Airline / Flight Amusement?

[mushumadness]

Hiya

Following on with the how do you spend you first two days theme, I thought I would ask how you pass the airport and flight time?

Now personally I cant relax until we are checked in for the flight, which means we are always way too early to check in!! so we are frount of the line (this year we are sunshine first but I know I will still drag chris there early)

after checking in its straight to the bar for chris a beer he says its medisimal (sp). and I take off to duty free, find the perfume I want and go back and see if chris fancys paying for it!!

we do normally eat something before we fly.

I get more nervous as the time gets nearer to fly I am a little nervous at take offs.

In the air is where I have a problem I tend to sleep from tak off to landing, but that means I get up too early the day after, so what can I do on the plane to stay awake? its not fair on chris if i sleep.

how do you spend you time

 

[wicket2005]

We normally arrive about 3 hours before the flight and as soon as the luggage has gone, that is the start of the holiday and I can relax. The time seems to whizz by in the airport. We usually just have a wander around, find a seat then board the plane.

On the plane this year we watched one film, did Sudoku, listened to the IPod (music and an audio book) and read Harry Potter. I did these in one hour batches and the time went in no time.

You are fortunate to be able to sleep I wish I could. Do you sleep solid? So the flight is virtually non existant for you? I would love that, go to sleep and wake up in Orlando.

 

[carolfoy]

I'm the same, can't really get into it until the bags have disappeared through the conveyor, this year we have friends with us who have never been in an airport so Gatwick will be a huge excitement for them, we'll wander, eat, shop and down a few drinks then it'll be emergency cigarette time before we board!
On the flight I'll have a couple of drinks to try and make me tired (although I would have been travelling since about 3 in the morning at that time) and I'll watch a film or read a book then try and sleep, but I reckon I'll be too excited

 

[daveyoghurt]

Because flying is still (!) a novelty for me, and I'm usually excited about my holiday, I just enjoy being at the airport, sad as that may sound! I've had the good fortune not to have been delayed by any great amount of time so I just kick back and chill. We'll have a look through the shops (and try not to buy any of the overpriced nonsense!), and then watch the planes coming in and setting off.

Before, we'd've taken out a second mortgage so we could buy a breakfast at the airport but we're staying at the Radisson this year so we'll be noshing there instead.

 

[mushumadness]

yes i can sleep solida from manchester to orlando, its a good thing as I dont like to fly, problem is it takes me ages to get into the sleeping patterns in florida

 

[jen_uk]

I love flying and for me the holiday begins as soon as Im in the airport! I always get there early and check in straight away. Then its off to Macdonalds for brekkie and then a wander round the shops. I also always go up to the observation deck and try to guess which is our plane!

 

[natalielongstaff]

i am a sleeper as well i take a couple of piriton tablets and they make me drowsy so i can nod off, i HATE flying and dh knows that his penalty for holidaying abroad is looking after the kids on the flight

 

[Amyrlin]

I am hoping to be a sleeper as this is the frst time I will be doing it without children.

I like to get there early and an usually near the front of the queue to check in, after that start to relax. I like to look around the shops, usually buy a book, even though I will have one with me and get something to eat.

In the past I have stayed awake to keep an eye on three teenagers, just in case, and watched the films. THis tiem I don't need, to, but don't know if I'll be able to sleep.

I am just sad reading the films that TCD are chaing to for September, I really liked the look of the Ausgust ones. If I can't sleep then I'll read.

 

[Queenie]

I can't relax until the bags are checked in, we've gone through the metal detectors and are in the departure lounge. We normally do a circuit of the lounge when we first get there, checking out food and shopping options. I always grab something to eat and maybe buy a magazine from the WH Smiths.

I have real trouble sleeping on flights so I spend the time looking out of the window, reading magazines and books (I always take at least two books as I'm a big reader) and listening to my ipod. We often take some playing cards or Top Trumps as well so we can play some games. This year I might get a puzzle magazine as I enjoyed doing one of my friend's puzzles last year, we got everyone involved and it passes the time quickly.

 

[patdavies]

Well on the last trip, it was picked up by limo in Newbury at 0730; bags off-loaded at the drive-thru check-in; straight up to the Virgin Clubhouse for breakfast, haircut and shave, then a few glasses of champagne and read the paper until called down for the flight.

Boarded immediately and into more champagne; flight spent with movies, meals, Telegraph crossword and a book. Sat at the bar chatting to fellow passengers and F/As for a while. Did some route planning on the laptop. Wandered to the back a couple of times to stretch my legs.

 

[ely3857]

Hullo

For the first time ever I managed to sleep a couple of hours on the way there and almost all the way back.

