How to prepare for a long haul flight

As an frequent traveler I've had the opportunity to try out different ways of travel on long haul flights around the globe to find my best way to deal with the stress factors of a flight. The objective is to arrive in the best shape possible and reduce the effects of jet-lag as much as possible.

Here are some of my learnings or observations to make your travel more smooth and enjoyable.

The travel experience

There is no doubt that travelling is an experience but is it good or bad? To make sure that it will be a good one, try to think of the different steps of the actual journey and ask yourself which moment gives you the most pleasure or causes the highest stress. To make your reflection easier I made a list of the most important steps and will address everyone with a few comments and tips.

1. Booking

2. Packing

3. Going to the airport

4. Check-in

5. Passport and security control

6. Preflight waiting

7. Boarding

8. Inflight

9. Arrival

A clever booking can make the difference

Booking a flight is not only about finding the cheapest price. It is the tricky task to find the best solution between price, time and comfort. The online booking site www.hipmunk.com sorts booking results by the "agony" factor, a mix of price, stops and flight time. I really this approach as it gives a new dimension to price. Sometimes you get a really cheap ticket but must layover in two cities to get from A to B, so it could be worth it to spend a few bucks more to reduce one stop and the time on flights and airports.

Let me use the following example of what I mean. I recently searched for my Xmas vacation tickets on the route from Tokyo to Mexico City in Business class and found (among many others) the two following results:

1. The cheapest with Hawaiian Airlines, 2 stop overs in Honolulu and Los Angeles with a total time of travel of 30 hours and 7 minutes.

2. The shortest with Aeromexico with a direct flight to Mexico city with a total time of 12 hours and 35 minutes.

The Hawaiian Airlines flight is obviously cheaper and books at USD 3'266.--. How much would you be willing to spend to gain 18 hours of travel time? Aeromexico asks for the direct flight USD 4'617.-- so 40% more. Is it worth it?

Hipmunk's minimal agony proposal would be American Airlines with a layover in Los Angeles, a total time of 18 hours and 37 minutes at a price of USD 3'883.--. Sounds like a good compromise in the middle. So what's best? Up to you to choose.

Here's an additional thought that would influence my personal choice:

Choose your airline or airline alliance

Not every airline has the same comfort on ground and on board and it is vital that you choose the one that fits you best. Personally I'm a big fan of Star Alliance not only because my home airline (Swiss) is part of it, but mostly because they just have the best airlines and network. As I travel often through various countries an alliance makes a lot of sense to me, as stop overs are inevitable and I need flexibility to build my travel plans. If Star Alliance is not an option I'd go with Sky Team and only if necessary with One World. Also as I recently travel often through the US to go to Mexico I made the inevitable experience of american airline companies and since then try to avoid them (sorry guys). Their service and comfort on board is just not competitive anymore.

A new region has become a serious contender to the big alliances for their astonishing comfort - price relationship and that is the gulf with Emirates and Etihad just to name two of them. They have incredible prices for what they offer (ok you could argue that they get fuel almost for free and pay miserable wages to their people but that's another discussion), the only inconvenient is that one stop over is must either in Dubai or Qatar. So the choice is again between price and flight time and comfort.

So to go back to our example for the flight to Mexico City. What would I choose? I'd have a look at one more option: Air Canada with a layover in Vancouver, a total travel time of 19 hours and 15 minutes for USD 4'413.-- as I like Star Alliance. Seeing the price I would nevertheless go with Aeromexico as for 200 dollars I can gain 7 hours and that's totally worth it. And yes I would spend USD 1'400.-- to gain 18 hours and avoid American Airlines ;)

Choose the right seat

The final step of your booking is to choose the right seat. Most airlines give you the possibility to choose your seat during the booking process. My recommendation is NOT to wait until you check-in at the counter as most good seats are taken by then. How to know what a good seat is? Check www.seatguru.com they have mapped all major airlines and aircraft and with your flight number and date you can easily find out what aircraft will be used. Then check the seats and photographs and make a choice. In most of the times the information you get is accurate. My recommendation is to avoid above all the areas close to restrooms and galleys and there is usually a lot of traffic and noise. So even if you catch a bulkhead and get more legroom you often have a lot of people in front of you waiting to get access to the bathrooms.

You might also want to check the airline homepage and check the seating but you won't have the same information as on www.seatguru.com.

