What to take on the flight

[Fieldsofsausages]

I am travelling to Adelaide via Singapore in a couple of weeks with my mum and 12 year old son. I've never been on a long haul flight before and have no idea what to take on the plane! Any tips gratefully received on things I could take to make the journey easier/more pleasant!

Take water (buy after security) - they never give you enough drinks.

Layers, planes can get very cold and very hot

Travel pillow

Lotions and creams - air is really dry, so hand cream, moisturiser, lip balm

I genuinely would take as little as possible. I fly long haul a fair amount, and always find that actually the more crap you have in your bag the less you use it. Yes to buying large water bottle (and some sucky sweets) after security though. Aside from that I take: light fabric scarf to double as blanket if needed, fully loaded kindle / iPad, headphones, power pack and lead, eye mask, lip balm, travel size face cream (can use on hands etc), tiny pack of anti bac hand wipes, hand sanitiser and tiny toothbrush and paste. Take a travel pillow if you find them comfy. Flight socks are recommended. Have a good flight

Earplugs I would add to the above.

Eye mask
Ear plugs
Cardigan/hoodie/ fleece - it can get chilly.
Loose warm socks - your feet might swell and you will almost certainly take your shoes off.
A few snacks and water - they never quite give you enough.

I got back from Aus this morning. Compression socks are a must on a journey that length (I don't use ones sold as flight socks now, Physix compression socks are more comfortable). Very comfortable clothes with nothing tight or that will dig in, shoes that aren't tight and will expand to your swollen feet.
I take neck pillow (B cozy is my current favourite), large scarf, silicone ear plugs (Macks - they come in a box), eye mask, menthol chewing gum (sometimes my ears are a bit gummed up and it will stop them popping, plus it makes your mouth feel fresher), tissues, lip balm, wipes, night moisturiser, mini deo, toothbrush, spare knickers (I like to freshen up at the connection), bottle of water. Then Kindle, and though I don't use my phone on flights I have a power bank and charger cable in case of delays, I have a small cotton bag that I have my in flight stuff in so it can go under the seat and I don't have to rootle through my bag during boarding

@HermioneWeasley

They’ll usually give you pretty much as many drinks as you want. You just need to ask.

And there's a lovely area upstairs at Singapore airport where you can shower in between flights. Tucked away upstairs.

Take water (buy after security) - they never give you enough drinks.

Depends which airline.

KLM long haul has a little kitchen at the back where you could help yourself to drinks, caramel waffles, chocolates, crisps, cereal bars.

I take a 80-100 pack of wipes and wipe ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING in reach when I get on each plane. I take a few paper bags to put the rubbish in and leave it for the cleaners to find easily. I like to believe that it defers any colds/flu for a few days after I land.

Don't wear lace up shoes because you may have to take them off in the middle of security (which is fine) but then you have to get them on again in the middle of the queue.

When you get everything x-rayed, send one person through first while you fill trays etc so they can collect everything as it comes along. It's not unknown for all your possessions to wait for you unattended while you are still lining up.

Singapore Changi has a swimming pool/shower area as a pp has mentioned. It costs about £10pp to use - well worth it if you have some time to spare on your layover. (Sorry, not an answer to your original question...)

Would take along some of your son's favourite foodstuffs for the first leg to Singapore and leave any uneaten food behind on the aircraft. If you are flying straight through to Adelaide from Singapore you may not get a very long layover at all (we spent 30 minutes in Changi before having to get back on the plane).

At Changi the security before boarding is done at the gate area so you will not be able to bring any bottled water onto the aircraft.

On arrival into Adelaide leave ANY uneaten food, particularly fruit, behind on the aircraft. Complete their immigration form with due care and attention, that is a legal document you are signing. You must declare any food items you bring in.

Long haul I always pack noise cancelling headphones (and ear plugs / eye mask / neck pillow if I think I will want to sleep). Water bottle. Snacks. Mini face cleanser & moisturiser, lip balm. A pen to complete any landing cards (often a requirement). Tissues, hand sanitiser, a phone charger. That's about it.

Oh and wear layers if you can. I've been on long flights that have been way too hot or cold.

As someone who flies between NZ and the UK sometimes up to 12 times a year, id suggest you bring as little as possible. My criticals are:

Bose noise cancelling headphones
Phone for browsing (assuming wifi enabled plane) and cable
Keep a pen with your passport for landing cards
Nurofen or any other medication.

Everything else is superfluous. If you are thirsty, hungry, cold or hot you can just ask and drinks/blankets will be brought or ask at the galley.

Moisturisers, scarves and what not are just clutter

Water water water. I drink a lot of water the thimbles you get on fights are not enough for me and I get even more dehydrated flying.

Cosy socks

Face cream

Also depends who I fly with - a couple
Of recent Norwegian flights, long haul over night, no pillows and blankets were £5.

I understand the frequent tips about taking water but Changi is a bit different to many airports, Attila's comment that :

At Changi the security before boarding is done at the gate area so you will not be able to bring any bottled water onto the aircraft.

is correct, certainly for the international gates..

I'm open to correction but AFAIK any water /soft drinks/ bought during the transit at Changi, even if bought in the airside shops, cannot be brought back through security screening which is done on entry into the gate lounge. OTOH I think I have seen water fountains in the gate lounges themselves so if you can get an empty bottle through you may be able to top that up before boarding.

Security screening at gate areas is commonly seen at Asian airports but not outside that region so people can and do fall foul if the regulations.

You are correct re the restrictions on liquids at international gates at Changi and a flight from there to Adelaide will be regarded as an international flight.

Thanks so much everyone for the really useful advice!

Everyone else has mainly covered my suggestions. I'm not sure what you get in the welcome pack on board nowadays, but I always take a pair of those small, white, cheap slip on slippers. They fold up to nothing and you can get them from poundshop, asda etc I think.

Once onboard, I always take my shoes off and put on a pair of warm, woolly socks because my feet get cold. I use the slippers though when walking around, because many times the toilet floors are wet with who-knows-what??? I'd prefer the bottom of the slippers get wet rather than it soaking into my socks. Wear shoes that are slightly loose beforehand, because my ankles and feet always swell, despite regular walks around the cabin.

Changi airport if amazing,with the most beautiful orchid displays. They have an outdoor, cactus garden/ lounge which has a bar in it. Its nice to actually get outside and feel the humidity and heat. Its free to just wander around in it, and its within the airside of the terminal.

I would strongly reccomend getting a hotel room/lounge on your lay over. My go to list for a very similar trip I frequently do are:
Silk eye mask
Little bottle of moisturiser
Face cleansing wipes
A change of clothes (ideally two sets of socks/pants as well)
A tiny tin of Vaseline (put it on your lips and inside your nose regularly to prevent bleeding).
Protein bar/similar in case the food they give you is inedible.
An oversized scarf which you can use as a blanket and fuzzy socks.
Neck pillow.
I pack all of this into a backpack to keep hands free.

Last time I flew through Changi there was a water fountain in the departure lounge. I emptied my refillable bottle before security and refilled it in the lounge.
The airport had a nice indoor butterfly garden too.

I’ll fess up....after posting earlier I realised that it is really is kind of hard to find any “non international gates” at Changi.....

Change of clothing. Seriously.

Am I right in thinking that the plane will have the facility to watch movies? We're flying Economy

God lord yes
And they will be gods