17 hour Long Haul flight. Any advice

Cushtie · 20-10-2019 11:37am #1

Hi Folks. I have a long Haul flight coming up in a few weeks. 17 hours London to Perth with Qantas on 787.

Longest flight I've ever been on was about 4 hours.

Any advice from the seasoned travellers on anything I should bring m do to make the flight more bearable.

Thanks

uck51js9zml2yt · 20-10-2019 3:14pm

Plenty of fluids,no ..or very limited alcohol.
A good book or tablet. Set of headphones

Walk about regularly.

Samuel T. Cogley · 20-10-2019 3:20pm

Fly first class :pac: failing that get some Nytol from up North to help you nod off.

sdanseo · 20-10-2019 3:22pm

Noise cancelling headphones and an adapter for the plane, plus a decent travel pillow. You don't need to spend silly money on them (thanks to the Bargain Alerts forum). I also found ONE whiskey put me right to sleep on my most recent redeye. Wouldn't go having any more than that though.
Slept 6 or more hours in an economy seat, not the best sleep in the world but it passed the time.

I originally got these which were fantastic but broke them very easily due to sleeping on them :pac: They included the airplane adapter.
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07C7PKBYZ/ref=psdc_310193011_t4_B07PF87V65

Immediately bought a second pair which I've found much more durable, didn't need another adapter but you would have to buy one seperately.
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Cancelling-Headphones-TaoTronics-Wireless-Bluetooth-Black/dp/B07PF87V65/ref=sr_1_5?crid=RVI2DC22Y2Y4&keywords=taotronics+noise+cancelling+earphones&qid=1571581110&sprefix=taotronics+noise%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-5

Miaireland · 20-10-2019 3:25pm

Will there be a power point/usb charging port at your seat? If not bring a power bank. Download a few films on your tablet or phone or even better a series that you can binge watch. Bring a book or two in case the in flight entertainment does not work. Wear plenty of layers as planes can be cold/hot. Bring a water bottle that you can fill after security so you don't have to ask for water all the time.

sdanseo · 20-10-2019 3:31pm

Below is the aircraft layout for the flight. If you can still pick seats will be useful.
Power between every 2 economy seats.

https://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Qantas_Airways/Qantas_Airways_Boeing_789.php?flightno=10&date=

All the aove said fair play to you, I'd never do it, would always break the trip somewhere rather than do > 12 hours or so.

votecounts · 20-10-2019 3:35pm

Drink plenty of alcohol and the 17 hours will fly by:D

Snow Garden · 20-10-2019 3:40pm

Landon Teeny Metropolis wrote: »

Plenty of fluids,no ..or very limited alcohol.
A good book or tablet. Set of headphones

Walk about regularly.

Yeah pick an aisle seat and walk around regularly. I used to walk down the back of the plane and hang about. Air stewards usually fine with it. I would often go back and ask for water/OJ or a snack. I would stretch where possible too.
Depends on the flight but usually there is a very quiet period in the perceived 'nighttime'. Even the stewards take naps then. Great time to walk around and maybe even strike up a chat. I never drink or take sleeping pills because the jetlag is worse. I always try to fly in my evening time to help sleep i.e. depart the main hub (e.g. Heathrow) around 8pm. A meal and some TV and I start nodding off. When I wake its a walk, drink and more TV.

Burty330 · 20-10-2019 3:42pm

Stay awake for 24hrs before the flight , then your body will force you into a sleep for a good portion of the journey.

coylemj · 20-10-2019 4:29pm

Snow Garden wrote: »

Yeah pick an aisle seat and walk around regularly.

The problem with an aisle seat on a long flight is that lots of other passengers go for walks and if there's the slightest wobble in the flight, they will typically anchor themselves by gently resting their hand on the headrest of every third or so seat on their left and right. If you're trying to get some kip, that is the equivalent of someone socking you over the head with a pillow every minute or so. I'd always go for an inside seat. You can't stop the guy in front from reclining but you can minimize the disruption from behind you.

