Ideas for Surviving Long Flight To Venice

[snowmouse]

Kerry,

 

Medical equipment does not count toward your baggage allowance. Get a note from your doctor that your equipment is medically necessary and put it in your bag. I have traveled with mine (just not overnight) several times and they have never asked to see my letter, nor questioned my extra baggage. I usually carryon my cpap in its case, my laptop also in its case, and a large purse. It is a little cumbersome, but not a problem for TSA. I am going to leave my computer behind for Europe, but will carry the rest.

[Mylisa]

for luggage, I use Travel Pro wheeled luggage. http://www.luggageonline.com/product.cfm?product_ID=7182

I've had cheaper ones but they just don't compare. The material is sturdier, the handle is longer, and it just "feels right."

 

Now, how I pack my carry on is as such:

It's such a hassle finally making it to my seat to try to secure the space above my head before someone else gets it, and at the same time, remove those items that I want at my seat. So inside my carry-on I pack one of those new "gymsacks." [/url]

I place all my "seat" items - magazines/books, a bottle of water, tissues, headphones, toiletries, etc, in that and just pull it out when I arrive at my seat. (Just don't forget the liquids rule by TSA. You can pack this in the gymsack AFTER you clear security; there will be plenty of time before boarding just based on how far in advance they want you to arrive at the airport.)

 

Inside my gymsack, I have a small toiletry bag with a BIG safety pin attached to the zipper pull. As long as the seats aren't leather, I pin the little toiletry bag to the seat in front of me. In it, I place my contact lens stuff, small hand lotion, small hand sanitizer, toothbrush/paste, old - but clean washcloth, mints, headache meds, etc.

 

I also take:

my own fleece blanket (some folks take a pashima (sp) shawl but I find it's not big and heavy enough to keep me warm;

blow up pillow;

slipper socks (and wear slip on shoes for trips to the rest room);

at least one bottle of water pp (b'c it sometimes takes awhile before the flight attendants bring beverages down the aisle);

NO Jet Lag (available from Magellans) http://www.magellans.com/store/Health___Personal_Care___Jet_Lag_PreventionIF398?Args=

Since I'm only 5'3", I like to put my feet up on my gym sack which I find more comfortable then letting them hang.

 

We eat a light dinner before boarding and forgo the airline food so we can sack out immediately upon takeoff while others are still getting settled with their airline food dinner (which may or may not be appetizing).

 

Re the compression socks, DH & I wore them once. We bought the kind from a drug store . After a couple of hours, the socks were cutting into our skin :eek: . We cruised with a pharmacist who said that we should have gotten Rx and been measured for those socks by a professional rather than buying them over the counter! Now, we don't bother - we definitely wake each other up after 3 hours (if we're lucky) to ensure we're walking to prevent DVT. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000156.htm

 

You'll do fine.

 

Ok, it sounds like you have a GREAT packing plan and I like the idea of pulling out something smaller and putting at your seat. What are you talking about when you say small gymsack. What does it look like? Where did you get it?

[usavvy2]

Ok, it sounds like you have a GREAT packing plan and I like the idea of pulling out something smaller and putting at your seat. What are you talking about when you say small gymsack. What does it look like? Where did you get it?

 

hmmm, posted the link but it didn't take. let's try this link again http://www.ebags.com/products/index.cfm?modelID=76009&Subcategory_Link=Details_Nike_76009

 

(if it doesn't link, go to ebags.com and search on "gymsack". this one happens to be a Nike brand but they're very commonplace - we got ours from Royal Caribbean's Ship Shape program.) The only caveat is do NOT try to use this in lieu of a backpack and hike 8 miles down the Grand Canyon as the strings for each strap will cut into your arms/shoulders. (They kind of look like something a girl scout would sew for her sewing badge when I was a kid.)

[perthgirl]

Wow, only 10 hours! No offence, but last time my family travelled we went with my sister's family as well. 4 adults, children 4, 8 and 11 - and it took us 26 hours from the time we left Perth, Australia to the time we arrived at our destination (Florida).

