How to stay well during a trip overseas?

[Markanddonna]

While I am quite healthy, my DH has COPD which makes his immune system more susceptible.  I do many of the above mentioned suggestions but also use my wrist or knuckles for elevator buttons and use my utensils for all eating- pizza, bread, etc. I also use my hand to hover over railings. 

 

Still, we occasionally get ill , often from very sick people on big bus tours.  I dread being near those folks who refuse to miss their tours or shows. I feel like I'm bathing in terms while trapped nearby. And yes, I move if a drippy person sits next to me. No show is worth getting sick.

[dogs4fun]

13 hours ago, Ashland said:

Ambien doesn't lose it's potency...this is one of the many prescription meds that don't. 

The big drug companies want you to believe they do.

Thank you - your post prompted me to do a little research. Although I can't find any confirmation that Ambien never loses its potency, I did read several articles stating that it is still potent long after its expiration date. This same research supports your assertion that big pharma does not apprise its consumers of the efficacy of many of their drugs long after their expiration date - $$$ the likely reason. Anyway, it appears that I can safely use my Ambien for up to 5 years beyond its expiration date and by this time, all the pills would have been consumed anyway. Thanks, $$$ saved.

[clo]

9 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

To be honest I usually don't know what type of plane I am flying on.

I not only know the airplane but also religiously check seatguru.com . I've made seat assignments pretty regularly based on that site. I admit to being a tiny bit of an av-geek 🙂

[clo]

8 hours ago, SRF said:

So, using a lot of hand sanitizer can actually reduce your immune system response by not challenging it. 😄

 

I can't remember ever using them except on cruise ships.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, clo said:

I not only know the airplane but also religiously check seatguru.com . I've made seat assignments pretty regularly based on that site. I admit to being a tiny bit of an av-geek 🙂

I generally do not care about aircraft make or model as much as seat arrangements.  As we generally fly coach (day time) to London, our primary concern is to find a two seat arrangement between window and aisle (usually towards the rear) so we do not have to share with some heffalump who wants to raise the armrest to give more space -which means thrusting his hip across the DMZ.

 

We generally depart UK on train or ship - to Continent or back to U S.

[clo]

32 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

I generally do not care about aircraft make or model as much as seat arrangements.

seatguru can come in handy still.  You'll see your airplane on your res.  Go to the site and search for the airline and the airplane.  It will give you a diagram of the airplane with good/bad seats mentioned.  And individual passengers comment.  One time I saw that a particular row in economy had extra legroom for no known reason.  Also I read years and years ago that, obviously, middle seats are the last to sell.  So if it's not a 2-2 or 2-2-2 configuration I'll book us in an aisle and a window.  And I'm guessing 75% of the time or more it's remained unsold.  Great extra space.  And if it is sold I can always offer the window and move to the middle.

[navybankerteacher]

16 minutes ago, clo said:

...

 

Also I read years and years ago that, obviously, middle seats are the last to go ...  And I'm guessing 75% of the time or more it's remained unsold.  Great extra space.  And if it is sold I can always offer the window and move to the middle.

I used to play that, but for the last five or so years I have seen very, very few empty seats on planes - probably the last couple of dozen flights - and a number have been booked solid.

[clo]

7 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

I used to play that, but for the last five or so years I have seen very, very few empty seats on planes - probably the last couple of dozen flights - and a number have been booked solid.

 Bob has a strong preference for an aisle seat (makes his bad back feel better if he can stretch a leg out at times) so it's really no difference if I book aisle/window or aisle/middle if I wind up in the middle anyway.  But again I'll  book twosomes first.  And I AM talking intl and that from the East and West coasts are likely quite different.  We do non-stops only to at least get to Europe.

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, clo said:

seatguru can come in handy still.  You'll see your airplane on your res.  Go to the site and search for the airline and the airplane.  It will give you a diagram of the airplane with good/bad seats mentioned.  And individual passengers comment.  One time I saw that a particular row in economy had extra legroom for no known reason.  Also I read years and years ago that, obviously, middle seats are the last to sell.  So if it's not a 2-2 or 2-2-2 configuration I'll book us in an aisle and a window.  And I'm guessing 75% of the time or more it's remained unsold.  Great extra space.  And if it is sold I can always offer the window and move to the middle.