OP, travel socks. Your feet will swell in the low pressure and you're at risk of deep vein thrombosis if you have poor circulation and/or don't get up and move about often enough. A pair of travel socks will fix both problems.

Snow Garden · 20-10-2019 4:36pm

coylemj wrote: »

The problem with an aisle seat on a long flight is that lots of other passengers go for walks and if there's the slightest wobble in the flight, they will typically anchor themselves by gently resting their hand on the headrest of every third or so seat on their left and right. If you're trying to get some kip, that is the equivalent of someone socking you over the head with a pillow every minute or so. I'd always go for an inside seat. You can't stop the guy in front from reclining but you can minimize the disruption from behind you.

OP, travel socks. Your feet will swell in the low pressure and you're at risk of deep vein thrombosis if you have poor circulation and/or don't get up and move about often enough. A pair of travel socks will fix both problems.

Yeah but I prefer aisle than having to wake someone to go for a walk or to the toilet. My longest flight to date was 16 hours I probably got up and about 16 times. I tend to pick an aisle seat near the back of the plane (maybe only 6/7 rows up) where there tends to be less traffic and more empty seats. On my last flight to Malaysia I secured 4 empty seats in the middle and had great naps. I am not sure why but people tend to walk forward to the next toilet section rather than go back to the narrow end.

ozzy jr · 20-10-2019 4:37pm

Just curious OP, is that the only flight on your journey? Are you flying to London or onwards from Perth?

kirving · 20-10-2019 4:40pm

Remember too that the back of the plane tends to bounce around more and it noisier. A central isle seat as far forward as you can is the best option IMO.

Noise cancelling headphones are worth their weight in gold.

Pineapple1 · 20-10-2019 4:46pm

Landon Teeny Metropolis wrote:

Plenty of fluids,no ..or very limited alcohol. A good book or tablet. Set of headphones

Landon Teeny Metropolis wrote:

Walk about regularly.

This is pretty much it, and a lot patience! Bring a few cheeky snacks onto the plan with you and spread them out so that you have something to look forward to? Longest I did was Dub to LA 11 hours flying (12 in the plane total) and that was tough as I can't sleep on a plane.

krissovo · 20-10-2019 4:58pm

My essentials for long haul are:
1, Noise cancelling headphones
2, Water bottle
3, Hoodie - Keep warm and shut yourself away from the world and wear comfy clothes. I have a merino wool baselayer top to stop smells
4, Kalms tablets
5, Trail mix - Make your own with unsalted nuts cashews, raisins, dried banana from Aldi
6, Therma Care / Deep heat pads - If you get a back ache this is instant relief and does not smell
7, Load up on Netflix downloads
8, Download mellow spotify mix for sleeping
9, Battery pack
10, Mouth wash / Gum

Samuel T. Cogley · 20-10-2019 5:01pm

krissovo wrote: »

My essentials for long haul are:
1, Noise cancelling headphones
2, Water bottle
3, Hoodie - Keep warm and shut yourself away from the world and wear comfy clothes. I have a merino wool baselayer top to stop smells
4, Kalms tablets
5, Trail mix - Make your own with unsalted nuts cashews, raisins, dried banana from Aldi
6, Therma Care / Deep heat pads - If you get a back ache this is instant relief and does not smell
7, Load up on Netflix downloads
8, Download mellow spotify mix for sleeping
9, Battery pack
10, Mouth wash / Gum

Last time I went long haul I was fine on the way out, then once I got onto wifi the other end it disabled all my downloads and I didn't realise until the flight back

Snow Garden · 20-10-2019 5:17pm

krissovo wrote: »

My essentials for long haul are:
1, Noise cancelling headphones
2, Water bottle
3, Hoodie - Keep warm and shut yourself away from the world and wear comfy clothes. I have a merino wool baselayer top to stop smells
4, Kalms tablets
5, Trail mix - Make your own with unsalted nuts cashews, raisins, dried banana from Aldi
6, Therma Care / Deep heat pads - If you get a back ache this is instant relief and does not smell
7, Load up on Netflix downloads
8, Download mellow spotify mix for sleeping
9, Battery pack
10, Mouth wash / Gum

Yes, chewing gum or hard sweets. Absolutely vital for the ears.

spurious · 20-10-2019 6:48pm

I like to set my watch to the time zone of my destination as soon as I get onto the plane and then behave accordingly as regards sleep etc..

