sleep on planes. Those inflatable neck pillows avoid a sore neck and I found putting the supplied pillow behind me helped.

I can sleep on a plane, but I never wanted to when there were so many movies to watch. I just had to be careful I didn't start one when there wasn't enough time to see it all.

 

With approximately 20 flights per year...   having been gold / platinum (or equivalent) tier on the Airlines I've regularly flown on over the years (Thai, Etihad, Emirates, and currently Qatar)...  I'd consider I'm well versed in getting the 'best out of a a flight'...   but which ever way we try and polish it, its a turd !!! - especially in Eco...     The seats are just not comfortable and no amount of neck-pillow is going to solve a numb bum !!!... 

 

Everyone has their hacks... TikTok is full of newbees who think they've cracked how to fly better than everyone else has in the last 50 years !!!...    the reality is, you're either ok with sitting and being bore for 6-10 hours or you are not...    Me... give me a flat bed and a tablet to zone me out and I'm great !!! - sit me in an uncomfortable seat and its well, not very comfortable. 

... Thats just the way it is...  

... I don't mind the person in front putting their seat back, thats their right. I don't care for the food, but I'm never that hungry, the movies are usually rubbish, but I have my own. The noise is not an issue I have my noise cancellers, I do get irritated by the idiot who opens the window blind when flying east, I don't mind a crying baby when the parents are doing their best etc...  etc...     but the seats are still jeffing uncomfortable after more than a couple of hours and I don't want to get up every hour for a walk !!!.. 

 

 

[bannork]

I can't sleep on flights but I always prefer to get a direct flight from UK to LOS, 12 hours approx, usually EVA Air. 

An aisle seat is infinitely preferable as you can stretch your legs sitting down or standing.

If I start to get bored or feel uncomfortable I just remind myself- I'm going halfway round the world in 12 hours, wow!

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

but the seats are still jeffing uncomfortable after more than a couple of hours and I don't want to get up every hour for a walk !!!.. 

Luckily I never had your seat problem, or perhaps THAI had better seats in economy that what you got. My flights were mostly 12 hours or longer.

 

Worst seats I ever had were on a Cyprus airline. So bad I vowed I'd never fly them again, and that was only a short flight London to Cyprus.

 

Getting up and walking a while every couple of hours is the best way to avoid a DVT. I always had an aisle seat so I could get up as often as I wanted.

[richard_smith237]

16 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Luckily I never had your seat problem, or perhaps THAI had better seats in economy that what you got. My flights were mostly 12 hours or longer.

 

Worst seats I ever had were on a Cyprus airline. So bad I vowed I'd never fly them again, and that was only a short flight London to Cyprus.

 

Seats are variable... depends not only only the airline, but also the 'fit out'...   not all the seats on the same airline are the the same per aircraft - if that makes sense.

 

Best Eco seats I had were Qatar - usually a 3 tier service, they had 4 tier seating as planes were borrowed from Cathay on a route I flew regularly...  Comfort+ seating...   plenty of legroom... 

 

 

16 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Getting up and walking a while every couple of hours is the best way to avoid a DVT. I always had an aisle seat so I could get up as often as I wanted.

 

Smart move...   another one for you... Wear Skins (Calf compression) or flight socks (good ones, not the ones from boots)...     &... advice is always don't take off your shoes... IMO thats rubbish, take off your shoes, let your feet relax....  

... Walkabouts are a good idea.... but I don't really like do to that - if everyone goes walkabout everyone else trying to sleep gets their seat hit but people trying to do their 'walk about' !!! - but I see why its important... 

... BUT...  IF you ever saw a doppler Ultrasound of your legs, you'll be satisfied that simple movements of your feet (sitting calf-ups) is sufficient to get excellent blood flow in your lets so walking is not as 'essential as we think'.... (wearing clothing without pinch points also essential whatever class we are flying in)... 

 

 

 

 

 

[RSD1]

By far the best noise canceling earplugs are good old Mack's from the states. They've been making them for over 50 years. They look like regular foam earplugs, but they can filter noise by 33 dB, which is the most noise filtering you can get from a pair of earplugs, plus they are soft and lightweight, so you hardly feel them in your ears.
 

