You have booked your trip to Latin America – and it will start with your flight. Our 22 recommandations will help you better pass the time.
If you come from Paris you may have a direct flight with Air France from Paris. This will save you long hours waiting at various airports, but you will still have a flight that lasts 14 hours! Read on and find our tips to easily survive this international flight.
14 hours – that’s a very long time ! What could you do in a plane for 14 hours? You know that the flight will be punctuated by the service of meals and drinks. In addition, you will benefit from the “on-flight-entertainment” that will give you a great choice of movies and games.
But if you get bored anyway, what else can you do? How do you prepare for such a long flight to Chile ? Follow the guide and our recommandations for the best organisation before, during and after your flight !
Recommandations before you are leaving home
1) Make sure to well pack your hand luggage. Remember to bring a small kit with toileteries, toothpaste, toothbrush, a glove, face and hand cream to make you feel more comfortable to sleep. Be aware to take every item in the small, airplane-allowed size !
2) For people who wear eye lenses, think of what you need to remove them at night and put them back in the morning.
3) An antiseptic lotion for the hands is always useful.
4) Remember to bring your own headphones to connect to the Inflight Program. Not all airlines offer them for free or maybe you feel more comfortable with yours … In addition, it is a sustainable move.
5) Think about downloading podcasts or your favorite music list for the trip. You will have plenty of time to listen to them.
6) If you are prone to blood pressure or blood circulation problems, plan for retention socks that you put on before you leave.
7) If you can not stand the plane, are anxious or are afraid of not being able to sleep, see your doctor for light sleeping pills.
8) Think of wearing comfortable clothes for your long flight. You will be much more comfortable to sit and sleep.
9) Also plan for cervical cushions, an eye mask and earplugs to be able to “lock yourself in a bubble” to sleep.
10) Have your documents ready for the arrival: the address of your hotel to give it to the taxi driver and a phone number. If you take the bus, print the map to get to your destination.
11) Plan to go to the airport well in advance and not to get stressed. Once you have checked in your bags, you can enjoy and make some purchases in the Duty Free or simply sit in a café, watch the view and have a drink.
12) At the time of embarkation, two options are available to you. Either you get in the queue as soon as possible to be among the first on the plane (this is a good option if you have hand luggage to put in the compartments), or you sit quietly until the end of the boarding process and are amongst the last ones to get on the plane.
Recommandations during the flight
13) That’s it, you’re settled and the plane took off. Personally the beginning of each trip I spend time reading the newspaper I took while entering the plane and the Inflight-Magazine. Once finished reading, it’s already time for a small snack.
14) I then have a look at the list of movies at my disposal to make a choice. Although this is rather complicated – how to choose between so many movies?
15) Watching movies is a way to spend time on the plane, but of course you can also work on your laptop, read the travel guide to better prepare your trip or listen to a podcast that you have already downloaded in advance.
16) Do not forget to get up regularly. Take a few steps and small stretches in the aisles of the plane to stretch your legs. Do not forget to drink regularly.
17) Take the time to eat! In any case you will have to stay with your tray on your lap until you get rid of it. Just take the time to savor your meal.
18) Try to already adjust your body to the time of your destination. If you arrive in the evening, do not sleep during your flight, but on arrival, in a comfortable bed.
Upon arrival
You have survived the 14-hour flight and you finally arrive at the international airport. Unfortunately, this means that you still have to wait. Find some more tipps …
19) Before leaving the plane, take a look behind you to make sure you have not forgotten anything.
Now you will be redirected to the arrival hall of your suitcases – prepare yourself ! Last time I waited almost an hour to see my single suitcase arrive. I was already afraid it was lost.
20) There is not much to do in this hall, except talking with your co-passengers who are all in the same situation as you.
21) Have you finally recovered your luggage? Take one of the taxis at the stands always inside the lobby before going out to avoid being harassed by the taxistas.
22) As you have prepared your documents already in advance, just give the address to your taxi driver and go!
Let the adventure begin !
Traveling with baby – some more recommandations
Do you travel with babies? Remember to take enough diapers and products to clean your baby. It is also necessary to prepare the different ingredients you might need for the number of baby bottles during the flight. And why not small toys, foam books that do not make noise to not disturb your co-passengers.
For young children, take colored pencils, a coloring book with their favorite Walt Disney heroes. Also plan a book with their favorite stories, playing cards, stickers.
Another idea is the car games, adapted to the plane, style: “I see something green, what is it?” or for slightly older children: “Write down all the red objects you see, the one who found the most, wins”.