Packing

For many people packing is a major source of stress. For me it's the beginning of the journey and can be a lot of fun as the travel is imminent. So I like to pack. To make your packing less stressful here are some easy tips to avoid last minute annoyance.

• Check the climate of the place you're visiting, above all when you visit cities. Climate change can have a huge impact on what you have to pack.

• Think first of what you need during your stay, what events and places you attend and picture the outfits. Then prepare them.

• Go from top to bottom to make sure you don't forget anything.

• Put all things first on your bed, then remove half of it. We tend to take way too much ;)

• Take a minute to think about chargers and cables, batteries etc.

Always put a fresh change of clothes into your carry on baggage for two reasons. It will serve you as change during your flight (cf inflight) and if you baggage get's lost you at least have a change with you.

There's one thing though to keep in mind:

The only thing you need to travel is your passport and a valid credit card. The rest is optional!

Make sure also to wear adequate clothing for the flight. Make it simple and comfortable. Too tight clothes will become uncomfortable after a few hours. My recommendation is also to travel in style. In every step of your journey you will be judged partly by the way you're dressed. If you want to get free upgrades, be treated nicely by flight attendants or ground staff then dress smartly.

Going to the airport

To many this may sound trivial but believe me it's not. In many cases it is a big stress factor, above all in last minute. So plan your trip to the airport wisely. What you need to take into account:

• Traffic situation the day you travel

• Make a choice between taking your own car or grabbing a taxi or public transport

• Make sure you drive to the right airport if you have more then one in your city

And then there's the question of how early you have to arrive at the airport. My

recommendation would be to arrive in general two hours before take-off for long-haul flights and one hour for short-haul flights. But it really depends on the airport you use and the traffic they have the day you depart. Keep in mind peaks on holidays will always lead to need of time for check-in and security clearance.

Check-in

The check-in process itself has become quite easy these days as most things are electronical. Several things though may help you during the process:

• If you're member of an alliance and reached a certain status you'll have a preferred access to check-in which can reduce your waiting times considerably

• Make sure you don't carry more bags than you are allowed as airlines have become increasingly inflexible on that point

• Check at home that your baggage is not too heavy. There is nothing more stressful and disturbing than trying to lighten a bag in front of spectators.

• Don't be afraid to ask for bulkheads, free upgrades or other goodies. The only answer you might get is no.

• If you have a lounge access, make sure you know where the lounge is and if you need a written invitation.

• Check your baggage tag to make sure your baggage goes to the right destination, above all if you lay over somewhere

• Don't forget any of your documents on the counter

Passport and security control

As immigration procedures vary from country to country it's hard to give tips, just make sure that you have all visa that are needed for your trip. Keep in mind that today countries like the US or Canada ask for an ESTA number (electronic system for travel authorization) which is basically a Visa waiver but where you are obliged to send them all your information before you embark on travel (yes it's like a visa but I didn't make the rules ;)). In general it's easy to apply, but make sure you carry the number with you, even if you don't really need it when you arrive. Immigration officers tend to ask you questions about the trip, above all in the US. Funny enough I always feel like I had done something wrong when they start to inquire.

For security control make sure that you don't have liquids above 100ml in your hand bags and that all other liquids are packed in a transparent pouch. This regulation is starting to disappear, but nevertheless it's better to comply. Also in many countries you are not allowed to carry matches or lighters. Obviously fire arms, chemicals and other weird stuff are forbidden too but who carries them anyway!

Also in most countries you will have to take out laptops and iPads and put them in separate trays for inspection. In some countries you'll have to take off your shoes. To be honest, there seems to be no clear global regulation and every country goes it's own way and I even noticed differences in the same country at different airports.

Preflight waiting

Once you enter the departure hall usually you have quite a long time with basically nothing else to do than to make sure to be on time for boarding. I usually start by finding out where my departure gate is. Some airports are very extensive and it can take easily up to half an hour to get to your gate.

The rest is up to you, enjoy some shopping at the various duty free shops and boutiques, have a coffee or something to eat at a restaurant or just find a seat near the get to rest and await your flight. Be aware that duty free shopping is restricted when you fly into Europe as you enter Schengen at the first airport. If you have connecting flights wait to buy duty free in Europe as you will not be allowed to carry any liquids through security control.

If you are lucky enough to be able to visit an airline lounge it is mostly the best way to find some calm before boarding your flight. Why do I say mostly? Some airlines or some airports simply have crappy lounges and they can be worse than waiting at the gate. With time you'll learn where to go. Again lounges are one of the reasons the stay loyal to an airline or an alliance. Free access is often given as one of the main benefits when you achieve the first step of their loyalty program.