We recently had no choice (change of aircraft) for our connection Toronto-Quebec City with it's 3x3. We chose the aisle/window and apparently so did the couple on the other side of the aircraft in our row. We offered to change with the gentleman in the middle and give him the aisle...his wife traveling with him was in the middle across from us...so they could have had the two aisles. Surprise to us and them apparently also...the other couple would not change.... We continued to see this couple (the ones that wouldn't change) in Quebec and on our cruise....Hmmm !!

[clo]

2 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Hmmm

Indeed!  I just looked and it's only an hour and a half.

[ilikeanswers]

7 hours ago, clo said:

I not only know the airplane but also religiously check seatguru.com . I've made seat assignments pretty regularly based on that site. I admit to being a tiny bit of an av-geek 🙂

 

Nothing wrong with being an av geek 🤗. I have used seat guru but a lot of times I find their maps don't match the airline seat map when I get to the pick the seat part of my booking🙄. 

[clo]

2 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

Nothing wrong with being an av geek 🤗. I have used seat guru but a lot of times I find their maps don't match the airline seat map when I get to the pick the seat part of my booking🙄. 

I've occasionally found that myself.  I figure it's better than nothing. Plus it's part of my excitement factor 🙂

[cruisemom42]

7 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I used to play that, but for the last five or so years I have seen very, very few empty seats on planes - probably the last couple of dozen flights - and a number have been booked solid.

 

Very true. Airlines seem to have worked out algorithms that ensure few empty seats on flights. Now the name of the game is to pay extra to be able to book a 'preferred' seat (aisle or window); else you are stuck in the middle. 

 

Unfortunately that algorithm also seems to err on the side of overbooked flights at times....

 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2019 by cruisemom42

[clo]

23 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Now the name of the game is to pay extra to be able to book a 'preferred' seat (aisle or window); else you are stuck in the middle. 

So far I haven't had to do that.  Our upcoming UA flight to Rio we paid for Economy Plus and then used $$$ and points to waitlist for business.  Half of business in both directions is still open so keeping our fingers crossed.  After flying from Reno to SF to Houston, that ten hours to Rio is pretty brutal.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, clo said:

So far I haven't had to do that.  Our upcoming UA flight to Rio we paid for Economy Plus and then used $$$ and points to waitlist for business.  Half of business in both directions is still open so keeping our fingers crossed.  After flying from Reno to SF to Houston, that ten hours to Rio is pretty brutal.

It’s probably just 200 miles from Reno to SF- but it is pretty much in the precise wrong direction. I’m sure you must have checked all options - but it’s bad enough to have to have three flights without one of them being in the wrong direction.

[clo]

3 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

It’s probably just 200 miles from Reno to SF- but it is pretty much in the precise wrong direction. I’m sure you must have checked all options - but it’s bad enough to have to have three flights without one of them being in the wrong direction.

Nor sure I understand. It's a continuous southern route. Long but continuous 🙂  We have had better options in the past but not currently................ Oh wait, you're talking about the heading west part.  Gotcha.  Usually when going to Rio we don't do it this way but we have other 'factors' on this particular trip. This has been a complicated itinerary.  

[SRF]

15 hours ago, clo said:

I not only know the airplane but also religiously check seatguru.com . I've made seat assignments pretty regularly based on that site. I admit to being a tiny bit of an av-geek 🙂

 

I don't use seat guru.  As far forward as I can get a window seat. 🙂

 

I actually do not want exit row or bulkhead.  One way I found that I sleep well is leaning forward with my head (using the pillow) against the seat back in front of me.

 

Forward, to reduce noise.  Much louder behind the wing.  Over or in front of the wing is best.

[clo]

8 hours ago, SRF said:

I actually do not want exit row or bulkhead.  One way I found that I sleep well is leaning forward with my head (using the pillow) against the seat back in front of me.

 

I usually don't want bulkhead but deliberately got it on Norwegian in the spring upon rec from friends. It was great.  I've seen people do that lean forward thing.  I wouldn't be able to sleep like that.  I always want the window seat so I can take my pillow(S) and lean against the wall.  If the person in front of you reclines fully, can you still do that?

