17 hour flight. How to cope?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
Longest flight of all is JFK to SIN on Singapore Air (SQ). The flight to Auckland is indeed quite long though. Good luck. I would never do such a long flight in economy myself.
That noted, try to sleep in flight. Consider getting an Rx for 2 Ambien (one each way) as a backup. Drink mostly water, rather than alcohol during the flight. If awake, talk a short walk or change positions occasionally to reduce chances of deep vein thrombosis (esp if in economy). |
Anonymous
| xanax |
Anonymous
| In first class I sleep. In coach I generally can’t sleep - I read, play games on my phone/tablet, watch movies, listen to podcasts and music. Depending on the trip I do a little work or browse for restaurants etc. I really don’t mind. Just don’t forget to stretch, roll around ankles, hydrate. |
Anonymous
| Bring you own headphones that will plug into their entertainment system - on my last long flight they forgot to pack them and it was pretty boring not to be able to watch anything the entire flight. |
Anonymous
| Maybe if you expect the worst, it won’t be so bad. I’ve visited over 100 countries and flying is just something you have to put up with to enjoy the destination. And NZ is incredible and absolutely worth it. I hope you have a decent amount of time to really be there. I avoid alcohol, drink lots of water, read, watch movies/tv, make sure to stand up, bring healthy snacks because I hate airplane food and focus on the destination. There is no way to sugarcoat how tiring it is to fly that distance in economy. At least it will be shorter on the return. |
Anonymous
| Every expert online says absolutely no alcohol. |
Anonymous
Why? Have flown to Asia lots of times and always have a glass of wine with the main meals, probably 2 over the course of the flight. Feels a little special for what's a boring haul. Without kids it's really not that bad. Bring a book, good headphones for the seatback entertainment, some movies and music... |
Anonymous
That is so unhealthy. OP please don’t do this! |
Anonymous
Not the longest flight on the planet - I'm taking the longest flight (New York to Singapore) next month, and it's nearly 19 hours long. My brother-in-law sent me this sleep strategy today, courtesy of Chat: For a JFK to SIN business class flight, a strategy of sleeping 4-5 hours, then staying awake for 6 hours before sleeping for another 8-9 hours is recommended to align with the Singapore time zone for the 5 a.m. arrival, minimizing grogginess and maximizing alertness upon landing. This approach, used by experienced travelers, contrasts with simply sleeping the entire first half of the flight and allows for both rest and a chance to be awake for a mid-flight meal service. Why This Sleep Strategy Works Aligning with Destination Time: The flight arrives in Singapore around 5 a.m. local time. Sleeping too much early in the flight and then waking with little time left can make you feel even more tired and jet-lagged upon arrival. Avoiding "Second Wind" Sleepiness: By forcing yourself to stay awake for several hours after the first sleep period, you allow your body to naturally get tired again, leading to a more effective second sleep session. Maximizing Refreshment: This strategy ensures you are fully refreshed and alert for your arrival in Singapore, rather than feeling groggy. |
Anonymous
Not the Op, but I would be terrified as well. My anxiety would kick in and I would probably have a panic attack. |
Anonymous
| Melatonin and a couple of glasses of red wine first thing when you get on the plane. This has never failed me. If you can be out for at least 9-10 hours, you can pass the rest of the time a couple of movies (or a good book). Drink a lot of water before the flight and when you aren’t asleep. |
Anonymous
|
Jet lag is worse when you return to the US. I think it's because you get back at night here (whereas you get to AUK in the morning and can power through that day). When you get back to the US you cannot get to sleep right away and you are really off schedule for about a week. Just letting you know. |
Anonymous
Haha love this. |
Anonymous
|
Cope? Terrified?
The drama… |
Anonymous
| I flew JFK to Singapore recently (and then took a connecting flight to another destination in Asia), and it was not bad at all bc Economy Plus on Singapore Air was so comfortable. I was able to sleep for most of the flight (for about four or five hours at a time) by using a good neck pillow, an eye mask, and ear plugs, and compression socks helped with leg swelling. With all the sleep I got, and the three excellent meals I got on the flight, the rest of the time was very easy to kill with a couple of movies. I arrived feeling pretty well rested and would do it again in a heartbeat! |