No-one enjoys packing for a long flight but if you want to reach your final destination without having gnawed your own arm off in frustration, you’ll benefit from putting a little extra thought into what you pack in your hand luggage. This includes taking everything with you, within reason, that will ensure your comfort, entertainment and peace of mind.
Comfort in your Hand Luggage
Ask anyone what is the worst thing about travelling in economy on a long flight, and they will inevitably say that it’s almost impossible to get comfortable. After all, it’s not natural to sit in a small seat with a small television screen centimetres from your face, subjected to awful food, forced to reside in an oxygen-starved environment that dries out your eyes and nose, and share a tiny bathroom with dozens of people, some of whom have surprisingly bad aim.
Whilst there is not much you can do about sharing a bathroom, there are some things that you have control over. Take a travel pillow that fits around your neck as proper travel pillows tend to be more comfortable than the airline pillows. Take some lip balm to keep your lips moistened. This will reduce the effects of the dehydrated cabin air.
Take some wet wipes or hand sanitizer to use as often as you need. There is nothing worse than sitting in the same clothes and sharing the same dehydrated recycled air as everyone else for eight hours, in order to make you feel dirty. Wet wipes or hand sanitizer will go a small ways to helping you feel refreshed.
Once you have passed customs and are on airside, buy a bottle of water to take on board with you. You can then keep filling it up. Whilst going to the bathroom on a flight is not an incredibly attractive prospect, you’ll feel better for having stayed hydrated. Just remember that most airlines are vigilant about the size of liquids that you take through customs so make sure any liquids that you carry on are under 100mls.
I find the constant hum of the engines disconcerting so I reduce the discomfort by using my own ear plugs underneath my own fully enveloping head phones. Even if the head phones are not plugged in, they can do a lot to reduce the noise in the cabin. Take your own eye mask if you plan to sleep. If you find the light too bright in the cabin as I often do, don’t be afraid to wear your sunglasses.
If you are prone to hay fever, sinus problems or any other nose and throat conditions that can flare up any time, take your medication with you. There is nothing worse than having to combat a runny nose for eight hours.
Entertainment in your Carry On Luggage
So once you are comfortable, what are you going to do for twelve hours? Some people can watch movies back to back. If you are not one of those, then you need to take your own form of entertainment. Visit the book store at the airport before you board. They have newspapers, magazines, books, puzzles, journals and all manner of time wasting materials. If you have an eReader, make sure you load it up with the books that you want to read before you travel.
If you have a portable laptop, make sure it’s full charged and take that so that you can do some work. Take a journal and pens so that you can take notes to while away the time.
Travel Documents in your Hand Luggage
If you find yourself susceptible to that dread feeling that you’ve forgotten something, make sure you double and triple check that you have your essential travel documents in your hand luggage before you go to the airport. Lay them out the night before which will give you time to think of anything else you may have forgotten.
If you struggle to think of what is essential, then pretend like your checked luggage is going to get lost. What couldn't you get by without or replace easily if your checked luggage didn't turn up? The answers are the things that you need to carry in your hand luggage. The essentials include your passport, your travel itinerary and your money e.g. credit cards, cash.
Make sure that the hand or carry-on bag that you take with you has compartments that you can store small items. There is nothing more frustrating than having to take everything out of a bag because you can’t find a small item. It’s also best to take a bag that zips up. This way, if you store it under the seat in front of you, the contents won’t fall out.
Making the Most of Long Haul Flights
Travelling on long flights is no-one’s favourite thing to do. However, it’s possible to make the unbearable more bearable by ensuring you have all your essential travel documents and everything that will comfort and entertain you.
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