Long haul flights tips and advice

[Me76]

Thanks all, this is really helpful. I ha r ESTA and whatever the Aussie one is called all ready. Noise cancelling headphones are done and other things now added to the list.

Do the planes have chargers for tablets and phones? And how does food work? Do they feed you whatever time it is or do they allow for the fact people are going to be trying to get on destination time?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

If you are paying for your own tickets and have the time I prefer to fly cattle class ( upgrading to an exit seat if you can) and then spend the huge amount of money saved on an extra night in a hotel. The cheapest airport or city centre hotel gives a better sleep or shower than a business class flat bed.

It’s the ‘if you have the time’ bit that gets me, I don’t have that luxury. So when at Xmas we went to Phuket, 11am from Gatwick on Boxing Day 11 hours to Hong Kong and a further three to Phuket, was enjoying a beer around the hotel pool by 1pm local time on 27th and felt refreshed and on the time zone. Same on return, got home on Sunday, next day was work, Ok woke up at 3am, but still felt good. That combined with access to more reasonable business fares makes it worthwhile for us. Kids will get a shock when they start paying for their own flights though

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Thanks all, this is really helpful. I ha r ESTA and whatever the Aussie one is called all ready. Noise cancelling headphones are done and other things now added to the list.

Do the planes have chargers for tablets and phones? And how does food work? Do they feed you whatever time it is or do they allow for the fact people are going to be trying to get on destination time?

Depends on the airline, who you flying with?

 

[felixthecat]

a!

Oh and those neck pillows are a cumbersome waste of time.

I've got an inflatable one which isn't cumbersome to carry at all. Inflate in when in seat, comfy neck, sleep

 

[skyscraper101]

For me, access to onboard WiFi is now a big factor in which airline I choose. Way more important than the onboard movie selection. I mean could you just imagine 11hrs or more without access to kitteh photos or people calling each other cunts on urban?

 

[mwgdrwg]

How far ahead can you choose a seat?

In the past I've just done it at the airport. Been lucky a couple of times, but once I got a seat near the toilet and the constant noise of door, lock, flush nearly drove me insane.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

How far ahead can you choose a seat?

In the past I've just done it at the airport. Been lucky a couple of times, but once I got a seat near the toilet and the constant noise of door, lock, flush nearly drove me insane.

Depends on the airline. Most now charge in economy, (BA charges in business for their lowest three fare levels, the cheeky fuckers). But you can normally select a seat at the time of booking, Virgin for example will take £100 off you for an exit row seat, which is quite a lot, but 11 hours to LA with no seat in front of you, could well be worth it...

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

For me, access to onboard WiFi is now a big factor in which airline I choose. Way more important than the onboard movie selection. I mean could you just imagine 11hrs or more without access to kitteh photos or people calling each other cunts on urban?

View attachment 174537

Looks like Norwegian?

 

[skyscraper101]

Looks like Norwegian?

It is. The first week they started their London > Miami route.

 

[Artaxerxes]

Avoid the fish.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

One more thing which others have kind of said already....have a variety of things to keep you occupied as it is a FUCKING long time. So there's the inflight movies etc, but definitely take a book and I think most importantly, something to just listen to as well - both music and podcasts/audiobooks. Something you don't mind nodding off to but where you get chance to close your eyes. Any other activity that you can fit into your hand luggage - like (don't laugh) colouring or drawing stuff. Just so you have something else to bloody do after hours and hours sitting on your arse I would love to take knitting or cross-stitch stuff but of course I might murder someone with the needles and scissors so that's a no go.

Next time I go to Aussie I'm going to buy some over the ear headphones as having only the in-ear ones I find my ear canals get really irritated or I end up with an ear infection.

 

[skyscraper101]

Take a pen for filling US landing card out on the plane.

Overtake as many people as possible once you disembark, lest you get stuck behind a bunch of holidaymakers at immigration giving way too much unnecessary information at the border holding everybody up behind.

