to think that if you need to have a lie down on a flight you're a lazy fecker?

[ChaosTrulyReigns]

FFS, a flight is only at max 12ish hours long.

Surely anyone could stay awake for that length of time?

What a great opportunity to catch up on reading, correspondence, or you certainly could be sociable and actually communicate with your fellow passengers.

Do something edifying, you sloths.

And sure Business Class has all those perks so that Very Important People can actually do business, not snore, snort, snuffle and snooze?

If all these large thrones chairs were removed I reckon the airlines could fit on loads more normal seats, thus extra passengers and some planet-saving could be achieved.

mmmmmmmmmm chips...

If anything, I think its a shame that there is so little space in cattle class making flying a really uncomfortable experience for the majority of people that can't afford to fly business/club class. For me, I'd rather not bother. Especially for just a week away.

I used to have to do quite a lot of business travel to US - hardly ever got to go business. Lucky I'm short.

Nowadays of course, the internet makes most business travel obsolete - I've not had to do any for 10 years now. Unless you're someone like an engineer who needs to visit a plant or something physical like that, most business travelers are just posers and dick swingers [duck]

Nope, not swinging either :o

'I would love to fly first/club/posh-lie-down class! 2 kids in cattle for 28+ hours is a good introduction to hell (and they were phenomenally good - better behaved than I was!). Which is why I've not been back to the UK yet.'

Oh, tell me about it, Techno! My older two were okay, but 18-month-old DS on the way back was hell (UK to US and back).

Get them all sleepsacks, Piriton syrup, old sheet for self and spouse to kip on teh floor in cattle class and, if you can't get hold of a nice low-dose tranq, then have some wine.

YABU. No idea where you get the idea that a flight is no more than 12 hours. It takes me the best part of 36 hours to fly home to the UK, with just a few hours in Auckland and Singapore/HK. Bad enough with a 2yo, unthinkable if neither of us had a decent sleep in 36hrs.

Check out Air NZ's Skyseat btw - 3 economy seats, but it converts to a sort of daybed thing. Perfect if you are travelling as a couple or family.

That was with snuggle blankets and piriton! And the odd wine or several. Like I said, they were better behaved than me

I don't think economy is that bad. You've got some nice Asian airlines that do the job very well.

I just looked up the Skycouch - think I might brave a journey back after all!

I like KLM because they play fast and loose with the wine. :o

Singapore airlines also very generous. And nice to children. Very nice to children.

Ha, ha, I fall asleep on three hour flights (as does my husband who snores, last time he fell asleep with my four year old asleep on top of him lying across the seats), I sleep on trains, in cars, why should I stay awake? Have I missed something?

12 hours my arse! In the years I was working prior to kids I was travelling alot. 12 hours is often just 1 leg. If I couldn't sleep on the flights I did I wouldn't have functioned. A lot of my travel would take up a total of 24hrs or more. The longest travel I did was 48hrs. Now I'm sorry but I need to sleep in that time and just because the flight I happen to be sleeping on is "just" 12hrs doeesn't mean I've only been on that plane.

YABU

I would love to sleep on flights. In fact flying tomorrow. I will be the scourge of the plane, looked down on by every person on the easy jet flight - will be flying with a 2 year old in tow. No one will want to sit next to mew. If the flight is full, one person will have to sit next to us and bitch loudly about their bad luck, I will then have to be a whispered Mary effing Poppins the whole way to keep her quiet so as not to upset the snooty twats all around me, dh has taken the ipad, so I can't even let her watch peppa pig the whole way there.

It will be totally labour intensive and I can only dream of being able to look at a book never mind sleep. Ahh to be able to lie down in big squishy chairs with duvets. bliss. Unfortunately for me only the stuff of dreams.

op, yabu.

Do something more edifying? When you have the chance for a lovely long sleep? Madness I tell you!

And as for talking to fellow passengers - sod that. I don't mind an 'Hello' or 'Excuse me please' but any attempts at longer conversation are not well received. I want to relax, not make a new BFF.

Ernest portable DVD players are v reasonable now

What on earth are you on about? Did you start this for a bet?

Of course anyone can stay awake for 12 hours, but it rather depends on what time you got up and what time it will be (and what you need to do) when you get to your destination.

"Catch up your your correspondence" haha.

I dont mind other people's children on flights, I just pop in my headphones, smile benignly and think 'not my problem' no matter what chaos is going on.

OP is definitely BU, if I am sleeping in Comfy Class it is because I will have done a full day's work before the flight and will be expecte to do the same on arrival. That flight may well be my only break (apart from occasional forays into mumsnet). The last thing I want is some loon chatting at me.

Dsis has just flown back to Northern ireland from OZ. she had 4 plane journeys of 0.5, 1.5, 8 and 14 hours and also a 2 hour train journey. add to that the 4 and 5 hour airport waits and you have a girl who needed to sleep on the plane.

YABU

Some busines people fly a lot and often take a trip across the Atlantic for just 1 - 2 days and then back. With the time zone change and long days a bed is a really a bonus.

I once got on a plane for the US fell asleep on takeoff and woke up just 30 minute sbefore touch down. I was absolutley knackered so I needed it.

Just a pistake Trills.

No finacial reward involved.

But an interesting environmental debate, non?

Environmentally speaking air travel should never have been invented. But it was.

I once got on a plane for the US fell asleep on takeoff and woke up just 30 minute sbefore touch down

I had a boss who always did that - in economy. He had small kids at the time so I think he found it relatively restful

"actually communicate with your fellow passengers."

Do you mean chat to random people who just happen to be in your flight? Because if you're one of those people (or if anyone else on this thread is) could you please drop this habit and leave me alone, and don't look pissy when I put in my headphones to dissuade you from continuing your inane chatter.

It is only unreasonable if you are the pilot.