 

What did we do? Went with the flow - not much else we could do. One thing I have learned though is I don't need half the things I thought I did. A book for me, a book, pack of cards and an empty pad with pencils and that pretty much covers it.

 

Oh and an incredible amount of patience - especially after the 100th game of tic tac toe!

[bella c]

I used the blow up pillow and they are not as comfortable as those bean filled ones. My daughter took one and didn't have to struggle with blowing it up on the plane. Also Tylenol PM works great. The pm part is psudophed (can't spell) so it helps keep you decongested and sleepy at the same time.

Definatly bring eye shades. Even though they turn the overheads down it is still bright. I didn' have them and wound up with a blanket over my head.

 

I have never used Aveda blue but I have used Bach's Rescue Remedy. It is a natural stress relief liquid. A few drops in water and you are very calm. I have even given it to my dog to calm her down and it works. You can get it at any health food store.

 

We are leaving for Italy and a Med Cruise in June. This time I will be prepared.

 

Ciao

[dilacruiser]

Does everyone get swollen feet, regardless of age or health?

[mandiecandie5]

Try Brookstone, a travel store that can be found in many airports. They have great travel items: http://www.brookstone.com/world.asp?wid=19&cm_re=A_HDR*NAV*19

[ilovemed]

Hey guys,

 

Take it easy! It is not the end of the world. Millions of travelers are flying now coach class.

 

If you are so uncomfortable with that, save a little more and fly business!

 

Good luck!

 

"Life is too short, live it ! "

[Mylisa]

Hey guys,

 

Take it easy! It is not the end of the world. Millions of travelers are flying now coach class.

 

If you are so uncomfortable with that, save a little more and fly business!

 

Good luck!

 

"Life is too short, live it ! "

 

 

We know it's not the end of the world!

 

Many people can't afford to fly business class. Personally, my DH and I had to save for this vacation and it would have been difficult to come up with the additional funds to upgrade to business class.

 

What we were all trying to do on this thread was to share tips to make flying in coach more comfortable and help everyone arrive at their destination more rested.

[TO_HockeyMum]

It is very important to make sure you stay hydrated - although that means more trips to the lav. Your body will thank you.

 

I have mild Restless Legs - so I also take an OTC remedy for that. It makes me more comfortable - not to mention everyone sitting around me.

 

 

I'm bothered with Restless Leg Syndrome also. What do you take for it?

 

I'm quite worried that myself, my hubby and my 3 kids (15, 13 and 10) won't sleep and will be miserable for our first nights in Rome before our cruise. What do you think is best to take to help us all sleep?

[tomko2]

I'm bothered with Restless Leg Syndrome also. What do you take for it?

 

I'm quite worried that myself, my hubby and my 3 kids (15, 13 and 10) won't sleep and will be miserable for our first nights in Rome before our cruise. What do you think is best to take to help us all sleep?

 

 

HockeyMum, hopefully you have the direct flight from TO. We have had lots of long haul flights and find that we arrive in the best shape when we wear comfy clothing, have something to keep us warm (blanket or soft jacket), have something to cushion our neck/headseat and then eat and drink well on the flight.

When we get to our destination we are usually good to go for a few hours and then head to the hotel for a good nap. After that we are adjusted to the time zone change with no problems. Drinking lots of water really does help as well.

What an awesome trip to take as a family! Are you on the Legend?

Kathy

[cruise_critic771]

We are travelling from South Australia to Rome,31 hours in total with our 3 hour check in. We are however spending 2 nights in Rome prior to our cruise, hopefully we will be rid of jet lag prior to sailing. I agree with others due to our time limits for our holiday I would rather just arrive and then have a break (in our instance Hong Kong) on the way home. I always freeze on the plane, so will be taking my own really warm socks, and definately ear plugs! (On our last overseas holiday 5 years ago the passenger across from us drank that much alchol and then proceeded to snore REALLY LOUDLY the whole trip. I have started to try out the ear plugs every now and again to get used to them. Thanks so much for the idea of the GYMSACK, we usually just pile everything into our bag that goes into the overhead locker and then I normally don't access it in case I am annoying someone else whilst trying to get to it.