Be aware that most lounges don't announce flights nowadays so it is up to you to check the screens that show the boarding timings. Use the lounge to recharge your various mobile devices as it is not always possible to do so on board.

Boarding

Boarding today has become a very easy, swift and uncomplicated process. Boarding goes by priority: Family with kids and accompanied passengers go first, then First Class, Business class passengers and advanced members of airline and alliance programs and then Premium economy and Economy. I tend to be among the first passengers to board for the following reasons:

• you will have no problem stowing your luggage in the overhead bins

• you'll have time to find your marks in the airplane and locate washrooms, emergency exits and get familiar with you seat and entertainment system

• it gets you a privileged moment to greet the flight attendants and they will remember you during the flight and pay you more attention

• also it gives you a bit of time to adjust to the airplane and restricted space before taking off - you'll be more comfortable and relaxed

Inflight

When you are for 12 hours on a flight you have a lot of time to do or not do many things. Here are some topics and tips that I found out for me over time. They may not apply to you as everyone is special when it comes to flying but for me it works and it took me a bit of time to figure it out.

Eating and drinking

During so many hours you will be offered plenty to eat and drink. There are two factors to keep in mind that influence your need of food or liquids for these kind of flights.

Your are at 39000 feet above ground and during most of the flight you won't move and sit still so you're calory burning is almost zero. The atmosphere in an airplane is different than on the ground and even if the airline manufacturers have drastically improved the quality over the past years two things remain:

1. The air is dry so you need to drink water all along the flight and also hydrate your skin. Water is free in any class you travel so ask for it and don't hesitate to call a flight attendant even if it's in the middle of the night and everyone is asleep (they are not anyway). If you fly business or first class you will receive an amenity kit with some essentials for the flight, namely skincare, hand care and lip care. Use them! I know for men it might sound weird above all if you never used skin care before, but they really help your skin feel better and you will feel a lot better if you're hydrated both inside and outside during the flight.

Be careful when drinking alcohol on board. Not only it will dehydrate you more rapidly but you will also notice that the effect kicks in much quicker due to the high altitude. Although a glass or two might help you sleep, don't overdo it as your body will take the flight much better!

2. As you don't move your digestion will be a lot slower than on the ground and you might feel uncomfortable if you eat and drink too much. It's true that you have paid for it and might want to get what you paid for, but more importantly you have to feel at ease. If you're not hungry, don't eat or eat later. Your flight attendants will bring you something at the moment you want it. Typically for night flights (departure after 10pm) I tend to eat on ground and go directly to sleep on board.

Sleeping on board

Depending in which class you fly you'll have obviously more or less space to sleep, but there are some common tips for me that make it more enjoyable in any case:

1. Wear comfortable close or change into a pants and t-shirt for the flight. I always change for night flight. The reason is very simple, it makes you feel more like going to bed and a lot better once you arrive at destination and can change into something fresh. Temperature tends to vary during the flight and you might experience that you are sweating, so changing clothes can be very usefull.

2. Remove your socks when you sleep. Not only is it what you would do in bed too but you will see that you adjust better to the temperature on board. Wearing socks will always make you feel warmer than necessary. On long-haul flights you might always get a blanket to cover yourself. This said please don't remove your socks all the way during your flight. I've seen many passenger barefooted and putting their feet up on the seats up front. This can be very disturbing for your fellow passengers.

3. Use a sleeping mask and earplugs. There is always some light in the cabin and apart from the noise of the engines there is always something going on on the plane. Try to avoid seats near to the galleys and restroom as they are always noisy.

4. Keep hydrated during the flight. This is valid for both your body and skin so drink a lot of water and put some cream on your face. In first and business class you'll get some amenities. If you fly coach bring them along. A simple moisturizer will do the trick. Also bring a lip stick to hydrate your lips and some eye drops, as it will help when you wake up in the morning (a must if you wear contact lenses).

5. Have the same rituals as at home, ie brush your teeth before you go to sleep and after you wake up. It will make you feel much more comfortable.

6. Bring along a fragrance sample to freshen up in the morning. It will make you feel so much better and believe me all flight attendants will notice. I never got so much compliments for my fragrances as on board. This said go for a simple and fresh fragrance. Too heavy spicy fragrances might disturb other passengers.