[donaldsc]

23 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I generally do not care about aircraft make or model as much as seat arrangements.  As we generally fly coach (day time) to London, our primary concern is to find a two seat arrangement between window and aisle (usually towards the rear) so we do not have to share with some heffalump who wants to raise the armrest to give more space -which means thrusting his hip across the DMZ.

 

We generally depart UK on train or ship - to Continent or back to U S.

 

I occasionally have a weight challenged person who is too cheap to buy 2 seats ask me if they can raise the armrest.  I have a very simple answer to them - NO!!!!  If they still try to ooze into my space, I just shove them back.

 

BTW - when we travel, we always take aisle and aisle unless the plane has has 2-3-2 seating in which case we take aisle and window.  

 

Another point.  I have sometimes had people ask if they could switch seats with me so that they can sit next to their spouse.  My answer is always still the same - NO!!!

 

DON

[clo]

14 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

armrest

I recently read something that I'd not thought of.  The person in the middle gets the use of TWO armrests and those in aisle and window get one.  So on that rare occasion that I'm in a middle seat I immediately stake physical claim of them 🙂

[iancal]

I like the aisle.  DW wants the window.  Especially on long flights of 10-14 hours.  

 

So, we check in on line seperately.  Same locator number.  I check in and select the aisle.  Then I log out, log back in and check DW for a window seat  (assuming 3 across).  Often in the same row, sometimes not.    We have been married 45 plus years so not sitting together for a few hours is not a biggie.  And sometimes the middle seat ends up being empty.

Edited November 12, 2019 by iancal

[clo]

6 minutes ago, iancal said:

I like the aisle.  DW wants the window.  Especially on long flights of 10-14 hours.  

 

So, we check in on line seperately.  Same locator number.  I check in and select the aisle.  Then I log out, log back in and check DW for a window seat  (assuming 3 across).  Often in the same row, sometimes not.    We have been married 45 plus years so not sitting together for a few hours is not a biggie.  And sometimes the middle seat ends up being empty.

So you're not able to check both of you in at once if you're on the same record locator?  Also what are you flying where you can't do your seat selection when you make your booking?

[iancal]

Quite a few airlines will not let us check in together and select an aisle and a window on three across.  The seat selection option forces us to sit together.  Neither of us wants a middle seat.

 

Many of the airlines we fly on charge extra for seat selection.  We used to pay.  We found out that we can obtain the same seats by not checking in until 24 hours from flight time...at which time it is free.   So...we recently did an extended trip that had 11 flight segments.  Most of them 1 hour but  few 10 hour flights. In North America Air Canada, Westjet, Transat.   Most other trans atlantic and transpacific we can pre select when we book.  We do more flights on LCC in Asia, Europe, and OZ than we do in NA where there is a charge for pre-selecting seat.  We have never not been able to get an aisle and a window.

Edited November 12, 2019 by iancal

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

...

 

Another point.  I have sometimes had people ask if they could switch seats with me so that they can sit next to their spouse.  My answer is always still the same - NO!!!

 

DON

I am fine with switching seats as an accommodation —- but not if the switch represents a down-grade: say from an aisle seat, or a window seat to a middle one, or to a row where seats won’t recline.   I feel no social obligation to significantly discomfort myself for the benefit of someone who failed to plan ahead.

[navybankerteacher]

18 minutes ago, iancal said:

Quite a few airlines will not let us check in together and select an aisle and a window on three across.  The seat selection option forces us to sit together.  Neither of us wants a middle seat.

 

Many of the airlines we fly on charge extra for seat selection.  We used to pay.  We found out that we can obtain the same seats by not checking in until 24 hours from flight time...at which time it is free.   So...we recently did an extended trip that had 11 flight segments.  Most of them 1 hour but  few 10 hour flights. In North America Air Canada, Westjet, Transat.   Most other trans atlantic and transpacific we can pre select when we book.  We do more flights on LCC in Asia, Europe, and OZ than we do in NA where there is a charge for pre-selecting seat.  We have never not been able to get an aisle and a window.

I have never experienced an airline which did not permit seat selection as you wished - as long as there were available seats.  Waiting until the last 24 hours is a sure way to wind up with the dregs.  Because many arrangements have a few two seat options (a good reason to pick one airline over another) it is worth paying that extra bit to get pre-selection rather than winding up two well separated middle seats.  I have quietly ignored switch requests from people who regret their earlier enonomising by waiting till the last minute.