Long flights

[glassslipper2004]

It looks like we are going on a trip to Israel this spring. I can't really believe it - I usually plan trips a year in advance, and this opportunity just came up. It's only about 4 months away. We are all ridiculously excited.

One of the things that worries me a little bit is the long flight (10-12 hours). Can those of you who have done long flights give me some advice? My DD's will be 10 and 12, and are pretty good travelers, having done Viva Italia a few years ago, but the thought of the long flight really exhausts me. It's not so much the boredom but the constant low level stress for all that time... (You can see here I am actually asking for advice about me - not about my kids!!)

Any advice is welcome!

 

[abdmom]

My kids are close to the same age. We fly to and from HI frequently (from the Central time zone) and flew to the ABD China last year.

On the way there, try to get a flight that departs as late as possible. That way, everyone will be tired and ready to sleep. If you get a flight that departs at 6 pm Eastern time, for example, you will get there at 4- 6 a.m. your time. If your flight departs at 10 p.m. instead, you'll get there at 8-10 a.m instead. Much better for avoiding jet lag.

I like to make sure to get seats by the windows and not in the middle. There's too much activity in the center set of seats to relax. Mom also gets the window seat - it's easier to sleep and I don't get bumped by people walking through the aisles. I travel with 3 kids. The youngest sits with me while the 2 older ones sit in front. It seems every time the kids sat behind me, they'd forget something on the plane, like a Nintendo DS. Never saw it again. So, if they sit in front, I can check their seats on my way out of the plane.

On our trip to China last year, we had an 11 hour flight to Tokyo and then a 5 hour flight to Beijing. By the time we were on the second flight, 5 hours seemed like a short trip! Ha! The kids did so much better than I in terms of jet lag.

Have fun planning!

 

[sayhello]

Wellp, as someone who suffered a bloodclot (NOT flying related) here's the best suggestions I have:

Get up and walk up & down the aisles for 5 minutes at least every hour to hour & a half. Drink a LOT of water (ie, stay hydrated). (They recommend no coffee or alcohol, but that's so never happening for that long a period of time! ) If your airline has those travel TV's you can rent, RENT it! The power pack is on them, and you can watch movies, and TV and various stuff. I had that on my flight back from Alaska, and it killed a LOT of time. Have mindless reading like People magazine so it won't matter if you can't concentrate. Have healthy snacks (DON'T count on the airline having enough food, or food that isn't all just a bunch of sugar/starch). Get up and WALK frequently. (Yes, I know I repeated myself. It's important!)

I'm flying to Europe myself this spring/summer, and so not looking forward to the long flights. But it's a necessary evil to be able to travel like I love to!

Sayhello

 

[HappyGrumpy]

My suggestion is technology


buy them the Ipod Nano! They can listen to music and watch movies and videos they download from itunes! They also have can shoot video on them so they can record their perspective of the trip and share it with their friends when they return!

OR

Ipod Touches so they can watch movies and videos, listen to music and play games! They are both small and travel very easily and help pass time in a big way! Just buy the airline adapter that will allow them to charge them on the plane!

What a GREAT trip!

 

[Diskidatheart]

I agree with everyone above. Our trip to Hawaii a few years back was a 16 hour trip including layovers. As Sayhello said DRINK LOTS OF WATER!!!!. Cannot stress that enough. A deck of cards, snacks, and movies will help. You can play monopoly or some other multi-hour game on an Ipod touch or Iphone. Try to get some sleep on the flight too. Nothing like sleeping 3 or 4 hours to pass time (although I realize some people cannot sleep on flights). Since you will probably arrive first thing in the morning, sleeping on the plane will help you adjust with the time change. (Be careful though...I have a friend who weighs about 100 pounds soaking wet and her doctor gave her a sleeping pill for a flight to Asia. She was only supposed to take half, but forgot that part and took the entire pill. She woke up in Asia as the plane was landing.)

 

[sayhello]

Ipod Touches so they can watch movies and videos, listen to music and play games! They are both small and travel very easily and help pass time in a big way! Just buy the airline adapter that will allow them to charge them on the plane!

AIRLINE ADAPTER THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO CHARGE THEM ON THE PLANE?????? Such a thing exists?? Why didn't I know this? Where can you buy them? I *SO* need this for my iTouch!

Sayhello

 

[speakupjc]

How does an airline adaptor work? I have never heard of it? Where do you get one? Where do you plug it in?

 

[Bobo912]

I found an airline adapter for the MacBook at the Apple online store, but I can't find one for the iPod Touch. I need one of these too! If anybody finds it, please post the link. TIA.