Arrival preparations

Usually you will be awake two hours before landing as the crew is usually serving breakfast or a light meal. Take this time to get ready for arrival, here are some points you might consider:

• Preparing all documents you need for immigration and boarder control. Make sure all is filled out and that you are aware of the boarder regulations for the country you visit. Is it not illegal to bring goods, just make sure you don't bring more than allowed.

• Set your watch to the timezone you visit, although most modern watches and smartphones do it automatically. Flight attendants always announce the local time upon landing.

• Prepare your next boarding pass if you are connecting to another flight and check on which terminal and gate it will depart. Often connections are pretty short and taken into account the formalities and the size of airports, catching your next plane can be a race. So be sure to know where you have to go and how much time it will take. Flight attendants on board will assist you if you can't find the necessary information.

• Pack your personal belongings. Once landed you will have to be seated until you arrive at the gate and once the fasten your seatbelt sign is off you don't have that much time to pack and everyone wants to get off the plane.

• Last but not least make sure you don't forget anything. It is almost impossible to get back on board if you forget something, so gather everything you had while boarding the plane.

Arrival

Depending on the airport your visiting you will have to walk a long way before getting int o the arrival facilities. If you have to pass immigration it might be good to pace your walk to get there first. A full airplane carries hundreds of passengers and it can make a big difference if your first or last to get to immigration.

Immigration

Assuming that you have all necessary papers, visas and forms immigration procedure can still be a stressfull moment. Immigration officers however only do their job and even if they mostly look grimm and unpleasent bear in mind that you have done nothing wrong and that you are entitled to visit the country. If they ask questions answer them truly, no point in making up stories. Above all when entering the US you will experience many questions abouts where you come from, what you intend to do in the US, where you will stay, how long you will stay etc.

Baggage claim

Baggage claim is usually very simple, you just have to wait until your luggage arrive. Some things however are important:

• Make sure you take your own bag. Many look alike so check your name tag.

• Check if there's any dammage to your luggage but remember that only a major dammage will be taken into account if you claim for mishandling by the airline.

• Keep your baggage tags until your leave the airport. In many airports you will have to show the tags before you can leave as proof that you are the owner of the bag.

• If your bag is not arriving you'll have to go to lost baggage counter and fill in forms. I won't cover it here as it is pretty tedious, just one thing to remember. Know what you packed, know how your bag looks like as you'll have to describe it and if you carry valuable items I'd recommend that you keep copies of the purchase tickets in case your bag gets completely lost and you have to file for insurance. Remember that if your luggage gets lost and is not arriving witin 24 hours you have the right to buy basic needs (some clothing, tooth brush etc. ) that will be reimbursed by the airline. In some cases (above all if you fly business/first or are a high member of the frequent flyer program) the airline will provide you with a emergency kit.

Customs clearence

There are many different systems when it comes to customs clearence. For example in Mexico all baggage is scanned and you have to press a button that randomly selects passengers for a review by an immigration officer. In most countries the immigration officers chooses who to control.

If you are checked you will be asked ot open the luggage as the officer is not allowed to do it. Also the officer in most cases will not put the things back into the bag. It's

annoying but that's the way it is. Be patient and answer all questions they have. The more cooperative you are the better it will go. I once had a full control at Vancouver aiport that lasted almost an hour, but the only way is to play along and let them do their job. I once told a customs officer if he could speed up as I had a close connection, I will never do it again ;)

If you travel as a couple in the same household in most cases you only have to fill out one customs form, but remember that there are cultural differences. In Japan same sex marriage is not accepted and hence same sex married couples and are not considered as couple and have to pass immigration seperately.

Exit

After you clear customs you'll arrive in the arrival hall of the airport where you can choose your transportation to your final destination. If you visit a country for the first time make sure you investigate prior what options you have.

As an example Narita Airport in Tokyo is over 70km from the city and you can get to Toyko by train, bus or taxi. Although taxi seems to most convenient it will be very expensive (more than 200Euros) so usually the best option is a bus that takes you to all major hotels in the city.

Some countries also have taxi drivers that offer their services right at the exit. Today almost all major airports have taxi systems where you buy a flat fare before you hop into the taxi. My recommendation would be to avoid non official taxis that approach you as you never know if they can be trusted.

I hope that these tips are valuable to some of you. Don't hesitate to give some feedback if I forgot something or if you have additional tips that I gladly add.

Safe travels!