Tips on sleeping on overnight flight to Europe?

[Penzance]

Thank you for the info. I checked on the Amazon website and many of the reviews there were for and against the sleeper- but I'm willing to try anything. It's doubly aggravating for me as my husband can sleep for hours sitting upright and with no aches and pains :mad:

[KirkNC]

For all you experienced med. cruisers, what advice can you give to enhance sleeping on these international overnight flights? Does taking a neck pillow, blinders help? Melatonin? Any words of wisdom would be most appreciated.

Thanks.

Vicki

 

Ambien

 

Kirk

[fbgd]

You are very lucky. A LOT of airlines have banned "first class sleeper". Do NOT be surprised if they tell you to put it away.

 

I'm not sure on what grounds they can ban it. Are you sure it isn't the 'knee defender' thing that you clip on to the seat in front and prevents someone from reclining? I can see that being banned.

[D4]

greatam, I've just bought a "first class sleeper" :confused: - can you verify where you have read/heard about airlines banning their use, and which airlines? I make the LAX/LHR eleven hour flight most every year and always have a hard time sleeping (or when I do, I get back, neck and shoulder pain) so I am willing to try anything.

 

 

Penzance: Please post back here after you have flown with it. I read up on it and it sounds like it's worth a try. DH and I have a horrible time sleeping on the long flights to/from Rome. I often think I could sleep if I could just lay flat, so this might be a great help to me. Good luck with it!

[Penzance]

We leave next Friday for two weeks so I will post my experience in October. Now all I have to worry about is the person behind, hopefully, doesn't complain about my seat reclining. ;)

[greatam]

I'm not sure on what grounds they can ban it. Are you sure it isn't the 'knee defender' thing that you clip on to the seat in front and prevents someone from reclining? I can see that being banned.

 

I don't know either how they could ban it but the original article was in one of my industry magazines I get related to food show sales (those people travel a lot worldwide). It was repeated in other travel/transportation industry publications we get. I will have my admin check our archives to find the original article. I am sure we scanned and saved, as I was going to get a couple for my employees when they have to fly long haul coach until I saw the article.

 

Some of the European airlines were absolutely screaming about it (seems to me it was Lufthansa and Swiss that were prominently mentioned), as the FA couldn't serve properly because people were pushed farther forward in their seats and it was a safety hazard. In the article, some Delta (IIRC) FA's mentioned the same thing and were going to take it to the union. IF it was Delta and went to the union, you know the outcome.

[wg6530]

I don't know either how they could ban it but the original article was in one of my industry magazines I get related to food show sales (those people travel a lot worldwide). It was repeated in other travel/transportation industry publications we get. I will have my admin check our archives to find the original article. I am sure we scanned and saved, as I was going to get a couple for my employees when they have to fly long haul coach until I saw the article.

 

Some of the European airlines were absolutely screaming about it (seems to me it was Lufthansa and Swiss that were prominently mentioned), as the FA couldn't serve properly because people were pushed farther forward in their seats and it was a safety hazard.... outcome.

 

I'd like to see that article. I hope your admin is able to find it. I was thinking of buying a first class sleeper. I'll be flying Lufthansa transatlantic in November. I'm in a window seat so it shouldn't impact anybody else's service. If it is banned perhaps I'd better reconsider now.

[vistapat]

Has anyone had any experience with the Skyrest Travel Pillow? I've been thinking of buying one for my husband, who prefers to try to sleep leaning forward against the seat ahead. The pillow goes on the seat tray, and the user leans into it to sleep. Here's a link to the site: http://www.skyrest.com/default2.html..

 

I'm concerned about whether the seat tray can handle the weight of a pretty good-sized man leaning on it, and whether he might slip off to the side. Also worried about whether the airlines permit this item. On the other hand, if it means he gets some sleep on our flight to Oslo in June, it's worth it.

 

Thanks for any information.

 

Patricia

[twoputt.plusone]

We also looked at the skyrest. After looking at the pros and cons to both, we settled on the 1st class sleeper. My main concern was that you may be restricting your circulation because you have to bend over to use the pillow.

[stretchcruz]

I have the Skyrest, I got it on ebay. It works...there is a pocket to put your hands in so they don't flop around. I thought it was pretty comfortable, as these things go...it fit on the tray table pretty well. Only problem is if the person in front reclines it is a bit close, but to me more comfortable than having the neck loll around, and my back was a bit more comfortable leaning forward.

[vistapat]

Thanks, stretchkruz and twoputt.plusone. I may go ahead and get the Skyrest. For some reason, my husband just can't sleep leaning back in the seat, no matter what device he uses, so I don't think the First Class Sleeper would work for him. I can see where there might be a problem if the seat ahead is fully reclined, but it would still be better than trying to use the skimpy little airline pillow, which slips down every few minutes.

 

Enjoy your river cruise, stretchkruz. I've always wanted to do one.

 

Patricia

[twoputt.plusone]

Vistapat, please be sure to come back and let us know how it worked out for you. If greatam is right, and my sleeper is banned, I may be in the market for something else to help me get some rest. ;)

[stretchcruz]

Vistapat, thanks, we are very excited. Not looking forward to our 23 hour flight connections....and I'll let you know if my pillow worked as well as it did last time. Unfortunately I have a problem sleeping...have never fallen asleep on a couch, in a chair, with a TV on....or on an airplane. The skyrest was the most comfortable I've ever been not sleeping. I have an RX for some Ambien this time (I had it last time and it didn't work)...but it HAS to work this time....my husband can sleep anywhere, and is often asleep before the plane takes off. My problem is a curse!!!