 

[joustmaster]

Oh yeah. I once took a laptop and it had an old copy of civ3 or 4 on it. That game made 4 hours disappear in an instant.

 

[Teaboy]

Vallies and booze.

 

[Idris2002]

I am travelling to Australia for the first time in a month. Longest flight I have done previous was 7 / 8 hours to New York.

I have an 11 hour flight to LA. A 6 hour gap at LAX. Then 15 hours to Sydney.

Anything I should prepare for, take with me, be aware of and all that type of stuff? All advice appreciated.

I flew to NZ via LA about a decade ago. At that time, LAX was in a state of disrepair. I also got wrong directions to my terminal, and missed my connection. That's the main thing to watch out for in that sad, benighted airport.

 

[skyscraper101]

I flew to NZ via LA about a decade ago. At that time, LAX was in a state of disrepair. I also got wrong directions to my terminal, and missed my connection. That's the main thing to watch out for in that sad, benighted airport.

I've seen people miss connections at LAX because they have no system for prioritizing people on connecting flights to the front of the queue. Connecting passengers just get lumped in with every other sod having to queue upto an hour or more, and the border control staff just robots uninterested in helping put them at the front (which literally no right-minded person would object to). Bunch of idiots.

 

[moochedit]

Check if you have to collect your luggage in the transit airport and book it into the next flight. Normally they do it all for you and load it onto the next plane but sometimes they don't do that.

 

[Me76]

Depends on the airline, who you flying with?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

View attachment 174551

Oh lovely, United use their brand new 787's on both of those flights.

I believe in economy they have 2 power points for every 3 seats and each seat had a USB point (for charging) on each screen.

They will feed you shortly after leaving London with a snack before landing. And again shortly after leaving LA with a breakfast before landing in Sydney.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

They will feed you shortly after leaving London with a snack before landing. And again shortly after leaving LA with a breakfast before landing in Sydney.

Food is the best part of the flights. I am fascinated by airline food

 

[Me76]

Oh lovely, United use their brand new 787's on both of those flights.

I believe in economy they have 2 power points for every 3 seats and each seat had a USB point (for charging) on each screen.

They will feed you shortly after leaving London with a snack before landing. And again shortly after leaving LA with a breakfast before landing in Sydney.

This makes me happy!!!

 

[skyscraper101]

View attachment 174551

For $75 on 20th July you can get a day rate at the Marriott Courtyard LAX between 4pm and 9pm. This would be ideal for you to get a shower, lay down, drink a beer, watch TV for a bit, and be refreshed for the next leg to Sydney. I think they do free shuttles from LAX too.

Courtyard Los Angeles LAX/Century Blvd | HotelsByDay

 

[skyscraper101]

You can also buy your way into the United Club Lounge with a one time pass at LAX Terminal 7 for $59 but there's no showers. For $16 more, I know what I'd choose.

 

[Winot]

I once flew from LA to NZ and ended up in Hawaii by mistake (someone had a heart attack on the plane).

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Food is the best part of the flights. I am fascinated by airline food

Have a few meals from our Xmas hols around Thailand and Hong Kong...

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Still fascinating but you're in the posh part of the plane there with your glasses of champagne and real cutlery

I like the tray with all the little compartments. Each containing it's own special little delicacy

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Not that posh though, all still served on a tray. The pork and rice dish was probably the nicest thing I have ever eaten on a plane

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Not that posh though, all still served on a tray. The pork and rice dish was probably the nicest thing I have ever eaten on a plane

It's WAAAAY posher than in the back of the plane! Come off it

With your little salt and pepper pots and wee bottle of oil for your salad and all your bloody leg room

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

It's WAAAAY posher than in the back of the plane! Come off it

With your little salt and pepper pots and wee bottle of oil for your salad and all your bloody leg room

Nah, this is posh...




Hula Hoops, no less

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Ah right I can see the meal pics are from Premium Economy now so yeah....not that posh after all!