To want to fly for 14 hours in the daytime?

[Cattleclassy]

I’m not a great flier, we have a 14 hour flight coming up to visit family and have previously
done an overnight red-eye flight.
I always lie there wide awake all night (with headphones) unable to move because I don’t want to disturb DH and other passengers. Time passes so slowly. I’ve tried melatonin (no obvious effect) and zopiclone (horrible hungover after effects and metallic taste).

I’d like to try flying daytime this time so at least stuff is happening around me and time might pass more quickly.

DH thinks that’s a terrible idea.

Have any of you seasoned travellers (ideally the insomniacs) tried both? How was it? Which did you prefer?
At least we won’t be flying with small children any more ( at least not our own!)

I’d like to try flying daytime this time so at least stuff is happening around me and time might pass more quickly.

You’ll be travelling across time zones so the attendants will ask everyone to pull their blinds (or enforce it on an A380) and the cabin lights will be turned off for most of the flight.

Please don’t be one of those people who insists on keeping their blind cracked open whilst the rest of the plane is trying to sleep. Someone in the middle row will have piercing light in their eyes!

I think your idea makes sense, although as others have said, lots of people will probably sleep anyway. But you can watch films at any time too.

Why does your DH think it’s a terrible idea!?

Also - Lord save us from tall people who “have to” have the aisle (EDIT - and don’t think other people’s reasons for wanting it are important). You’re not supposed to stick your legs out in the aisle anyway! If he’s so tall - book yourselves extra leg room. His comfort isn’t the only one that’s important and other reasons for wanting an aisle are equally valid. If you both want an aisle - and it sounds like you have as good a reason as anyone - book yourselves across the aisle from one another.

Plus -I’m an aisle person due to claustrophobia. I do like to sleep on flights but I fully accept that I will be woken if others need the loo. It’s very unreasonable to take an aisle seat and then be pissy about others getting in and out - and again, I say that as an aisle person.

The answer to this is an eye mask.

I wouldn't want a daytime flight - it feels even more isolated and strange having the blinds down and most people sleeping in the middle of your "day", and it felt like such a waste of time.

I can't sleep on flights, it doesn't matter what I do. Even if I stay up the whole night before and feel wrecked, I won't sleep until I'm off the other side. I don't even really find flying worrying, so I've no idea why I can't sleep...

Anyway, I think you'd feel the same on either, if it's a concern about disturbing other people, because most people are going to either work or sleep on a 14 hour flight, and in my experience, most sleep. It's a lot more logical to fit as many of those 14 hours overnight as you can - so I'd stick with that, and just try and take a range of magazines/books/music/films to get through it the best you can.

If your DH is tall I would definitely recommend premium economy. It has been an absolute game changer for DH. There is more leg room and it is much less cramped.
When we fly long haul it has always been a daytime flight on the way out. Things do quiet down after the meal service but not to the same extent as a night flight.
I can't sleep on a flight either. I pick a TV series on the in-flight entertainment and tend to binge watch my way through it. It does make the flight less unbearable for me. Audio books are good to as you can just shut your eyes and listen.

Definately day time - you can read, watvh a movie, look out the window, go for a little walk, you might snooze a bit. Much more civilised. I can't sleep properly on a plane, and the loss of a nights sleep, coupled with jet lag, would be unbearable.

Book business class, send your husband economy ? 😀

I guess for me it depends on where you are flying for 14 hours.
London to South Africa, most of the flights are overnight as far as I can see as it's an easy win if you will sleep at least some of the flights. You are pretty much in the same time zone.

If you are flying day time and will arrive on time to go to bed - win. But if you are arriving at the start of a day that you will "lose" from your holiday then I'd be inclined to find ways to sleep on a plane.

Or, people could just comply with the crew’s request and shut the damn blind.

Personally I use an eye mask anyway.

But I’m not sure the crew would direct all the blinds closed during a daytime flights? Even if they do, you can’t rely on people complying with instructions these days, so as well to be prepped with an eye mask.

