10 Tips to Make Flying Coach Less of a Pain

We've been on many long (3++ hour) domestic and international flights over the years. Travel has become more of a hassle with crowded flights, reduced services and increased restrictions. Here are a few simple things we do to help keep us sane when flying coach.

What about you? Do you have some good plane travel tips?

1. Wear comfortable clothes. Light layers work well; a seat near an exit door can get mighty chilly while another seat on the same flight may be too warm. Comfie, easy to remove shoes make getting through security-and taking shoes off when on the plane-easier.
2. Go to the bathroom before getting on the plane. I’ve been stuck on the tarmac for several hours waiting for takeoff, and caught behind the service cart as it slowly inches down the aisle.
3. Bring water with you. Dehydration can lead to headaches, itchy eyes, contribute to fatigue and may increase your chance of getting sick. I take an empty bottle through security and fill it on the other side or purchase a bottle of water in the terminal prior to boarding. Saline nasal spray works well as does eye drops if you are prone to dry eyes.
   
4. Bring food with you. BYOG (bring your own grub): nuts, jerky, cheese, dried and fresh fruit are all filling and compact. When flying internationally, I usually either eat or toss food I’ve carried on before going through customs to avoid potential food importation hassles.
5. Keep a few items handy; try not to put anything under the seat in front of you. Put items you want to have handy-water, snacks, etc. in a small bag to keep in the seat near you or put them in the seatback pocket.
   
6. Count seats to your nearest exit(s). This tip came from a friend who survived a major plane crash. While unlikely I’ll need to a) evacuate a plane when b) I can’t see, it’s trivial to do as I’m boarding or buckling my seatbelt. On this trip, I counted in French.
7. Change the time on your watch to match your time zone destination after you are on the plane. This way I start thinking--and try to act like I'm in--my new time zone for sleeping and eating. The only caution is if you are changing planes in yet another time zone.
8. Reduce your personal noise level. Earplugs are cheap and tiny. Sometimes I play white noise on my iPhone/iPod/MP3/other device or use noise-canceling headphones. Even without other noises, just the sound of the engines makes me tired.
9. Move around and take off your shoes...after getting to altitude. Feet tend to swell on long flights. Pick a pair of shoes you can slip back on after having had them off for a few hours. I regularly flex and extend my feet while seated, and get out of my seat every hour or so if not sleeping.
10. If sleeping on the plane, make your own small travel kit. I bring a small travel pillow, and a blindfold in addition to the usual earplugs. I having like a window seat: there's something to lean against. I don't sleep well on planes so I've started taking some kind of sleep aid-on this trip, ambien worked well for me. For when I wake up, mints and hard candies containing caffeine are handy.