Airplane engine and airplane air conditioning noise combined is normally around 70 dB. So these earplugs cut the sound down by about 50%.

 

I recently got some on Lazada. 5 pairs for 130 Baht. Link below:

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/macks-ultra-soft-5-macks-foam-ear-plug-5-pair-brown-i3503742877-s18458343323.html

 

Edited Wednesday at 09:55 PM by RSD1

[geisha]

I’m very classic. A nice aperitif to start off, nibble the best bits of the food, read my kindle, then try to sleep. Younger I always flew economy, since 60 plus lumbago , I go for Business and lie flat. 
What I don’t like is the last 2/3 hours, I feel worn out, stiff and grubby  and dream of a lovely shower. 
B Fast is rarely good, those eggs!!!!!

Most important for me is wearing very comfortable clothes that don’t look awful. 

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

The best way to fly is on the wings of love.

 

But, not with a Flighty Woman, of course.

 

 

[RSD1]

10 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

The best way to fly is on the wings of love.

 

But, not with a Flighty Woman, of course.

That's hilarious Globs. A master of puns. Your humor is next level mate. 

[daveAustin]

Aisle seat near toilets, don’t drink, ear plugs, pull blanket over head. Why overthink it?

[DonniePeverley]

Flew business class once ... unbelievable experience. My own private cabin. Didn't even want to sleep. 

 

But then i look at the cost, and the extra two thousands i pay, i'd rather save that and spend it in Thailand. 

[rimmae2]

The only way to fly is not Economy. I was fortunate to have an Employer who paid for Business Class on all flights partly as I was travelling 300,000 miles per year for more than 5 years; now as I am working much less still more than 150,000 miles per year. 

 

I don't drink alcohol, rarely eat on flights (mostly only if genuine Japanese food), rest if not sleep deeply, read and work. Flying is mostly about going from A to B, sometimes via C. Many times I would travel back from Africa via Dubai, arrive late at night at SVB, sleep in the airport rather than going home then on an early morning flight to Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Kathmandu, ....

 

I am fortunate that I cannot remember suffering from jet lag. 

 

After millions of miles I don't care much about the new menu for example. 

[thaibeachlovers]

8 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

plenty of legroom.

Which was I flew THAI. Plenty of legroom on the 747 London Bkk. I'd book the seat at the very back as only 2 seats and one less to annoy me. Right beside the loo as well.

The person that decided that 5 across was a good idea needs shooting

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

Flew business class once ... unbelievable experience. My own private cabin. Didn't even want to sleep. 

 

But then i look at the cost, and the extra two thousands i pay, i'd rather save that and spend it in Thailand. 

I was lucky and got upgrade to biz class twice. On Thai though and only bigger seats.

Back before seat back screens and in biz I got a portable player that sat on the table. I hated trying to watch a movie on the big screen as always some idiot that stood up in front of it for 15 minutes.

[rickudon]

I'm a British pensioner, so business and first class are out of the question. Price is important, but not the only factor. A380 preferred as less engine noise and less turbulence. I like Emirates (A380) and food quite good, have Cointreau in stock and hundreds of films to watch, Like a wine for dinner and a liqueur after. Aisle seat as at my age toilet is important.

 

What to do on flight? I watch films until tired, doze a bit (never sleep). take a book but read only sometimes. inwardly laugh at all the passengers who get up and queue upon landing, and stand there for 15 minutes. Once the plane nearly empty, I getup and leave.

 

Other important factors - timing. Availability of domestic flight to Suvarnabhumi affects getting morning international flights; Landing in the UK must arrive before transport out of London shuts down (for me. that means an arrival time before 9 p.m.), Coming to Suvarnabhumi it means no morning flight in the UK, as hassle getting to airport; also overnight flight better as then options for my domestic flight in Thailand. Arriving back this month all domestic flights were full, only expensive seats left (5,000 baht plus!), had to overnight in Bangkok and catch early morning flight next day, which was a pain. Time they put more domestic flights on.