PROVEN COPING STRATEGIES FOR LONG FLIGHTS
There’s long flights and then THERE IS LONG FLIGHTS. Reminds me of that scene in the Crocodile Dundee movie where Michael Dundee and his girlfriend are accosted by some thugs and one of them pulls a knife (switchblade). The startled girlfriend tells Michael to cooperate with him because he has a knife and Mike responds amused with the now classic line, “that’s not a knife, THIS is a knife”, as he pulls out his huge machete looking blade. These proven coping strategies are for LONG FLIGHTS (over 8 hours long).
I’ve flown on 4 of the top ten longest commercial flights in the world (as of June 2021). All of them over 16 hours nonstop! That’s an awfully long time to be on a plane cooped up like a pollo and you need to have a plan ahead of time to fill all that time. Preparing yourself for these type of long haul flights is essential so that you can focus more on your destination and not the the time spent in the air. I’ll guide you through some of the methods that have helped me throughout the years.
GET YOUR MIND RIGHT
You just booked that dream trip to Europe or Asia and are making all these grand plans and building the ultimate itinerary for your destination and then it hits you. Damn, I have to endure how many hours in the air!? And that right there is mistake number one. Don’t look at the long flight hours as something to dread or endure or any other doom & gloom adjective. Instead change your frame of mind and think of it as time to finally do something you’ve put off or wanted to do. I’m sure you’ve put off one of these because you didn’t have time or have been too busy:
- Catch up on your favorite tv series or movies that you’ve been wanting to watch.
- Finally read/finish that book that you bought and has been sitting on your nightstand.
- Clean and organize your laptop desktop, folders, emails, etc…
- Getting your cellphone in order (deleting all texts, emails, pictures, and videos that are not needed anymore and just taking up space on your phone).
- Writing in your journal.
- Writing that letter to your significant other or family member.
You get the idea. You’ll finally be in one spot with nowhere to go so make the best use of that time to do things that you just haven’t been able to get around to.
DON’T PANIC AND PLAY THE WHAT IF GAME
While it’s tempting and probably natural to start thinking of all the things that could go wrong, don’t! Don’t start wondering about how heavy the plane is at take off with fuel, luggage, and people onboard. That fat dude in the next aisle isn’t going to be the tipping point difference on whether or not the plane gets off the ground. Another disaster scenario that people play in their mind is “what if we have engine problems, where are we going to land if we’re over water/mountains/desert, etc.?” Relax. The plane is going to take off just fine and you’re not going to have to eat big boy while struggling to survive in the Andes.
Take a deep breath and clear your thoughts of those type of images. Your pilots are all highly trained professionals and you’re in good hands. You’re going to land at your destination and in one piece. Get ahold of yourself and think about where you’re going and why. Replace those dreaded “what if?” scenarios with “I can’t wait to do (fill in the blank) when we land!” Those pleasant thoughts will soon take over and the good vibes will return in no time.
TRULY DISCONNECT
Why in the world would you want to pay for airplane wifi service to get on social media or check emails? Makes no damn sense. You already spend too much time working and/or on social media, take a real break and disconnect. Long flights are perfect for resetting your mindset and taking a mini hiatus from the daily grind. What your friend ate at that restaurant or that 1,283 picture of your cousin’s kid will still be there. You’re not going to get extra pay for answering emails mid-flight. Turn that shit off! There will be plenty of time for that when you get back. Switch it up and I promise you’ll be the better for it.
THE PHYSICAL PART
Getting in the right frame of mind for long flights is one half of it. The other is physical and getting your body prepared. No I’m not going to recommend some type of exercise regime or yoga booty or anything like that. My suggestions are a lot more practical 😊. They revolve around eating, drinking, what to wear, and sleeping both before the flight and during. Trust me on this, I’ve got my share of stories and lessons learned that I drew from to come up with these suggestions.
DRINKING (DO’S AND DONT’S)
You can absolutely have those drinks at the airport and during the early part of the flight. Hell, I encourage them. But! In moderation of course. Remember, you’re not on a short 3 hour flight to LAX or the Caribbean. You can pound the liquor back on those flights, put on one movie, and keep the party going when you land. Not on overseas flights. Especially if you’re flying to Asia or Africa, or to Europe from the west coast. If you don’t like being hungover on dry land, you’re really not going to like it on a plane sitting in the same upright position with strangers looking at you shaking their heads at you.
If you are a drinker I recommend having a few at the airport to calm the nerves (if you have any) and loosen you up for your journey. A couple of more are okay after the flight is at cruising altitude and before dinner is served but I would cap it off at that. You all know what happens when you break that seal and keep drinking. You’re going to be getting up every half hour to use the restroom. And nobody likes that person who keeps getting out of their seat constantly. Go easy, get a little buzz, have your dinner and call it a night.
EATING
Now this is super important and most people never think about what they eat before/during a long flight and their bowel movement schedules until it’s too late. Don’t be getting squeamish on me, we have to talk about this. There is nothing worse than standing in the aisle behind 3-4 people waiting on your turn for the restroom y te estas cagando (you’ve really got to go). Especially if for the most part, it can be avoided.
How you ask? It’s simple.
- Watch what you eat the day before and the day of your flight. We all know our own bodies and what time of day we usually go. You know what kind of food messes you up. Whatever that is don’t have it!
- Make yourself go right before the flight. I don’t care what it takes, make it happen. Get it all out of your system before boarding.
- Don’t be eating everything that is served on the plane. The food isn’t that good anyway so try to control yourself.
Follow these simple steps and you shouldn’t have any issues on this front. However, one must be prepared in case things still go sideways. I always carry some Pepto Bismol or Immodium tablets everywhere I travel. You have to stay ready and vigilant. Oh and don’t forget the baby wipes! Don’t be buying cheap ones either. The thicker the better (insert the obligatory “that’s what she said”).
SLEEPING
Getting in as many hours of sleep as possible the week before your big trip is one of the most overlooked proven coping strategies for long flights. Unless you’re one of those people that can crash out anywhere/anytime, you aren’t getting much sleep on these kind of flights. Don’t be pulling all nighters the day before. Stay hydrated, go to bed early, and get as much rest as possible leading up to take off day.
WEAR THE RIGHT CLOTHES
I’m well aware that there used to be a time when people got all dressed up to fly and that’s all fine and dandy for your short flights. But when it comes to these long overnight flights, comfort should be priority number one! Loose or stretchable material is the way to go. Whatever you decide to wear, it should be comfortable to move around in and not make you miserable after a few hours. Remember, you will not only be in these clothes for the duration of the flight but also the 3 hours before departure and then customs clearance, baggage claim, and travel to hotel time. That could mean up to 24 hours in the same outfit!
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HYGEINE!
Which brings me to one of the most important proven coping strategies for long flights. Don’t be a dirty bastard. No, seriously. It should go without saying but you’re sharing a very close space with strangers for a long period of time. You want to make sure you’re at the bare minimum, clean! If you’re clean and smell good then you feel completely comfortable taking off your shoes while seated and moving around in your area. Shower a few hours before your flight and make sure your clothes are washed correctly with nice smelling fabric softener. If you look and smell good then you feel good which is a great starting point to enjoy these long flights.
So there you have it, my tips for making the best of those overseas non-stop flights. And now that you know how to handle them, check out my post on how to score one of these for almost free. And remember, getting there is part of your adventure story!
