Traveller’s Tips for a Comfortable Plane Experience

I love to travel. Being a bit of a claustrophobic, the plane ride, is my least favorite part of the entire travel experience. Nonetheless, after years of travelling, I have finally found a way to make the plane ride a much more pleasant experience.

1. Be nice and friendly to the flight attendants. They will be more inclined to help you with your request.

2. Try to use the washroom right before you board the plane. Plane washrooms are very small, cramped, and uncomfortable so you want to use it as least often as you can.

3. Bring comfortable, thich socks and a travel blanket, as the plane gets chilly. I like to remove my shoes and store it underneath my seat. I then wear my thick socks and a pair of disposable slippers during the entire plane ride (ie. going to and from the washroom, stretching my legs by walking up and down the aisle, etc).

4. Bring an empty water bottle. Once I get on board, I ask the flight attendant fill it with water. This ensures I have drinking water within reach whenever I’m thirsty. Unless it is food service time, I find it takes sometime to get a cup of water.

5. Bring some small, easy to eat snacks (ie. nuts, crackers, instant noodles, etc) in case you get hungry, especially on long flights. I often travel between North America and Asia, which means I tend to be on long flights (ie 12 hours – 16 hours flights).

6. Bring a small toiletry case, containing a disposable toothbruch, travel toothpaste, face wipes, moisturizer, and lip balm. I like to have my toiletry case within easy reach so I like to place it inside the magazine pocket in front of my seat.

7. Pack a small, but organized carry-it-on, so that it is easy to place on the overhead bin.

8. Bring a form of entertainment that can occupy several hours of your time (ie. an engrossing book, portable DVD player, etc).

9. Last, but not the least, bring noise-cancelling earphones or a pair of ear plugs. This can be a life-saver especially if you are seated near a crying baby, a snoring person, or you just don’t want to be disturbed.

Hope that helps! Happy travelling!