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Long-haul flights can be an infuriating ordeal: stuck in an uncomfortable seat for what feels like hours on end, your phone runs out of juice halfway through, and someone beside you chatters way more than necessary.
Plan your journey carefully to minimize headaches. Use these air travel tips to make the most out of your flight from Cathay Pacific flights.
1. Pack Your Own Snacks
Air travel can be an uncomfortable, lengthy, and exhausting experience, but there are ways to make it more bearable and enjoyable. Pack your own snacks to save on overpriced offerings on board, pack comfortable clothing for extra leg room, or try not to overpay for food and drinks on board. Whether flying for business or pleasure, these tips will ensure a more pleasant flight.
Pack your airplane snacks carefully in accordance with TSA regulations, taking note that food must fit within 3oz containers that do not smell and contain no liquids (no cheese, crackers or salad). Also consider packing some GoMacro protein bars which are FODMAP friendly; or bring along prepackaged cookies which are gluten-free and don’t include added sugars.
Make a delicious and filling grain salad to have on hand throughout your trip – this makes an excellent airplane meal and doesn’t require refrigeration! Try creating a quinoa or brown rice salad topped with roasted vegetables, chicken/meat/tofu/tempeh and avocado slices as a nutritious and filling lunch option or tasty snack option.
An easy airplane snack option is hummus or guacamole, though ideally one with minimal sodium levels as this will prevent further dehydration during flight. Also consider packing some pre-packed granola bars as energy sources during your journey.
Don’t forget to pack plenty of water and beverages for the plane – even though there will often be free water available, having extra can help ensure you remain hydrated throughout your flight, especially if consuming alcohol or caffeine during this journey.
Careful consideration must be given when packing for an airplane trip; some items are inappropriate and indecent for air travel. Avoid bringing tuna or egg salad, moldy cheese like Limburger, fish sauce as a condiment, copious amounts of garlic cloves, curried dishes or fast-food fast meals on board the flight.
2. Order the Vegetarian Meal
If you’re flying long-haul and wish to enjoy a gourmet vegetarian meal onboard your flight, pre-ordering one is necessary. Options might include French Toast with Fruit Compote, Salad With Vinaigrette Dressing or Vegetarian Paella. Your airline website should list their meal selection and provide instructions on how to order special meals; most allow requests during flight booking while some require calling ahead of time.
Many airlines provide vegetarian meals, with menus depending on location and class. Emirates stands out as being an outstanding airline for vegetarian travelers; its meals combine classic fare with innovative cuisine such as its vegan jain meal (VGML).
JetBlue Mint, their premium membership program, will give you more choices than any other airline – beyond its selection of healthy veggie dishes, it also includes items like roasted vegetable flatbread with goat cheese and heirloom tomatoes as well as delicious breakfast frittata.
Delta offers a selection of vegetarian meals for economy class passengers on its flights; it’s important to reserve them early. According to their website, special meals must be requested at least 24 hours in advance of flight departure and vegan meals (with code “VGML”) must be specified when making this request.
Airline special meal menu offers vegetarian and vegan meal options such as mushroom panzerotti, aubergine rigatoni and cheese-and-spinach-stuffed gozleme pastries. In addition, Jain meals can sometimes include dairy products.
If you’re traveling to Asia, India, or Europe by air, chances are good that you’ll find satisfying meat-free meals on airlines like Air India, Sri Lankan Airlines and Etihad Airways – many Veg News readers have reported that their vegetarian offerings exceeded expectations!
3. Check the Flight Time
Airlines typically recommend arriving two to three hours before your flight to allow enough time for checking in, passing through security, the TSA line and reaching your gate. Holidays, peak periods or special events may necessitate adding even more time, since standard rules don’t take into account everything that could potentially go wrong in an increasingly congested airport environment.
One of the best ways to prepare for delays is to check flight status online on both days before and during your trip. Many airlines provide websites or apps that allow customers to monitor incoming flights; this gives a good indication as to whether any delays may be coming up and where they may go.
Some websites allow you to see a map view of where delays are happening at both your origin and destination airports, enabling you to identify patterns and plan your arrival at the airport accordingly. You could also ask a gate attendant at the airport where your plane should land (if you are on its gates side, past security checkpoint); most will gladly tell you roughly where it is and when it should arrive.
Take a look at the FAA website’s “plane status” option; this will display all aircraft in the country – including your flight’s plane – which could help determine how likely it is that it may be delayed and how much extra time should be allotted for arriving at your airport destination.
Flight delays often result from the “snowball effect”, in which planes on different runways are held up by delayed previous flights. To help prevent this scenario, try booking your connection flight as early as possible on each day; doing this may help ensure you can board it more quickly if there are delays.
4. Get a Weighted Blanket
If you enjoy weighted blankets and plan to bring one on your next trip, consider investing in a travel-sized version. Weighted blankets tend to be heavy; carrying one around an airport may prove cumbersome and even violate airlines’ baggage size/weight restrictions.
For your comfort, you should seek out a travel-sized blanket weighing less than 20 pounds, which should allow most adults to feel at ease while using it on an airplane flight. To be extra safe, opt for one that can be washed in the machine and air dried after each use for easier maintenance and clean-up.
As part of your preparations to travel with a weighted blanket, it’s wise to purchase and transport it using a bag designed specifically for that purpose. This will protect it from dust and other debris as you transfer from home to boarding area and ultimately airplane. If this option is unavailable to you, regular shopping or gym bags with handles could suffice as storage solutions.
Before booking your flight, contact the airline to discuss its baggage allowances for your ticket type and explain your need for a blanket without adding more stress to your journey.
As part of your travel experience, be as comfortable as possible on an airplane. There are various reasons for using a weighted blanket while traveling – including deep pressure stimulation to relax and sleep through your flight. Following these steps can ensure a more pleasant journey and arrive at your destination feeling well rested and stress free.
Have you ever experienced an airplane ride where all you want to do is sleep? If that is the case for you, then you understand the frustration associated with trying to sleep on an aircraft and waking up feeling jet-lagged. With these air travel tips in mind, however, your flight should go more smoothly and allow for restful journey.