Status: 09.09.2023, 15:38 p.m.
By: Anna Heyers
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Flight attendants spend a lot of time in the air due to their jobs. So it's no wonder they have the best tips and tricks for long flights.
Beth Windsor was a flight attendant for more than ten years. The kilometers she has flown in her life? Uncountable. But it is precisely for this reason that she is the ideal contact person when it comes to tips and advice for long flights. It doesn't matter whether it's where passengers should sit, how to sleep best or what clothes are most comfortable.
In the online magazine Insider, Beth reveals her best tips and gives future passengers a guide on how to arrive at their destination as rested and relaxed as possible.
The prize for the best seat goes to ...?
For Beth, the question of the best seat is clear. In Insider, she says, "Everyone has their own preferences, but for me, nothing beats a window seat." Although she admits that asking fellow passengers to get up can be a bit annoying when you have to go to the toilet, but: "The request to be allowed to leave the row of seats is worth it to have a place for my pillow and my own armrest."
However, there are also frequent disputes about the window seat: Either because it has been booked but is to be cleared for a child or because the panel (up or down) does not fit the fellow travelers.
Do not choose a seat too far forward or back
As a rule, you don't know who you'll be sitting next to when you're flying alone. But if you have the opportunity to choose a seat at check-in, you should take a good look at the boarding pass. Beth explains in the Insider that she would never book a seat "next to a toilet or a galley". "I know how loud and busy it will be there. I also avoid seats at the bulkhead. People with babies often book this area because bassinets, for toddlers, can be accommodated there." Bulkhead seats are the seats that are immediately behind the walls (bulkheads) of an aircraft. These separate, for example, different booking classes.
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Slip into comfortable clothes
For years, Beth had to "dress up" on her way to or for work, as she says. "It's hard to get out of the habit as a passenger." That's why she gets on the plane in a chic way, but changes her clothes as soon as the seat belt sign goes out – as one of the first to make sure everything is still fresh. "It's hard to predict how hot or cold it will be on a flight, so I usually take light, comfortable clothes with me to put in my carry-on luggage. I avoid tight cuffs and choose fabrics that don't wrinkle easily."
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Slippers as an alternative to socks
In the long run, shoes become uncomfortable, especially on long feet. That's why Beth advises slippers here: "I love taking the free slippers from hotels with me on long flights. They're perfect if you don't want to bother fellow travelers with your socks. They're also easy to put on and take off." Such slippers are particularly important for the way to and on the toilet – and the free hotel shoes can also be disposed of quickly after the flight.
Bring your own food
If you fly a lot due to your job, you also have numerous tips on how to make your life more comfortable high in the air. Flight attendants usually have quite a few of them up their sleeves. (Symbolic image) © imagebroker/Imago
"I don't rely on the food on the plane, which is not always the tastiest. The addition of salt and sugar, which is usually used, often causes dehydration and bloating," Beth reveals in the Insider. Instead, she takes food herself with her, such as sushi from the airport or healthy snacks such as vegetable sticks or nuts. When it comes to drinks, the former flight attendant refrains from alcohol: "To stay hydrated, I always take a lot of water with me on the plane, add electrolytes and drink most of it."
Spa moments on the plane: face mask and sunscreen
Flies, the sun's rays, temperature and dry air in the cabin have left a deep mark on Beth: "After struggling with the effects of flying on my skin for years, I always treat myself to a mini facial on long-haul flights. I use an intensely moisturizing sheet mask and gel pads for the eye area, then apply moisturizer and sunscreen (SPF 50)."
For shorter flights, she simply makes sure to apply a long-lasting and nourishing moisturizer for the face beforehand, as well as a vitamin C serum and, most importantly, a strong sun protection factor.