Jessica Minh Anh is a Vietnamese supermodel and fashion show producer based in Paris
How many flights do you typically take per year?
I take about 30 to 40 flights per year. They are a combination of short flights between countries in Europe, and super long flights (up to 30 hours in some cases) across the pond between Europe and Asia, America, or Australia.
Any unusual equipment you fly with?
I personally don’t carry a lot of equipment, but I do travel with my makeup artists, hairstylists, and photographers who have the coolest advanced gadgets. In our latest trip to the Maldives, my hairstylist prepared wired hair structures for my looks which resulted in a bit of a surprise at the airport scanning counter.
Any flights in your life that stand out?
As I travel very frequently, I have many times celebrated special occasions in the air. I specifically remember my flight last New Year’s Eve from Paris to Hong Kong, which turned out to be a wonderfully memorable experience. Although I was surrounded by Aeroflot crew instead of my family, they made sure it was a celebration with champaign, music, glitter, gifts, and onboard Wifi so I could still Facetime my family.
How do you survive a long flight?
I am now very used to taking long flights so I am usually mentally prepared. I will take my makeup removal kit and hydrating facemarks on board so it is exactly like my before-bed routine, have the main onboard meal, watch a movie or two, then sleep. I will set my alarm to wake up in time to get ready before landing. In case I am on deadline and have a meeting right after I arrive, which happened on many occasions, I will skip the movies and shorten my sleep to work on my laptop. I think the most important thing to survive a long flight is to make full use of your time onboard instead of staying still waiting for arrival.
Ultimate dream destination and why?
I’ve had the privilege to travel to the most exotic and luxurious destinations, but never been to Africa. I would love to go on Safari and into the wild. Tanzania or Singita would be amazing I believe.
Loveliest souvenir you’ve ever come back with?
This might be unique to only my profession, but I usually have a beautiful photo frame which holds one of my iconic published fashion shots by the hotel that I would stay in. The latest one I brought back (for my mum’s souvenir collection mainly) was my frame from Peninsula Bangkok, and the one before that was from Plaza Athénée Paris.
Indispensable travel gadgets?
That would be my two power banks, a travel adapter (for 150 countries), a waterproof iPhone case, a travel size garment steamer (mine is Joy Mangano My Little Steamer), clip-on wide angle phone lens, and compression tights.
Most unusual place you have been
Definitely Gemasolar power plant in Seville, Spain. Not only being useful for generating electricity, this plant is absolutely visually attractive. It was made of thousands of shining mirrors arranged in the shape of a perfect circle. I produced the world’s first ever catwalk at a solar power plant here in 2015, and promoted renewable energy alongside fashion, which I am still very proud of.
How could airlines improve in-flight service
I am usually freezing onboard, so would be great if they could find ways to adjust the temperature, and have more blankets when needed. Also, I would recommend using sustainable straws and other items during the meal following the global movement towards sustainability.
Top travel tips
I always inform my banks before long travels or every six months so my cards are not automatically blocked in foreign countries. Also, it’s helpful to take extra credit/debit cards with you just in case.
I always have a sweater with me even if I’m flying to somewhere hot, as indoor air-conditioning can be really freezing.
Make sure your health insurance covers you at your new travel destination, or take a separate travel insurance every time.
No matter how excited you are to explore a new destination, make sure to rest enough during the trip to avoid getting overly exhausted or long jet leg after the trip. This is the tip I still have to remind myself of every time. It’s always easier said than done.
If you travel for a month or longer, try not to break your fitness routine as it’ll be harder to get back into it. I train with Elite Fitness on a regular basis, so when I travel, I still keep constant communication with my trainer who will encourage me to go to the hotel or local gym to at least do simple exercises every morning.
Be flexible to adapt to a new culture, pause to see the scenery with your own eyes instead of just through your camera lens, talk to the locals, and have fun!