Happy holidays!!

[TNTLAMB]

In regards to the CPAP, Mine comes in a very nice 2 compartment case. I remove the heater and humidifier and pack that in my checked baggage and then have room to combine the hose mask with the unit leaving the otherside free for my carry-on items. You can with many brands use a battery which you can buy the super charged 8 hour batteries (about the same size as a hockey puck - used for portable DVD) that will keep it running for 4+ hours. I have what is classed ased as very severe but have found that by holding a blow-up beach ball on my lap and sort of laying on it, I get pretty good sleep and don't really need the machine. We only do one night precruise, so can easily get by without the heated humidifier. BTW make sure your CPAP is 240V, it would be horrible to see it go up in smoke if its not!! Remember adapters only adpt the plug!!

[recost]

Delta wanted 250,000 ff miles to do Business Class and of course we don't have anywhere near that kind of miles.

 

It cost 90,000 miles per person for trip from US to Rome (roundtrip). I was able to procure it through Delta for my wife and I. I don't know how many miles you do have but since 90,000 miles pp sounds cheaper than 250,000 miles pp I thought I'd let you know (Just in case it's not too late to book the seat(s).)

 

Rich Costello

[Mylisa]

It cost 90,000 miles per person for trip from US to Rome (roundtrip). I was able to procure it through Delta for my wife and I. I don't know how many miles you do have but since 90,000 miles pp sounds cheaper than 250,000 miles pp I thought I'd let you know (Just in case it's not too late to book the seat(s).)

 

Rich Costello

 

Maybe it's when and where you go. But I've double checked with Delta and it's still 250,000 per person round trip. Delta lets you check online.

 

Thanks for the thought anyway. We could have easily done 90,000 each roundtrip.

[TO_HockeyMum]

What an awesome trip to take as a family! Are you on the Legend?

Kathy

 

Yes. We are on the Legend. It looks awesome. What a trip for our first cruise!

 

My 3 kids (and hubby and I) are beyond excitment. This is why I don't think it will be easy to get any of us to sleep on the plane!

[the2006Junket]

TO Hockey Mom,

We flew to Venice last summer with 11 kids in our group of 5 familes , most of them in the 12 - 17 age range. A couple of tips:

· We TRIED to get their body clocks moved a little before traveling...that is waking them up earlier and earlier each day before the trip. Since it was summer, they otherwise would've been sleeping til at least 9 am, but we started waking them earlier in the days before. That way, their clocks were already moved 2 hours before we flew and they would be a little tired on the evening flight.

· Really, all they need is a good 4 hours of sleep or so to be "human" the first day...so try and get them comfortable enough on the plane to get a good chunk of sleep. Headphones with music or earplugs are a must...too many people snoring, talking, walking by etc to sleep otherwise. We didn't bring travel pillows for all, but they used the airplane blankets or the fleece they brought to get cozy.

· Once on board they were all excited! They ate dinner, watched a movie and then settled in to sleep. Some parents give their kids Benedryl to help make them sleepy, but we didn't ...since my kids don't regularly take it, I was afraid of it making them feel funny.

· Upon arrival in Italy, we went directly to the hotel and dropped bags, then went out to lunch. Everyone was very excited to be in Europe! We just "powered through" the first day, with an early dinner and then early bedtime -- I think we all were in bed by 9 pm. The adults resorted to massive amounts of excellent Italian coffee to get through the day and we let the kids have a Coca Cola in the afternoon. We all woke up the next day feeling good and had a full day in Venice.

It'll be a great trip!

Enjoy,

Lynne

[slineberry528]

Thanks for all of the advice. I will have a long flight from Atlanta to Barcelona in July. I am worried about how I was going to cope.

[lindasuej]

I found this article posted on a Princess thread. It was very interesting.

 

 

HEALTHY FLYING HINTS (1)

The page below is from the Continental Airlines magazine that is provided to passengers during flights.

