Picture the scene. You've just dropped your vehicle at Pacific Airport Parking and are making your way in our shuttle to Melbourne Airport. Your mind suddenly switches from the stress of packing and getting to the airport, to the flight itself.
There is certainly something special about flying long-haul, but it can also be a cause one or two worries for some passengers. Of course, due to Melbourne's location, long-haul flights are more common than many cities around the world. For example, flying to Los Angeles is almost 16 hours flying, Dubai 14, Beijing 11 and Tokyo 10.
So, if you are facing a long-haul flight soon, what are the best ways to get through it?
Think about your legroom
If you're sitting in economy for up to 16 hours, you'll soon come to appreciate the limited legroom that you have at your disposal. As such, it is important to consider how much carry-on luggage you are taking.
While that laptop might be good for catching up on movies and TV shows, it may get in the way when you simply want to curl up and go to sleep. For a long-haul flight, less carry-on means more room for your body!
Board rested, not tired
One of the common misconceptions to long-haul flights is that it is an opportunity to catch up on sleep thus arrive ready to rest. However, there are many barriers to sleeping on a plane including (but not limited to) crying children, turbulence and annoying neighbours. If you are already tired, not being able to get to sleep can be a great source of frustration – especially when the flight duration is more than half a day.
Of course, this technically means that at some time during the flight your body will be ready for sleep. According to Independent Traveler, this is the time to take our your eye covers and earplugs and take the opportunity to rest.
Move around the plane
Very few people can remain seated for the entire duration of a flight. However, it is not only good for your mind to move around, but also your body.
Passengers on long-haul flights are at a higher risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) than those on shorter routes. DVT occurs when you haven't moved for a considerable amount of time and blood clots form in deep veins of your legs. This is a potentially lethal illness and the main way to reduce your risk is by getting out of your seat.
Every few hours take stroll up and down the aisles, giving your body a good stretch.
Avoid the alcohol
You're on holiday, so it's time to celebrate with an alcoholic drink. Well, not if you want to look after yourself during a long-haul flight. Aircraft cabins often have low humidity, meaning that it's easy to become dehydrated over the course of 10-15 hours in the air.
If you have beverages such as alcohol, tea or coffee, this will only dehydrate you further. As such, always take the complimentary water when it is offered and bring some moisturiser to look after your skin!
Diversify your entertainment
In everyday life, we rarely have to entertain ourselves for 16 hours straight, highlighting the need to try and mix up what we do while we fly. Depending on the airline, the entertainment system could be limited in what it offers, so remember to load your phone with plenty of music, games and TV shows to keep you busy.
It might be handy to also add a notepad and pen to your carry-on. You could start your life story or just have a little doodle!
If you would like more information about making your long-haul flight preparation as easy as possible, get in touch with the team at Pacific Airport Parking today.
