headphones unable to hear what is happening over
the PA. You should always be aware of your surroundings when traveling in the air.
DURING THE FLIGHT
Think of this as “free time.” You are completely
free to do whatever you need to get through this
long 13 hour flight. Be considerate of the hundreds
of other passengers around you who are also trying
to make the best of the long flight. Read your book,
listen to music, eat all your snacks! Do whatever
makes you feel comfortable.
It is important to drink a lot of water. Bring an
empty bottle through security and fill it up at the
airport. Get up every couple of hours and stretch
your legs out. Try to get some sleep! If you can’t
sleep, do some work on your laptop or watch a
movie on your setback monitor, it’ll help bring on
the Z’s.
With all of that, I will say that air travel can be
incredibly stressful. From packing to security to
the flight itself. This holds true whether the flight is
45 minutes or 13 hours. Sometimes the best thing
to do is to politely introduce yourself to the person
next to you and go through it together. I have made
unbreakable friendships through traveling around
the world, and isn’t that just what life is all about?
About the Author
BADASS TIP: Flight attendants are required by
the FAA to do cabin walk-throughs every 15 minutes or less. If you need something, instead of
ringing your call bell and potentially waking up or
disturbing other passengers, just wave down your
attendant when they become present.
WHEN IT IS ALL OVER
YOU DID IT! The aircraft touched down, the seatbelt sign has turned off and everyone is scrambling
to get off the big metal tube! Make sure you have
all of your belongings. It is not easy to get back any
items that you have left on a plane. More than likely, this plane will be heading to another destination
in a few short hours and once it’s gone it’ll be hard
to get anything left behind back. Throw away any
trash that you have and thank the attendants and
pilots on your way out the door!
BADASS TIP: When you reach your destination, it
is important to accustom yourself to the new time
zone as soon as possible. If you arrive at 8am, do
your best to stay up that day and sleep through the
night. Likewise, if it is 10pm, get into bed and rest
even if you aren’t tired. This will help your body
adjust quicker so you can make the most of your
vacation!
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Zachary Leo is a New York based flight attendant
trying to find his way around the world
zacharyleo.com