A problem to a lot of us going out to the phils but a big problem for me as alot of you know travel to and from work every 4 weeks from Jo'berg to the UK in cattle class. I always fail to get any kip at all on these flights. I've tried various sleeping pills, drinking etc but I'm wondering if anyone has any good tips for getting a bit of shut eye on flights that doesn't include paying massive amounts of cash to upgrade to business class.
I flew over from UK to Cebu earlier this year,...full plane ....except the 3 seats next to me which were 'no shows' !! Soon as the plane took off I 'earmarked' the seats with my stuff and got the best sleep ever on a plane . The journey home was okay too as I booked the 'basinet seat' (next to the bulk-head ) and got my legs stretched out enough to get a sleep. Normally 3 or 4 vodka's knock me out with the high altitude.
Try and arrange to be very tired before you board the flight, I know not very helpful and not always possible, sorry. I am one of those people that loves sleeping, so for me it's fairly easy to get to sleep on the flight even in cattle class as long as I am a little bit tired and I tend to be a little bit tired all the time. With the movement from morning to evening departures from the UK for KLM I think I will probably find it a bit harder than I used to but in the past I always got 5 or 6 hours sleep on the flight.
Many years ago, when I flew to Kuwait for work I often used to be able to stretch out on vacant seats. The days of abundant vacant seats are gone, I guess. More recently, on longhaul flights to Houston, I have taken a sleeping pill which works for me.
I've tried over the counter sleeping pills before but they tend to keep me awake and give me a head ache! My flight to work from the UK means if I'm lucky I get about 4 hours sleep before getting up to go to the airport. (get up at 3:30am) so I'm pretty tired by the time I get on my plane at skipol. I just don't seem to be able to grab any shut eye on the flight. The flight is always pretty busy so spare seats to stretch out on are nil, but I now book myself (at a cost of £120)a economy plus seat so I get a bit of extra recline and legroom. That is on the klm leg out to work but I fly lufthansa back and they don't do the economy plus type seats. I'm looking at Melatonin tabs now, anyone any experience of these.
I do sympathise with you Stu. I know that feeling well. Whilst travelling on business, I was lucky enough to get my tickets paid for. On long haul flights it started out in first class, then got downgraded to business and eventually towards the end of my business life downgraded to economy. It was only in economy I found I couldn't sleep. I tried every tablet on the market. Nothing. I tried tanking up on alcohol, which proved to be significantly more difficult in economy.Nothing. Just gave me a headache when we arrived. It's been a long time since there was much of a chance of empty seats in a row to allow a nice stretched sleep All in all, I'd have to agree with oss that you need to be tired before you fly. Finally, I would deliberately book flights to Japan that left UK as late in the day as possible. I would then not eat much all day. Arrive early at the airport. Have a couple of glasses of wine. Sit back and relax, enjoy dinner with a few glasses of wine, watch a couple of movies and hope for the best. Usually managed a few hours sleep even if just before we landed at least I could stay awake long enough to get into the time zone and enjoy a good nights sleep. Best I can say really. Other than try to stay away from those pills.
Thanks for the reply mate, if I was the oldman on here (never going to happen) then I'd be getting business travel which would no doubt help. But being as I'm a pleb then its cattle class for the forseable future! Trouble is I need ideally to get some kip on the flight due to my work program when I get onto my rig. It is effectively 2 days straight before I get a meaningful rest period over 4 hours. Actually its a bit more. I get up at 3:30am wednesday morning and don't get my first 12 hours off until friday noon time. I think I'll try the avoid beer and the plane food so I don't get gassed up and digest the stodge. Stick to light food, wine, spirits, ear plugs and eye mask.
Never tried them, supposed to be for folk with SAD, might work. Have you not got status with KLM Stu, with the amount you fly you should be getting those economy comfort seats for free? I used to get them free just after they were introduced. You should really be signed up on all the airline programs or the carriers you use if you fly that much.
No worries about the airline programs, signed up to most of them, trouble is the tickets this lot buy are so cheap that we get next to no qualifing miles etc. For me flying from brum to jo'berg via skipol I get 1500 miles! I've even lost my petroleum club with them and now down to ivory. Not to bad with lufthansa as I've got a silver card and oil and gas card so atleast I can get in their lounge at frankfurt. The tickets we get are so cheap we can't even pay to get the difference brought up to full economy class to then pay the difference to get to business!
Have you tried getting a full body massage a few hours before your flight? Always worked for me when travelling before having our little son. It just loosens you up a bit and makes you a bit more relaxed for longer flights.