Cushtie · 20-10-2019 9:00pm

Thanks so much for the replies and all the tips.

Must pick up a set of noise cancelling headphones as so many of you advised.

I had a look on seatguru on the advice of one poster and would you belive the seat I had picked was flagged as a bad seat so changed. A lot of seats taken up so ended up with aisle seat about 5 rows from back. Hopefully be OK.

Cushtie · 20-10-2019 9:01pm

ozzy jr wrote: »

Just curious OP, is that the only flight on your journey? Are you flying to London or onwards from Perth?

Shannon to Heathrow then onward to Perth and same on return.

krissovo · 20-10-2019 9:06pm

Cushtie wrote: »

I had a look on seatguru on the advice of one poster and would you belive the seat I had picked was flagged as a bad seat so changed. A lot of seats taken up so ended up with aisle seat about 5 rows from back. Hopefully be OK.

You will be fine, you should be happy you are not in the middle

On that flight most of the seats in economy are much of the same.

mightyreds · 20-10-2019 9:11pm

Sleeping tablets would be my advice, I've been on 4 - 13 HR flights recently and I watched 4 films and still had 5/6 hours left.
It gets mind numbingly boring after that. If you can sleep well on flights then you should be ok though

Richard Hillman · 20-10-2019 9:12pm

Wear shorts.

atilladehun · 20-10-2019 9:18pm

Lots of great tips.

I'm +1 for getting into the timezone if you can asap.

Do whatever it takes to sleep. Earplugs, masks, pillow etc etc.

I once brought a sleeping bag onto a flight that I needed to work straight after a flight to Australia.

You'll mostly be tired, bored and stick of earphones.

Snow Garden · 20-10-2019 11:14pm

I am not sure when you arrive in Perth but if it's during the day, stay awake as long as possible until somewhere near your normal bedtime (9pm) and then sleep the sleep of the dead

They say carrot juice is great for jetlag. Jetlag is a weird one. Even with a good nights sleep I would feel absolutely grand the next day at work...until around 3pm and then I would crash.

The Nal · 21-10-2019 12:09pm

Nintendo Switch and Zelda.

Theres nothing that makes time go faster than gaming.

Samuel T. Cogley · 21-10-2019 1:41pm

PJ's, really? OP will look like a right knacker :pac:

Cyrus · 21-10-2019 1:48pm

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

PJ's, really? OP will look like a right knacker :pac:

the irony is people in business and first often change into lounge wear because you get lie flat seats and generally get a decent kip

XsApollo · 21-10-2019 1:56pm

Headphones.
Plenty of fluids,
I struggle to sleep on a plane regardless of how tired I am.
I try to stay out of my seat as much as possible for the first half of the flight, usually walk around and hang at the back.
Then when I go to sit down for movies and try to sleep my back isn’t in pain.
No alchohol for the first half either. Then when sitting down for movies and sleep start downing whiskeys.

21-10-2019 2:00pm

spurious wrote: »

I like to set my watch to the time zone of my destination as soon as I get onto the plane and then behave accordingly as regards sleep etc..

This is a top tip ,I've never had jet lag doing this.

Alun · 21-10-2019 2:01pm

I'm in the same boat in 2 weeks time heading to NZ with Emirates. 7.5h to Dubai, 13.5h to Sydney and then 3.5h to Christchurch. Not looking forward to it at all. I'm a nervous flyer at the best of times, so am thinking of asking my doctor for something to relax me. Does anyone have any experiences of going down that route?

17 hour Long Haul flight. Any advice

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