2018-02-13
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Not enough legroom. People climbing over you. Noise from movies and video games and screaming children. Sunlight pouring in your neighbor's window at 35,000 feet. With all the distractions and hassles of air travel, what doesn't make it tough to sleep on planes?
If you struggle to get some shuteye each time you take to the air, you're not alone — but choosing the right seat, bringing the right gear and making a few small changes in your flying habits could help you sleep better on your next flight. Read on for our travel-tested tips.
Choose your seat wisely.
Your seat location could be one of the most important factors in how well — or how poorly — you sleep on your next trip. Try to get a window seat if possible; it will give you something to lean against and get you out of the way of other folks in your row, who won't have to scramble over you each time they need to use the bathroom. You'll also have some control over the window shade.
Think twice about bulkhead or exit row seats. Sure, the extra legroom is great, but some exit row seats do not recline (so that they won't be an obstruction in case of emergency), and some bulkhead seats have armrests that can't be raised. Sleeping in one of these is like sleeping in a straitjacket, especially if the seat next to you is unoccupied, or worse, the entire row is empty.
Another area to avoid is the last row of the plane. Again, the seats may not recline, and they're often located right near the lavatories — where both noise and odor could be an issue.
Aside from the very last row, there are pros and cons to sitting near the front of the plane and sitting near the back. Seats near the rear of the plane may be noisier due to the planes' engines and clink-clanking from the galley, but it's also more likely that you'll have a couple of seats (or even a whole row) to yourself back there — and the extra space could make up for the extra noise.
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Cut down on your carry-ons.
If you have two full carry-ons, one might end up under your feet, limiting your legroom and making it harder to sleep. Instead, pack lighter so you can fit everything into a single bag. Keep a few small necessities near the top of the bag — a book or magazine, a snack, a bottle of water. Before you stow your bag in the overhead compartment, pull out the important items that you'll need during the flight and put them in the back of the seat in front of you.
Forget the caffeine.
Especially on a daytime flight, where even the view out the window can be a distraction, you'll find it much harder to sleep if you have caffeine coursing through your veins. Skip the temptation to have a cup of coffee or a soda before boarding, and stick to water or juice when the drink cart comes around.
Blankets and pillows — stake your claim.
There are never enough blankets and pillows to go around. Board early and stake your claim. Ifthere isn't a set in your seat, immediately ask the flight attendant for one.
Free your feet.
This is a controversial subject. Some people slip their shoes off as soon as they get on a plane; others wouldn't dream of it. Further, there's the issue of keeping your circulation flowing; going barefoot permits your feet to swell.
Answer the following question:
Do you prefer to watch installed personal TV, a moving map system, leaf through magazines or get to sleep on long-haul routes?
Text 6. FLYING WITH PETS
Which airlines will allow your furry friend in the air and how to arrange it?
Sometimes a holiday just isn't a holiday without Rover coming too, but how can you fly him out, what's it going to cost and what do you need to do to arrange it? Since the introduction of the PETS passport scheme, flying with animals has become much easier and will become easier still next year when the blood test requirement will be dropped and animals will need to be vaccinated just 21 days before returning to the UK. Read on for all you need to know to get your beloved pooch safely into the air.
Which airlines can you take pets on?
If you're flying internationally, you've got a good choice of airlines. British Airways carries pets not in the cabin but on British Airways World Cargo (via a Pet Travel Agent). Virgin Atlantic allows cats and dogs to travel in the cargo hold to and from Barbados, Boston, Chicago and Cape Town (seasonal services), Dubai, Hong Kong, New York JFK and Newark, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Miami, New York-JFK and Newark, Orlando, San Francisco, Sydney and Washington. The minimum cost from the UK is £335 and seasonal surcharges may apply.
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KLM - small cats and dogs weighing up to 6kg (131bs) (including a kennel or travel bag) may be taken into the cabin. Reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance of travel. Household pets (cats and dogs) may travel as check-in baggage too. Alternatively, pets can be transported as freight with Air France-KLM Cargo. This is the option for heavier animals (and their kennels) that weigh more than 75kg (1651bs) for flights to Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, South Africa or the United Arab Emirates.
Lufthansa carries pets in the cabin (up to 8kg) or as cargo (in a container that IATA approved).
Whichever airline you choose to fly with, you will always need to call and reserve your pet's travel. While some airlines allow pets in the cabin, others do not and while there is always an administrative charge for the transport of animals, these can vary hugely by airline. Research all these factors before you select a carrier.
Although a pet-only airline is unheard of in Europe, it does exist in the US. Pet Airways offers pets first class travel within the US without having to put them in cargo.
Low-cost airlines
The UK-based low-cost carriers will not allow pets to travel in the cabin. Flybe transports pets in the hold as cargo (details: Globe Air Cargo 00 44 (0)208 757 4776). However, it will not transport animals on international routes. If travelling around Europe, German wings transports cats or dogs up in the cabin if they weigh no more than 8kg (171bs). However, they won't carry pets on flights to or from the UK and Ireland.
Pet's Passport
The DEFRA Pet Travel Scheme (commonly known as pet's passport) allows animals from certain countries to enter the UK without undergoing the six-month quarantine period. This means that you can bring your pet back into the UK as well, without them having to undergo quarantine. To meet the rules of the scheme, your pet needs to be fitted with a microchip, vaccinated against rabies and then blood-tested. You then have to wait for six months after the animal has been blood-tested to check that the vaccine was successful to get the documentation from the vet that will allow it to travel. At this point, your pet will be issued with an EU passport. The scheme applies to dogs, cats and the ever-popular ferret. Other domestic animals such as birds, rabbits, rodents and fish can also be transported under the scheme, though, obviously, they do not have to be microchipped or given rabies vaccinations. The scheme is excellent for providing easy transport of animals in the UK, but it does take time to follow the procedures, so make sure you start at least seven months before you're due to fly - it's no good turning up at the passport office with a passport photo or your pooch...
Frequent Flyers
Virgin Atlantic's Flying Paws frequent-flyer programme allows animals to win gifts for themselves and air miles for their owner. On their first flight, the animals will receive a "welcome onboard pet pack" complete with doggy t-shirts, toy mouse or, for the ferrets, a jacket and collar tag. All pets will receive their own passport, which gives them paw prints that they can redeem for gifts. Sir Richard Branson calls it "pawtastic".
Answer the following question:
Do you travel with your pet or leave it behind with a pet-sitter?
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REFERENCES
The European, 2011-2012;
The Independent, 2012;
International Herald Tribune, 2012-2013;
The Guardian Weekly, 2013;
The Sunday Times, 2012;
Internet resources.
