Downgrading your cabin during the credit crunch doesn’t have to mean hours of misery. Business Traveller reveals how to ease the pain
The best that can be said about long-haul Economy Class is that it’s a value-for-money product. Whereas airlines’ First and Business Classes attract all the glamour and get roomier year on year, it’s fair to say that Economy Class has been downgraded over time. First Class passengers now luxuriate in so much space it can hardly be measured, while over the past 20 years, Business Class travellers have seen their legroom increase from 40 to 80 inches, their angle of recline go from moderate to fully horizontal, and their elbow room double, with the number of seats across on a wide-bodied plane decreasing from eight to four.
Over the same period, the poor old Economy Class passenger has been squeezed from all sides, with less sideways space and reduced legroom. And matters can only get worse as airlines seek to cut costs in any way they can. Such cost stripping can be seen in the way that airlines continually squeeze more seats into their planes. Go back 14 years to when the first Boeing B777 took to the skies, and you would have found Economy passengers seated nine across in a relatively spacious cabin. Today, several carriers are moving to 10 across, with Emirates setting the standard and Air France and KLM beginning to follow suit.
The airlines are not entirely to blame for this unhealthy situation – when American Airlines tried to offer passengers more comfort in 2000, taking out 7,200 Economy seats across its fleet to increase legroom, it was forced to shelve the offering only three years later. “The initiative was launched during a period of healthy yields and robust business travel,” an AA spokesperson explains. “But following the events of September 11, reduced demand led to lower fares, while operating costs remained high. Having fewer seats on the aircraft placed us at a real disadvantage compared with competitor airlines, and as a result, most of the seats were replaced.”
So surviving Economy Class is becoming more of a challenge. Some travellers get by with the inflight entertainment onboard or by bringing their own gadgets with them. Others are cannier, seeking out specific aircraft or zones in certain planes where they can enjoy more space or expect to have a more peaceful flight. Here, then, are some tips for improving your Economy Class journey.
1. SHOP AROUND
…for better seats. The rear cabin on the upper deck of Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A380 is quieter and has eight-across rather than 10-across seating. United Airlines’ Economy Plus offers more legroom. Mileage Plus members may be given a seat here without a full-fare ticket, but others can gain access by upgrading at the airport or paying US$349 for an annual pass that grants a seat in the zone where available. From December, all KLM’s intercontinental aircraft will have an Economy Comfort zone, with more legroom and twice the recline (though note some of its B777s have dense 10-across seating). It will cost US$119 to US$223 each way (free for Flying Blue platinum members and those with a fully-flexible ticket, discounts for gold and silver members).
2. CHECK OUT SEATPLANS.COM
Select your airline and where you are travelling to and you will see the layout of the plane. There are tips and reviews explaining where the best seats are.
3. WEAR FLIGHT SOCKS,
…which help to prevent deep-vein thrombosis – also known as Economy Class syndrome. Sitting still for long periods of time while flying can increase the chance of fatal blood clots, but compressional socks improve circulation and ease “jumpiness” in the legs. Try Scholl’s.
4. CHECK THE AIRLINE
…you are flying with has got good inflight entertainment in its Economy Class. It is also worth checking which aircraft you are flying on, as some do not have individual screens, or may offer audio-visual on-demand on particular aircraft only. Visit www.seatplans.com to make comparisons between airlines.
5. BUY A LARGE BOTTLE OF WATER
…after security so you won’t have to rely on being handed small cups at random intervals. It is important to drink plenty of water as you can become dehydrated in the air, especially when sleeping on night flights.
6. WEAR LOOSE CLOTHING
…without restrictive waist bands and take off any belts and jewellery. Female travellers should wear trousers so they can stretch out comfortably, and underwired bras should be avoided. It’s also worth packing a pashmina as they’re far better than the supplied blankets.
7. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE
…your own entertainment with you as some airlines have limited inflight offerings. Take a laptop or portable DVD player with a selection of your favourite films, or an MP3 player uploaded with music or audio books, a Playstation Portable or playing cards. If you like to read, take your own mini torch as the lights in Economy are not always well directed.
8. TAKE YOUR OWN HEADPHONES
…as the ones you get in Economy can be poor. Try Sennheiser PXC 350 noise-cancelling ones – they were designed for pilots, so are great at blocking out aircraft sound. As the sockets differ on planes, you might not be able to plug them in, so bring your own personal entertainment system to use with them.
9. PUT TOGETHER
…your own luxury amenity kit, including ear plugs, eye mask, toothbrush and paste, hairbrush, deodorant, lip balm, wet wipes and face cream. Try Ren’s new Mayday Mayday Rescue Balm, which is great for dry hands and lips. ?Natura Bisse Oxygen Complex is a light but effective moisturiser and you can buy it as part of the Natura Bisse Travel Kit.
10. CHOOSE THE TIME
…of your flights wisely. Day flights are normally preferable to overnight services because of their more civilised timings. You might incur extra hotel expenses, but you should be able to get some work done on the flight, and it may be better than enduring a night flight with little sleep and being unproductive the next day because of tiredness.
11. OPT FOR A SEAT
…in the emergency exit row for extra legroom. This may be difficult to obtain with most carriers, but some, such as Virgin Atlantic, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, will let you book more legroom for a fee.
12. IF TAKING A FLIGHT
…operated by a B777, avoid those carriers that operate them in a 10-across configuration, as the seating is truly dense. Go for an airline that has nine-across seating, such as BA, Delta or Etihad.
13. PACK A TRAVEL PILLOW
…as they are more comfortable than the ones supplied on the plane. Try the Jet Sleeper, which straps to the armrest so it doesn’t slip. Inflatable pillows are a good bet too.
14. MOVE AROUND
…as much as you can. You can move your feet in circles while sitting down to keep your blood circulating. Many airlines have information on exercises you can do in your seat on their websites and onboard. Try a spot of inflight yoga (download audio classes for US$5) or relieve stress by meditating.
15. TAKE EYE DROPS,
…as the air conditioning onboard can make your eyes dry and uncomfortable, particularly if you wear contact lenses.
16. IF YOU ARE A SMOKER,
…buy nicotine gum or try a Supersmoker electronic cigarette – you should be allowed to take a few puffs as it is not real smoke.
17. WINDOW SEATS
…are good on night flights (unless you have a weak bladder) as sitting in one of these means you avoid having people climbing over you and waking you up. Change into a tracksuit before settling down as it’s much more comfortable to sleep in, and you can change into fresh clothes before landing. Take sleeping pills or pack some valerian herbal tea bags (request a cup of hot water from the crew) if you want to sleep the whole way. Alternatively, stay awake to adjust to the new time zone you are entering, but make sure you get some decent kip the night before.
18. DON’T LOOK
…at the passengers in business class – it will wind you up. Be as friendly as possible to the flight attendants as they can make all the difference to your journey.
19. BUY A PACKED MEAL
…airside so you don’t have to endure awful Economy Class cuisine – for instance, Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food at London Heathrow Terminal 5 offers three-course Plane Picnics for £11.95/US$20. Alternatively, eat at one of the airport restaurants before you fly. Pack some healthy snacks to nibble on, and if you don’t feel like a heavy meal, don’t have one. If you’re on a night flight, avoid eating red meat as it is harder to digest.
20. AVOID DRINKING TOO MUCH
…alcohol during the flight as it is dehydrating and you may feel the effects more in the air. Don’t drink much the night before you fly, either, as there’s little worse than sitting through a long-haul flight with a hangover.
21. REMEMBER THAT
…being a member of any frequent flyer programme normally gives you the right to check in or select a seat further in advance.
