What are the conditions of long haul travel that make the difference as to how you ‘deplane’?
Some basic conditions inside the aircraft make a lot of difference: the cabin air supply of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus 380 is refreshed more frequently and the effect is noticeable. Noise levels are important too- the Boeing 787 is relatively quieter than most aircraft, especially older one and over a long time and even using noise cancelling headphones, excessive noise is very wearing. Beyond things like that we have choices that are likely to figure more highly in the kind of experience we have.
Are there things we can choose to do that improve our prospects for surviving in good order? I think there are two categories of choice:- what you are prepared to pay for and how you behave on the flight.
First and foremost, and to state the obvious, flying long haul has a deeply entrenched class system with significant differentials between prices. Business class will cost you up to three times economy with premier economy a poor middle course and first class is not usually worth mentioning unless someone else is paying, or, when luck is on your side, you are upgraded. This last is a dream but not always beyond the bounds of possibility. What you get for paying much more has to be worth it - and for the most part it is. When you are young and impecunious or have many mouths to feed, there is usually little choice but to go economy, but for anyone over 40, this is often not the case. Sometimes, we choose to take the cheapest option without questioning the logic of it when we are perfectly able to pay. It is really a matter of what priority we give to how we want to spend 24 hours handing over total control of our wellbeing on the basis of how much money we are prepared to pay. And have no doubt about it, choosing the cheapest option is a signal that you are prepared to take whatever you are given. If you are lucky enough to be able to pay more, such good fortune should not be avoided! We seem willing to pay large sums for cars with heated adjustable seats and yet sitting in them continuously for over ten hours is not something we choose to do, and for very good reasons. It seems that our serious need for air travel comfort is not always reflected in what we are willing to pay.
When I was in my fifties, having always travelled economy, I was felled by a serious back problem and after the agony of sitting upright on an unforgiving economy seat on a trip to Seattle from London, decided that I would fork out and go business. Having taken that step, there was no going back and I soon became expert in seating configurations and design. This had nothing to do with whether or not I had a window seat- my passion for staring down at the Himalayas, the Siberian steppes or the beautiful sight of Sydney harbour gave way to more practical concerns. The top priority was now being able to lie stretched out fully.
In those days, flat beds were virtually unknown even in business and the airlines advertised degrees of recline to tempt the weary traveller. Today it depends upon the aircraft and the airline but if you pay for business and do not get a flat bed, you are missing out on an essential condition for achieving a decent restful sleep during the flight. A flat bed combined with under mattress and duvet is a boon- never mind the pyjamas! It is even worth putting up with all the surrounding snorers in the ever-expanding business cabins.
Today flat bedding is heavily in demand and learning to sleep well throughout has become the signature of an experienced long haul traveller. So if your top priority is to rest by cocooning yourself in a sleep pod with noise cancelling headphones and the odd pill or two, a flat bed should be first on the list when organising your flights. If, on the other hand you see flying as an opportunity to discover a new you, make new friends and practice staying awake 24 hours, then there are other more important factors to take into consideration. For you the main question becomes can long haul flight provide something special for the dedicated party person?