 

[HappyGrumpy]

Ok sorry Kids I misspoke this is what I was trying to say...

Kensington Battery Pack for iPhone and Ipod $69.95

So you would have to charge the battery pack before leaving but it gives you 100 hours of music 21 Hours of Video and 6 hours of talk. Thats on top of a fully charges ipod touch or iphone.

For the iPhone there is also the Mophie Juice Pack $79 to $99

Of course with your layovers you can find a wall outlet to plug in your wall adapter and then plug in your USB to recharge your device.

I work for the company that makes the ipod touch. You will see me refer to them as the "fruit" as to avoid any issues!

I hope I cleared up any confusion!

HG

 

[Bobo912]

Ok sorry Kids I misspoke this is what I was trying to say...

Kensington Battery Pack for iPhone and Ipod $69.95

So you would have to charge the battery pack before leaving but it gives you 100 hours of music 21 Hours of Video and 6 hours of talk. Thats on top of a fully charges ipod touch or iphone.

For the iPhone there is also the Mophie Juice Pack $79 to $99

Of course with your layovers you can find a wall outlet to plug in your wall adapter and then plug in your USB to recharge your device.

I work for the company that makes the ipod touch. You will see me refer to them as the "fruit" as to avoid any issues!

I hope I cleared up any confusion!

HG

Thanks, HappyGrumpy! Our iPod Touch is new and we just took it on its first trip. The battery went dead much more quickly than I had anticipated, so we definitely need something to recharge it when we don't have the laptop. For this trip, we could have gotten by with the wall outlet adapter, but we don't even have that.

 

[sayhello]

Ok sorry Kids I misspoke this is what I was trying to say...

Kensington Battery Pack for iPhone and Ipod $69.95

So you would have to charge the battery pack before leaving but it gives you 100 hours of music 21 Hours of Video and 6 hours of talk. Thats on top of a fully charges ipod touch or iphone.

For the iPhone there is also the Mophie Juice Pack $79 to $99

Of course with your layovers you can find a wall outlet to plug in your wall adapter and then plug in your USB to recharge your device.

I work for the company that makes the ipod touch. You will see me refer to them as the "fruit" as to avoid any issues!

I hope I cleared up any confusion!

HG

I'll have to look at these. The problem I've found with most of the external iPhone/iPod Touch battery packs I've seen is that they also cover the headphone jack, and I don't think the folks on the plane want to hear my games/videos/music while I'm using it!

Sayhello

 

[PhillipA82]

1 word: SLEEP

 

[Disney Dree]

We traveled from Minneapolis to London on a 7 hour late evening flight. We tried SO hard to go to sleep that we made the situation even worse - we simply couldn't, and ended up feeling stressed and restless. It took us 24 hours just to get our wits about us again.

On the return home we decided to call it "Movie Day" and decided that we would simply enjoy an endless day of back-to-back-to-back movies. The mindset made all the difference. We decided in the future that we would keep a positive attitude and quit worrying about the sleep differences. Our flights (Northwest) had a tv at each seat, which was a must for this long travel!!

Love the ipod idea also - a lifesaver when great music can distract a tired traveler!!

 

[glassslipper2004]

Thank you for all of these comments.

And since we are traveling by plane tomorrow for the holidays, these posts remind me that I had better make sure my kids' Ipods are charged!

I may try to find out what the tv/movie setup is on the flights. I love the planes that have the tv's. I'm pretty sure our Midwest flights tomorrow don't have them, but hopefully the international one in the spring will!

 

[MAH4546]

How does an airline adaptor work? I have never heard of it? Where do you get one? Where do you plug it in?

Some airlines (not all) have cigarette lighters, usually one for every two seats, underneath the seats.

So it's basically any cigarette lighter adapter.

 

[Zeebs]

With kids your age they shouldn't be a bother, try doing a 12 hour flight 4 times with a 3 year old and 15 month year old.

Agree with a late flight as someone mentioned.

We like the four seats in the middle as it means they are all ours and we are all together, kids go in the middle two seats.

Take water as they will bring you round cups but it isn't very often.

Wear very comfortable clothes, and shoes. Clothes in layers so that you can account for a cold or hot airplane.

Then just sit back and relax, any long haul airline worth its salt will have an entertainment system (I refuse to fly one that doesn't)

We always eat the food as it takes up time, and on a whole it is ok. Then (in the days before small children) I would put on a movie and sit back I will eventually then have a wee sleep.

The kids should just do the same, let them watch movies until they want to go to sleep.

I will say though every time I take a book and never once that that heavy thing come out of my bag LOL.

Hope that is of some help, have a good flight.

Kirsten