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How to survive long-haul flights – Spending an entire day or night (and possibly longer) on an international flight can be a tiring, uncomfortable and arduous experience. Despite improvements to airline seats, entertainment and meals, sitting for any time over eight hours in a pressurised cabin can put you in physical and emotional discomfort. Here are some tips to ease the flying experience, and help you arrive at your destination as relaxed and refreshed as possible – how to survive long-haul flights!

Clothing choice

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The clothing you choose to wear when you fly will significantly impact your comfort level. Loose fitting and layered clothing is best, because it allows you to move freely and be able to keep warm or cool as the cabin temperature invariably changes.

Keep feet elevated

One of the biggest complaints of long haul flights are the swelling of ankles and feet. To help avoid this discomfort, try to keep your feet elevated. An easy way to do this is to use a footrest if there is one, or put your hand luggage at your feet and rest them on top.

Keep hydrated

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On long flights, it’s important to drink as much water as possible and keep hydrated. Aim for one litre per 5 hours, and avoid coffee, alcohol and carbonated drinks. Don’t be deterred by bathroom trips – it’s a good excuse to get up and move around!

Try to sleep

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You’ve found your discount airfare now you need to get some sleep on the flight. Although some claim this is impossible, sleeping on long flights will reduce the fatigue you feel once you’ve landed, and make the flight time pass more quickly. If you have trouble sleeping on airplanes, pack an eye patch and earplugs in your carry on bag.

Make sure you move around

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At least every two hours (while awake), get up and move around the cabin. Not only will this help with your circulation and reduce the risk of getting a sore back or shoulders, moving around more often makes it easier to fall asleep.

Take advantage of in-flight entertainment

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Most flights now offer personal in-flight entertainment systems with a wide selection of music, videos, games and documentaries. Watching movies and keeping your time occupied will help the flight time pass more quickly, and you can catch up the latest movies and TV shows.

Whether you’re flying alone or with your family, holidays overseas often involve lengthy plane journeys. There are ways, however, to consciously make the flight more comfortable. Whether you fly into Delhi or Los Angeles, flights don’t have to be unbearable – take these necessary steps to ensure that you have the most pleasant flying experience possible.

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