Can someone please tell me...
How do people over 5 foot tall manage on long haul flights. I went to Thailand a few years back and being 5'11" and built like a brick shithouse I was totally uncomfortable and restless the whole way there and back. My best friend wants me to visit her in New Zealand at some point in the future and I am aghast at the idea of sitting in a plane for 24 hours feeling like a very big sardine in a very small tin.

And don't get me started on aeroplane veggie food.
( girlinthehole, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:04, 17 replies)

The seats on long haul are probably bigger...
I think they are anyway. Though it's about the airline too. Fly with Ryanair and you're gonna have no leg room. Fly with British Airways and you get a bit more.
(Belgaer is, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:05, closed)

Go with Emirates
You fly to Dubai and get a night in a hotel there as part of the cost. Only a few hours, but it's worth it.

The onward leg is then via Singapore or the like, and you get out there to stretch your legs. The in flight entertainment is top notch and there's more room than on the average aeroplane.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:06, closed)

I might just sell my soul or my house....
and go business class.
( girlinthehole, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:10, closed)

I usually curl up
I'm 6'2" / 183cm. I usually scoot my bum forward, and draw my knees up so that they are against the seat in front of me. So my heels are as high as my seat.

As for the veggie food, depending on the airline, sometimes instead of requesting a vegetarian meal, you can request an Asian vegetarian meal or a Hindu vegetarian meal. Most people I've talked to about it consider them to be of higher quality. I requested the Hindu meal in 2005 on a Chicago-Tokyo flight. It was pretty good!
(chase, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:11, closed)

Don't fly Air New Zealand via LA
I'm the same height as you and had to sit in ridiculously cramped seats for two 12 hour flights with Air NZ. I nearly cried.

Also NEVER transit at LA. I hate to use an often over used phrase but you really are treated like cattle by the US Immigration. At least cattle wouldn't have to have their photo and finger prints taken.
(Errorist, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:14, closed)

thank you for making me glad to be short
I never have any trouble. T'other half tends to bag the aisle seat and stick his legs out, which has the added bonus of annoying the hell out of the trolley dollies.
(TheWeeWitch hasn't been here much recently .., Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:22, closed)

^This is all good to know, thanks..
As for my soon to be flight to America I shall be taking a packed lunch as American airlines idea of veggie food is an orange.
( girlinthehole, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:23, closed)

Business Class is great.....
big seats, hot and cold running booze, but it aint worth the price.. My company paid for the one time I flew it.
Basically get on the plane, eat the reconstituted cardboard that passes for airline food and then take 2 Nytol, and a glass of something alcoholic. Then its night night vienna for 15 hours straight.. put the seat back, and ignore the twunt in the seat behind who complains about legroom, you cant spend your life worrying about other people, it's every man/woman for him/herself on a long haul flight.
(Vic Flange, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:25, closed)

Faking it?
I use to have to fly to India and Thailand (from UK) quite often. Again 6+ ft, never a pleasent journey.
My work colleague who made similar journeys would always "injure" himself whilst at the airport resulting in strained knees, back, groin(?), and insist on being ugraded to first class.

"Neva 'ad the minerals" to try it myself, but it has worked.
(bugboybeast, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:38, closed)

or....?
About ten minutes after take-off, stand up, wave your arms above your head, and shout
"Allah achbar! Allah achbar!"

This is a special, secret stewardess code for "Give this nice young lady an upgraded seat."

(gets coat)
(bugboybeast, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:44, closed)

Yes, probably a good idea to take a lunch
I'm irritated that for my flights in December/January, there is not a single meal served on: St. Louis to NW Arkansas to LA to Honolulu to Dallas/Ft. Worth to St. Louis. I can understand flights 1, 2, and 5 having no meal, but if we're crossing half a f*cking ocean, they can at least give me a crust of bread. Oh well, I'm still happy, because I'm going to Hawaii.
(chase, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:52, closed)

That makes me glad I'm only 5'4"
*remembers to avoid long haul flights with bad seating*



*sighs*....ahhh...it's good to be home!
( flirting with badgers What? It sounded good at the time., Tue 3 Jun 2008, 18:57, closed)

Gah. Don't remind me.
My arse is still sore from the flight to England. The only thing that made it tolerable was sitting next to a pretty young girl with a good sense of humor. (Unfortunately she'd never heard of b3ta, though...)
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Tue 3 Jun 2008, 19:10, closed)

Always request an exit aisle seat
Unless you're flying with US air as they give their seats to the air stewards. You dont always get a tv screen, but it's worth it for the leg room.
( fuck shit up the best you never had, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 19:18, closed)

@Beckyjsbx
I asked for that seat when I last flew to America but as you said they give them to the stewards. I do ask for an aisle seat so I can stretch my legs plus I'm a bit claustraphobic so I don't like being in the middle.
( girlinthehole, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 19:29, closed)

Yeah, agreed about Emirates
I've flown long haul a few times with then, I'm 5'11" as well, and I've been fairly comfortable. Especially if you get a very early flight from London to Dubai, they're often almost empty and you can stretch out a bit (they do about 9 a day or something).
( zoldergoose, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 19:41, closed)

If you've got loads of time
travel overland to Singapore and then get a plane to NZ. If you have even more time, travel by boat via Indonesia and on to Darwin. From there, get a train to Sydney and then a boat to NZ.
( mistaspakkaman and the inedible shifting caterpillars, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 22:28, closed)