[notentirelynormal]

Vistapat, thanks, we are very excited. Not looking forward to our 23 hour flight connections....and I'll let you know if my pillow worked as well as it did last time. Unfortunately I have a problem sleeping...have never fallen asleep on a couch, in a chair, with a TV on....or on an airplane. The skyrest was the most comfortable I've ever been not sleeping. I have an RX for some Ambien this time (I had it last time and it didn't work)...but it HAS to work this time....my husband can sleep anywhere, and is often asleep before the plane takes off. My problem is a curse!!!

 

Me too. I have this strong urge to just flick their face. Not nice I know, but still. If only I could sleep for just a few minutes.

[Penzance]

Penzance: Please post back here after you have flown with it. I read up on it and it sounds like it's worth a try. DH and I have a horrible time sleeping on the long flights to/from Rome. I often think I could sleep if I could just lay flat, so this might be a great help to me. Good luck with it!

 

Just got back from flights LAX/LHR/LAX and as promised, here is my experience :( I found the economy seats on Virgin Atlantic to be small and narrow, so I was unable to use the sleeper. :mad: Maybe it would work on an airline with a larger seat pitch?

[FlyerTalker]

Just got back from flights LAX/LHR/LAX and as promised, here is my experience :( I found the economy seats on Virgin Atlantic to be small and narrow, so I was unable to use the sleeper. :mad: Maybe it would work on an airline with a larger seat pitch?

Remember that the "sleeper" is nothing more than an inflatable pillow that forces your hips/butt forward so that you are angled within your seat. A bunch of crumpled-up blankets could do the same thing.

 

If there isn't room for your legs to slide under the seat in front of you, then it won't accomplish anything. And with a short pitch, you may not be able to achieve an angle - instead your knees end up hitting the seatback in front of you.

[cruiselvr04]

I could have slept except for the noisy toddler a few seats ahead that kept skreeching or the light from the TV monitor which they kept on all night. I needed ear plugs and an eye mask (which the DH thought was a dumb idea). He slept well cause he can sleep anywhere. I did okay the next day only because I was excited to be in Europe. We arrived early, stayed up until around 4 p.m., took a 2 hour nap, went to dinner and then back to bed. We were fine the next day. Coming back it took me 4-5 days to not wake up at 2 or 3 in the a.m. and I didn't sleep on the plane on the way back at all. Still worth it. When can I go back???

[stretchcruz]

Thanks for your update. My knees are in the seatback in front of me even without the inflatables....so I'm sure it would not work for me! I'm pretty tall...

[frugaltravel]

Greatam, believe me, I checked it out. I put the cruise out to bid, and I also checked no less than 25 online sites....as well as the airfare sites, however...I could not get ANYONE to give me the $200 roundtrip airfare from Tucson to Budapest, then Prague to Tucson, including airfare and fees. My TA also picked up all of my port charges and fees on our river cruise. We are on Avalon on Oct 21....Budapest to Prague...and we are very happy with our fare. It sucks that it takes so long to get from Tucson, but it always does. I am not going into Warsaw, do don't know where you came upon that (direct from Tucson)????.....let me know if you can find airfare from Tucson to Budapest then Prague to Tucson, how long it takes, and if it costs more than $200. Thanks!! I appreciate it.

 

Actually about the quickest you can expect to do the trip is 16 hours and that is for a relatively high price and still two connections. Even the LOT flight from Chicago via Warsaw to Budapest has a terrible connection from Tucscon - there is an unavoidable 7 hour layover in Chicago. I think you did great!

 

And I don't think people read your post correctly. $200 round trip from Tucson to Europe and back? I can live with a LOT for that price (though I leave this month for Europe for $105 round trip but not from Tucson!).

[stretchcruz]

Thanks Frugal! When I looked at our connections yesterday I think they were a little better than I thought....I think our trip out is only 20 hours and our trip back is 23...on the way out we leave Tucson at 7 AM and get into Budapest at 12 PM the next day...and we are on Pacific time right now. The way back we leave Prague at 7 AM and get back to Tucson at 8:45 PM the same day.

We are in AZ so we never change our clocks.

I really do think that the $200 airfare could not be beat, and connections from Tucson are yukky no matter what...so thanks for your support.

[KCcruisin07]

Stretchcruz,

You will love Budapest. We were just there in May.

Curious: how did you manage R/T tickets for $200? Connection to an airline??

[stretchcruz]

My TA ran a 3 day special last fall-they just did it again a week and a half ago.

[wg6530]

You are very lucky. A LOT of airlines have banned "first class sleeper". Do NOT be surprised if they tell you to put it away.

 

?..

Some of the European airlines were absolutely screaming about it (seems to me it was Lufthansa and Swiss that were prominently mentioned), as the FA couldn't serve properly because people were pushed farther forward in their seats and it was a safety hazard. In the article, some Delta (IIRC) FA's mentioned the same thing and were going to take it to the union. IF it was Delta and went to the union, you know the outcome.

 

I thought I would post my experience with "first class sleeper" on Lufthansa. the flight crew did not say anything about the sleeper cushion; no ban was mentioned. It was easy to inflate and use. fit in the coach seat. the sleeper may have helped a little, not a lot. I am not sure if I will bother carrying it on my next transatlantic.

[twoputt.plusone]

Thank you for coming back to let us know how it went. :)

[KirkNC]

Ambien

 

Kirk