I get terrible motion sickness so cant read or play games, I often struggle to concentrate on the films so my only choices are sleeping or a walkman.



Jodie

 

[arieljasmine]

Hi Anna & everyone

I am a rubbish flyer so usually spend the time in the airport panicking and chain-smoking. Usually manage to force some breakfast down too, and a mooch around the Estee Lauder counter cheers me up a bit.

I rarely sleep for more than a few minutes on the plane (and am soooo jealous of those of you who can!) I always take a huge bag of stuff on the plane, a book, a magazine, a puzzle book, lollipops (for relieving the pressure), and my favourite card game, Uno. I usually try to watch at least one film and have subjected myself to some pretty awful ones in the interests of passing the time.

On our last flight out with Virgin we had games and I spend most of my time playing Tetris which was great for me (perhaps not so for my DH who had to put up with me muttering and swearing under my breath every time I lost!) I also like to make up lyrics quizzes for my hubby (who is as mad on music as me) with plenty of lyrics from Disney songs, of course, and have fun watching him try to finish them!

ArielJasmine

 

[angel659]

Hi

I am an early bird! I like to get to the airport about 3-4 hours before. Check my luggage in and then its off to McDonalds. Everytime we have been before we have never had time to go and look around the shops. Either we get held up at Parking express or the check in. Hopefully using the on line check in we can really enjoy the airport. I feel it starts from the moment you wake up. Although I never sleep! LOL.

I can never sleep on the plane with the noise and the surroundings. Last year I took my daughter and my husband had our 5 month twin boys at home we flew with My Travel and having the seat back TV really made the difference. I didnt really feel the 9 hours coz of all the entertainment. This year we are flying with Virgin and travelling with us is our 5 year old daughter and our twin boys of 23 months. I doubt my husband and I will get bored more frustrated and hope that doesnt make the flight lengthy. At least Casey will be entertained and not bored.

I am so excited 8 weeks tomorrow and counting.

Regards
Michelle

 

[gilld]

If we haven't stayed at the Meridian or Hilton the night before, we get to the airport aroud 5 hours early, if we have stayed the night before then about 4 hours, check in and then spend a couple of hours in the Clubhouse drinking a glass or two of champagne and eating smoked salmon bagels or bacon panninis etc. I sometimes nip out to have a quick look at the shops, but the hoards of people usually send me back quickly.

On the aircraft I usually start to watch one film but find I drop off in the middle, dozing rather than proper sleep, and I dip in and out of a book or magazine. I find the time passes fairly quickly with meals and drinks - we NEVER drink alcohol on a plane as it's effect is considerably enhanced at altitude, it also dehydrates you leaving you feelin sluggish and DH has to drive at the other end.

 

[homerdog]

we NEVER drink alcohol on a plane as its effect is considerably enhanced at altitude

mmmm alcohol... effect... enhanced...Woohoo!

 

[vabeth]

I love being at the airport, it's all part of the holiday experience for me. We get there about 4 hours before the flight so we are usually one of the first to check in, then it's off for a bit of breakfast and a wander round the shops in the hope that Hubby will treat me to a nice bottle of perfume! Then off he goes for a cigarette while i treat my daughter to some new hairslides in Claire's (it's become a bit of a ritual for us Girlies now!) Then we have a look at the planes and before you know it it's time to board! It usually flies by (no pun intended)!!! Flying has never bothered me and i usually quite look forward to being able to sit and read and do nothing for a few hours, but we have done quite a few longhaul in the past few years and the novelty is beginning to wear off. Our last flight to the Dom Rep seemed to last for ever! I'm also one of those people who doesn't get a wink of sleep so i can't even pass the time that way! We're off to Cuba in 8 weeks which is a 10 hour flight so i'm gonna have to find some pretty good books to keep me amused this time!

 

[Queenie]

Just thought of a question about drinking on the plane. What is the age limit? Obviously it's 18 in the UK and 21 in the USA, does it increase by one year at a time as you get closer to the States?!?

 

[gilld]

Just thought of a question about drinking on the plane. What is the age limit? Obviously it's 18 in the UK and 21 in the USA, does it increase by one year at a time as you get closer to the States?!?

It depends on where the airline is registered. Eg VA 's drinking age is 18 as it's British. AA's drinking age will be 21 as it's American.

 

[Englands Disney Gang]

With 2 very excited children I spend most of my time at the airport chasing after them and calming them down. I spend most of my flight getting up and down to the toilet with my 5 year old as he has a major fetish for toilets....wherever we go he has to check them out!!. I also spend alot of time trying to get them to have a nap and also glaring at my husband who always seems to get the seat opposite and is sat by himself with his headphones on whilst I am trying to amuse the kids!!!!