I agree, it is, but rightly or wrongly custom and practice at a lot of airlines is cabin dimmed for most of the cruise, even on daylight flights. That’s both for the benefit of those who want to sleep and also it helps screen viewing …..

On some types it’s gone as far as the crew having centralized control over the darned blinds.

I think it’s a shame, it does mean a lot of people miss some stunning views f places like Greenland, especially on the daylight Europe -> West Coast US routes, but a lot of passengers aren’t that interested in looking out of the window..

They do. The crew themselves need their rest breaks so staffing ratios are lower during rest times. They are very very keen to get as many people to sleep as possible.

When you’re travelling with kids, an eye mask isn’t really option for a toddler!

How much choice is there? Flights tend to be scheduled quite tightly so look at whst there is and the price

but ultimately it is a 14 day flight with one assumes a whole lot of time zones changed the time of flight isn’t going to change that

Noooo! You’re losing a day if you don’t travel at night! The adrenaline and excitement of a new place (and a couple of cheeky cocktails!) will likely help alleviate your tiredness

We had a long haul over night flight home last year and I hated every second. I snore like a trooper so was shit scared of falling asleep it was better for our young kids though as they slept the whole way. But yes op I'm with you - day time flights please!

Exactly! There's more than one aisle. Don't make your life harder.

If we’re doing long haul, I tend to try to do overnight. I don’t sleep particularly well even though we pay the extra to fly in business class, I might get a decent 3/4 hours but if we time our arrival to land late afternoon/early evening at our final destination, I find it’s enough to keep me going until bedtime and haven’t yet suffered too much jet lag. I take something like Kalms, use an eye mask, wear ear plugs and read a proper book rather than a kindle. I usually have a few glasses of wine as well which helps me relax as I’m not the most relaxed flyer.

I fly long haul a lot - I always choose daytime.

I would also look at a plan of the aircraft there are other options rather than just giving him the aisle although to be honest you should be movjng around anyway so if you need to just move

bulkhead seats for example

I would choose a daytime flight over a night flight, even though I don't really have an issue nodding off and getting a couple of blocks of two or three hours usually, it's much less knackering not losing decent night's kip. Look at emergency exit or bulkhead seats for more leg room, the aisle isn't a place to stick your legs out into!

Xanax is much better than Zopiclone for airplane sleeping. No groggy feeling afterwards and it also erases all anxiety in case of turbulence. Definitely the best choice for long haul insomnia.

I used to fly to Southern Africa for work (I'm an academic) and with the small/lack of time change and the extremely long flight, I always prefer a day flight if I can.
I live near a regional hub so I'd always take the same airline, fly via their European hub, and get a really early flight after a night in an airport hotel, then doze for a bit on either the short hop or the first part of the long flight, which was pretty much as much sleep as I'd get on a night flight.
Once I watched two movies and wrote two lectures on the long flight AFTER I woke up. It was easily the most productive day I'd had in a long time!

@Tiswa

How much choice is there? Flights tend to be scheduled quite tightly so look at whst there is and the price

Agreed.

Fundamentally there are a limited number of routes where 14 hours in daylight is possible - mostly westbound, maybe the odd North/South (e.g. Europe-> Southern Africa at the right time of year) or some exotic polar routes eastbound.

It would be tough to try and arrange a round trip with both Longhaul sectors being completely in daylight. It might not impossible but you’re almost bound to dip into night time for a while on one of the sectors.

@User746353

how do you get Xanax though? Most GPs won’t prescribe medication for flying

I'd always choose a day flight over a night flight too. I never sleep and spend the whole time feeling frustrated that I'm not asleep. I'm also resentful of those that are asleep (I know they can't help it!). Then I arrive at my destination and am exhausted.

Much better to have a day flight.

I was going to suggest the same. We’ve done this before when we both wanted to be able to get as necessary.