How to cope on a long haul flight

[SouthernPeach]

I'm flying long haul for the first time this year and it'll be about 10 hours each way. I'm anxious about flying as i hate feeling trapped and out of control, I've started taking a low dose of diazepam when i fly which does take the edge off. Longest flight I've done is only 4 hours and i have no idea how I'll cope for 10? I'll be on an Airbus so it'll have TVs in the seats with films and so on but how else can I pass all that time and keep calm?

The TVs really help - I’m not a great flyer either (getting better as fly quite a lot).

The long haul flights are always better than the 4-5 hour flights in my opinion.

Take a book to read and a puzzle book.
Get up often and walk around the cabin.

I find it helps if I think of it in small bursts - I’m going to watch X film, I’m going to each lunch, I’m going for a walk, I’m going to read my book etc. My mind works better if I know what I’m focusing on if you know what I mean?

If you have diazepam then take a whole one, you'll sleep for most of the journey.

The first meal is served quite soon on a 10 hour flight (I think they fit 3 in!). Have that then settle down to sleep.

@Rio18 the little ones they give you for flying aren’t enough to make you sleep, most normal sized people anyway.

OP, I used to be really worried about flying so I know how you feel, but I refused to let it take me and kept flying anyway, now I’m fine. With long haul once you’ve been going for a while you stop thinking about it really. Watch movies, zone out, don’t think about it too much. The diazepam will help, you’ll need a couple spaced out for a long flight though.

you'll find plenty to watch on the screens, a couple of good movies will fill the time nicely. Take a good book and settle in.

I really hate flying, it makes me anxious, so much so we hadn't flown in years.

We took an 11 hour flight to LA in August and it was fine. There was so much to watch and they came around constantly with food and snacks the time went quite fast. I had plenty to read and puzzle books.

You will be fine, I found it all quite relaxing really.

I agree that longer flights are much better as you get the entertainment system and lots of food/snacks. You are left to your own devices with nothing to do if you fly five hours to Turkey/the Canaries, but a 6 hour flight home from New York has the TV screen, free booze and food. Weird.

yes longer flights are actually easy to manage than the short ones for me - longest I've done is 8 hours but when i do the short European ones they feel like they drag more whereas longer ones I guess I settle in more

My DH flies a lot for work, one of the things he swears by is a really good pair of noise cancelling headphones.

I used to hate flying and would always cry and panic but I have overcome it now.
Long haul isn't as bad as you imagine.
Get as comfy as you can, wear really comfy layers so you can take them off if you get too warm but not get cold. The meals really break up the journey and I find walking around every so often helps too. Personally after a meal if I snuggle up with the blanket and pillow and start watching a film I doze off, in fact on a flight to Thailand I slept 7 hrs solid!
Also don't clock watch it it makes the time time drag, set your watch to your destination time when you take off and then ignore it as much as you can.
Try and relax and look forward to whatever you are travelling for I am sure you will be fine.

What time is the flight? I have been known to try and not sleep the night before so I’m super tired and sleep a lot of the journey. I also take diazepam and take about 3 of the two mg tablets about half an hour before take off.

Long haul planes are bigger so more stable, and the meals do take up a lot of the time.

If you can, how about a Fear of Flying course beforehand?

I've just done two ten hour flights... one there, one back.
They fed us about an hour into the flight and then about 90mins before landing.
I watched one film, listened to podcasts, slept, played Nintendo switch, went for a walk up and down the plane.
If you're flying back over night they'll feed you and switch the lights off in an attempt to get you to sleep.
Take any booze they offer you and if you're going to America pick up some melatonin for the flight back.

Oh also wear comfy clothes.
I wore gym kit with a sweatshirt (no hoods) and took a huge scarf to double as a blanket as I'm always cold.

Get an aisle seat so you can move around. Being trapped in the window seat by a sleeping stranger with big knees when you need a wee is no fun!

Night nurse - depending on where you are flying to (ie drug laws)

Long haul aircraft don’t tend to bump and move around as much as short haul. Out of that ten hours by the time you’ve taken off, had a drink and a meal three hours will have passed. About an hour and a half before landing they will probably bring another meal. So you’ve only got five and a half hours to entertain yourself.. Watch a movie and have a doze and that’s the middle bit filled in too. Some airlines even have fear of flying videos in and among the films. You’ll be fine.

Take some noise cancelling headphones to block the noise of the engine / crying babies / moaning passengers. I take a pair of leggings and slipper socks in my carry on and get changed ASAP after take off. Also wet wipes, toothbrush and paste, moisturiser and hand cream.

Try to get a window seat then you can look out and watch the fascinating things on the ground - it's like watching a real-life geological map, flying over the US or the north of Australia.

Agree with all the tips already mention. Also I’d try to reframe the way you think about it. A long flight like that gives you the luxury of having to just watch movies, eat snacks, maybe read if you feel like. There is literally nothing else you can do - no chores niggling at you so you can’t fully relax, nowhere to rush to be for those 10 hours. Make yourself as comfortable as possible, take some comfy socks etc. Hope it goes well!