[AllOverTheGaff]

Whilst booking a few sectors with the excellent Tim Fitzgerald for next year, we were looking at a couple of options from Rio de Janeiro to North America.

I flew this route a few short weeks ago from Mexico City to Rio de Janeiro and I used Copa Airlines through Panama. Now, Copa are nothing to write home about, it is a bigger seat with ancient movies on a wind-up tv! However, it was a DAY flight departing MEX at 09:15 or something and arriving GIG at just before midnight with not too long a connection at PTY.

Today I am looking at flying in reverse from Rio to Vegas and my options were:
1) United via IAH on lie flats departing 22:50
2) AA via MIA on lie flats departing 23:55
3) Copa via PTY on a big seat as outlined above but departing 09:15 arriving 22:25

I’ve gone for option 3 as it almost doesn’t matter which airline I am with, I never get a proper nights sleep on-board, I often get 4 or 5 hours but it is a broken/uncomfortable sleep unless I am F with Lufthansa or EK as both offer very comfortable and private beds. I am dying to try AF La Premiere next year but their price point was 4 times that of J on the sector I am flying so I don’t need it in my life that much!

I’m curious if other seasoned travellers are the same, is a day-time flight with a lesser hard-product preferable to an overnight in J?

Rgds,
AOTG.

3 users thanked author for this post.

fatbear, Tom Otley, Bullfrog

[GivingupBA]

Are “other seasoned travellers … the same, is a day-time flight with a lesser hard-product preferable to an overnight in J”?

I am the same. I used to be fine on a 12-hour overnight flight in J, but am no longer. I just hate any overnight flight now, no matter how comfortable. I’d rather be in Premium Economy on a daytime flight.

For this reason I used to love the CX daytime flights from HKG to LHR in J. They were the best.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Bullfrog

[MartynSinclair]

……and I was having exactly the same conversation with the same fantastic agent albeit about a different route. I have just experienced 2 x 12 hour sectors, one a half day and half night flight and the other a day flight. Sorry to open up a can of worms, but my ability to sleep is purely down to the number of howling children in business class where parents are clueless how to amuse their little charges.

I accept everyone has a right to sit in any class, but I would prefer a child free zone so I am guaranteed not to have to suffer crying babies or howling bored children intent on waking people up. I know this is probably a politically incorrect statement, but I pay for business class so I can sleep… and be able to maximise my work time when I arrive at my destination.

I far prefer night flights; for me a good nights sleep on a long-haul, generally eliminates all jet lag.

7 users thanked author for this post.

Vistaro, MarkCymru, BPP, stevescoots, fatbear, Polly, Bullfrog

[Bullfrog]

My preference is for a day flight over a night flight, but it’s dependent on flight schedules.

At 6’2 inches tall, J class on any flight more than 4 hours is usually a must. When in the Caribbean or East coast and using Avios, my first choice is the day light Virgin or BA flight ex New York or Boston.

When heading to the USA, I’ll aim for a flight arriving about 16,00 in US, so that by the time I get to my hotel, unwind, swim and eat, I can go to sleep around 7 or 8pm.

Arriving in the USA from U.K. around lunch time makes for a very long day and significant jet lag.

1 user thanked author for this post.

BPP

[rferguson]

My preference is more down to seat than day or night.

I would not want to spend twelve hours in a recliner whether it was through the day, or the night.

It’s not just about the sleep, sometimes I just enjoy being able to change positions regularly 🙂

Those recliners make my back ache terribly after a couple hours.

4 users thanked author for this post.

BPP, Jacob, ASK1945, Ekond222

[nevereconomy]

I hardly sleep regardless of time of flight or class.SYD-LA wide awake the whole way is not fun, but would still prefer to be comfortable and a bit pampered while
I wish I was like the folks who are tucked up 5 minutes after departure and wake just before landing.

[esselle]

I used to dread the eastbound JFK-LHR flight as sleep was near impossible and you arrived early morning into UK.

Daytime CX HKG-LHR was always good.

Worst ever was Concorde JFK-LHR. Leave Kennedy about 14.00, arrive 3 or so hours later at LHR and add 5 hours time difference so effectively 10.00 pm local time. Into bed in central London by midnight, except that was 7.00 pm body clock time. Fall asleep around 3.00 am local time, and wake up3 hours later for a day’s work. LHR-JFK timings were much kinder.

{content}

[Mark]

That’s Me😴😴😴👍

[BPP]

[postquote quote=1328350]

[BPP]

Hi Bullfrog, It sounds that like me you are getting older!!
BPP

[DavidSmith2]

The Accra-London route is the only regular longhaul flight I do. It’s 23.00 to 5.30 outward from Accra, and then 14.00 to 20.30 back from London. So I usually book WTP for the flight, then use miles to upgrade the outward (overnight) leg. It works pretty well most times. The only issue is that a 23.00 flight means you pass on dinner or survive on a 3.5 hour sleep.

[wingcommander]

Mrs WC and I are about to trial the day flight from EWR to LHR in 2 weeks. We have always previously returned on the overnight flight(s) and for many of the reasons outlined, we’ve found catching some quality sleep nigh impossible so, we thought we’d give it a go and see if arriving back in to GLA around 22:30 leaves us better prepared to adjust. 🤞

[LuganoPirate]

A little bit late to this – apologies.

My preference is day flights, or flights that land before midnight.
No matter the bed on LH or EK (or other airlines) I never find them that comfortable. There’s always a bump, metal bar or something and the flight seems endless.
The best sleep I ever had though was with LH, flying JFK-FRA on the 747-400 where in the First cabin they had a proper flat bed with the seat next to it.

However, on day flights, I sleep like a baby. I recline the seat slightly, start to read and I’m out like a light. Mind you, to be honest it’s much the same at home! 😉

1 user thanked author for this post.

AMcWhirter

[K1ngston]

Bar Humbug Martyn!!! Banish them I say….. Have a few tipples and then let the little angels play or noise cancelling headsets work for me 🙂

[Tom Otley]

Talking of sleeping on flights.. this piece by Oliver Ransom of Airline Revenue Economics looks at which business class seat – BA’s or Virgin’s – delivers the most sleep

“BA’s Club delivers up to 3.8% (7 minutes) more sleep per passenger than Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class. All in all the two competitors seem closely matched. Read on to find out how I worked that out…”

https://revman.substack.com/p/battle-of-the-beds

[Author]

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