Banish Boredom On Board

It’s never much fun sitting in economy for hours on end, especially for travellers used to flying business class before the credit crunch. But there are some measures you can take before, during and after the flight to make the whole experience more bearable. Dominic Ellis reports.

1. Book in advance
For peace of mind that you’re on board, and secured the best deal, do as the airlines repeatedly say and book early. Try and get two or three quotes from agents if time and inclination allow – and compare against the online fare, which is invariably cheaper than all of them (although not necessarily). The earlier you book, the greater the chance you have of securing that desired seat, if 33F always does it for you.

2. Check in online
Save valuable pre-flight time by checking in online, once the preserve of few airlines and now increasingly the norm. With flights opening up to 24 hours before departure, you have the added flexibility of securing your seat with a few clicks from home or the office. Works perfectly for those luggage-light, short-haul flights, and becoming more commonplace on long-haul, but it’s as well to factor in time with the bag drop and any other unexpected IT-human interface complications.

3. Request the bulkhead
Admittedly you’re going to have more chance of getting the highly sought-after legroom-friendly seats by the exit if you have a baby strapped to your chest, but it never harms to ask at check in. Having those extra few uninhibited inches can really make all the difference, although on some airlines it can be a trade off as you might not have a great view of the in-flight screens. Most of us would opt for the extra room any day.

4. Request an upgrade
Granted, those with points-stacked airline loyalty cards are always going to get further in the upgrade queue than the average Joe, but if you don’t ask you don’t get, so don’t be afraid to utter the most common question in the history of aviation. This is always worth bearing in mind if you’re flying anti-social, non-peak hours, since there’s less chance of a full business class cabin. Seasoned travellers say the later you check in to the flight closing, the better your upgrade chances since the check-in desk will know any gaps or cancellations – but that takes some nerve, as the flip-side might be business is full and economy is overbooked, meaning you might be bumped off.

5. Travel late
Night flights aren’t without their disadvantages, playing havoc with your body clock, appetite and overall mood, but don’t overlook the advantages. Families tend to shy away from them unless they have to, so there’s a chance you won’t have the screaming child in front or behind, and the nocturnal setting means that most passengers and crew are looking for a quiet, uneventful experience. You never know, you might even fall asleep; one business contact I knew insisted on making himself extra busy during the day ahead of a night flight knowing that he couldn’t help but fall asleep. Squeeze in that extra half hour on the treadmill and the whole night might be one big blur.

Daytime flights always give you that sense that you could have been spending the time more constructively on the ground, whereas taking a night flight from Abu Dhabi to London, for example, gives you that feeling that you haven’t missed anything, touching down as the UK is getting up. Set your watch to the destination time as soon as you are on board, so mentally, you’ve already arrived.

6. Travel light
Less is more. Why put yourself through the headache of all those suitcases, carry-ons and duty free bags? Airlines watch weights like hawks these days, so if you pile on the kilos, expect hefty surcharges. Pack your carry-on case carefully and it’s surprising how much you can squeeze in, and the added bonus is you can dance through arrivals as everyone else is twiddling their thumbs by the carousel.

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