 

As the article states, there are other health concerns besides stress and fatigue during flights. Therefore it's important for all passengers to get up and move around during flights. This article includes some sitting-down exercises that can be done during long flights to reduce problems.

 

HEALTHY FLYING HINTS (2)



 

British Airways has a webpage with links to information about health and exercises during a flight:

Well Being

[rebeccalouise]

Try taking a painkiller. Works for me. I'm out in a matter of minutes after that. Apparently snoring like a banshee though!

[winewanderer]

A agree with all that's been recommended.

 

Word puzzles make me really sleepy, word search, crosswords, cryptoquips (letter puzzles). I rarely sleep on flights and last year I printed a bunch and actually slept about 2 hours in between puzzles. Will do this again this year.

 

I always bring my heavy duty earplugs. I always get the plane where there's at least a few people who talk the ENTIRE flight, yes, even 10 hours.

 

I wear slip on tennies so I can slip them off now and then.

 

I recommend to prevent leg blot clots to do the exercises listed on the card in front of your seat, they are very helpful.

 

Regarding snoring and Cpap's. Those breathright strips do nothing for someone with sleep apnea. I know because of hubby.

 

Hubby packs his Cpap but doesn't use on the plane. When he does sleep on planes he doesn't usually snore, maybe it's because of the upright position.

 

We were on a flight this past Friday and he did snore a little, I just keep an eye on him, if it gets too loud I wake him up.

 

Good luck on your flight and have a great vacation.

[LMac]

I cant' believe the high number of miles quoted for an upgrade!

 

My husband and I flew to Vencie from Atlanta a couple of weeks ago on Delta. I called Delta the day before we left to see if there was any possibility of an upgrade. To my surprise we both got one (just on the way over) for 25,000 miles each. I was thrilled beyond words.

 

Coming back in the coach seats was not bad at all even though we were an hour longer in the air. We had a nice new plane with individual screens and I watched 4 movies. We left at 11 am Italian time and got to Atlanta at 9 pm Italian time, during which I would have been awake anyway. We had another short flight home, and got here at 5 pm local time. We then popped right in to bed.

 

I always book us both aisle seats across from each other. This avoids us getting mad at each other when we have to get out to go to the restroom. It is harder to get mad at a stranger! LOL. On this trip I was blessed with no one in the middle seat next to me. I was living right for a change.

 

Leslie

[lagbunch8]

Does everyone get swollen feet, regardless of age or health?

 

 

I didn't on my flight from Orlando-Rome last year. I am 35, thin and in good health.(not on any meds) My DH did not either and he is 36 and on meds for high blood pressure. I don't know why some people swell and others don't. I don't swell up on cruises either and I have heard many talk about that.

 

Mary

[Mylisa]

I cant' believe the high number of miles quoted for an upgrade!

 

My husband and I flew to Vencie from Atlanta a couple of weeks ago on Delta. I called Delta the day before we left to see if there was any possibility of an upgrade. To my surprise we both got one (just on the way over) for 25,000 miles each. I was thrilled beyond words.

 

Coming back in the coach seats was not bad at all even though we were an hour longer in the air. We had a nice new plane with individual screens and I watched 4 movies. We left at 11 am Italian time and got to Atlanta at 9 pm Italian time, during which I would have been awake anyway. We had another short flight home, and got here at 5 pm local time. We then popped right in to bed.

 

I always book us both aisle seats across from each other. This avoids us getting mad at each other when we have to get out to go to the restroom. It is harder to get mad at a stranger! LOL. On this trip I was blessed with no one in the middle seat next to me. I was living right for a change.

 

Leslie

 

Leslie, did you just call the main Delta number of the frequent flyer number to ask about the upgrades?

 

I want to try your idea about calling the day before and see if there is any availability for an upgrade for a reasonable amount of FF miles.

[LMac]

Leslie, did you just call the main Delta number of the frequent flyer number to ask about the upgrades?

 

I want to try your idea about calling the day before and see if there is any availability for an upgrade for a reasonable amount of FF miles.

 

Yes, I called the FF number for Delta. I'v never been so excited in my life!