Reducing Red-Eye Frustration

Posted Apr 14, 2006 by Chris Chmura

Updated Apr 14, 2006 at 12:16 PM

17 hours on an airplane.

A friend of the family is headed to Africa and that’s how long her flight is from Atlanta. For me, that’s 17 hours of bliss, especially if it involves night flying; for just about everyone else it’s something to dread.

It doesn’t have to be that bad.

Simple steps can help make a red-eye more tolerable. Here are a few suggestions from my personal arsenal of travel tips:

+ Bring your own mini-pillow, even if it’s a silly looking blow-up model. Most airlines have cut pillows and blanket to save money, so you’re really on your own anyway.

+ Pack eye covers. Sleeping goggles are a god send. It never fails that the guy next to you is an insomniac who’ll keep his reading light on from take-off to touch-down. Plan accordingly to block those unwanted rays. 

+ An extra pair of clean socks in your carry-on is a great way to refresh your feet at 30,000 feet. Get them from the dollar store so you can ditch them if they get too dirty in the cabin.

+ Moist towelettes. The next time you eat ribs at Sonny’s, ask the server for a handful of extras. Stick them in your bag. Eight hours into the 17 hour flight you’ll be delighted to have something handy to wipe your hands and face. The alternative is frightening; you really don’t want to use an airplane’s lavatory water to wash anything on or near your body.

+ Lotion. This suggestion comes from my wife Nicole. She’s a voracious proponent of bringing lotion, even if it is relatively heavy and potentially messy. Let your dry skin make the call.

+ At first, I thought earplugs were a waste of precious packing space. I’m now a believer. They’re cheap and extremely effective when two people who can’t control their voices successfully overpower the roar of the engines with an absurd conversation about annual sales figures of laminate flooring samples. In a pinch, I’ll use large headphones as a substitute.

+ Get good headphones. As is the case with on-board blankets and pillows, airline headphones stink too. A personal pair of noise cancelling headphones would be best, but they can be pricey ($40-$300) too. Even the least expensive ones you can find will be better than the things Delta will give you for $5.00.

+ Music & movies. There’s a reason airline movies are so bad: The good ones are expensive, and airlines are generally stingy. Bring your own entertainment. Take a portable DVD player or computer and check with your airline to ensure your seat has a power port.

This list could go on and on. Yours will too.

Business class passengers get an ‘amenity kit’ with their $6,000 seats. For a few dollars you too can enjoy the little comforts that help them arrive refreshed.

Think about the things that make you relax at home and consider those items for your flight… Just try to choose small and lightweight items so you can keep your carry-on load to a minimum.