How-to Best Prepare Yourself for Travel by Airplane

[yittz]

Cathay Pacific 1992 and 1995.

United 2008. Worst airline I've ever been on. Dislike the workers in American airports. Not so helpful. I missed my transfer flight because one of the security guard decided to take his time and act all authoritive, note to self - do not bring metal tendon hammer on carry on luggage.

[PJ]

I always wanted to fly on a cozy airplane like this:

[blueberry]

Guys how do you deal with the dryness? My lips and mouth gets real dry in a long flight, and difficulty breathing as my nose starts hurting from breathing in cold dry air. I keep drinking water, but that doesn't help much and makes me visit the loo lots.

Use lipbalm to prevent dry lips?

I remember back in the good ol' days when eye patches, toothbrushes/paste, socks were provided by the airlines.

Nowadays my food tray is stained, the pillow seems to be used, the ear phones are broken, the tv screen flickers, or maybe that's just United.

I still get the free stuff from SQ (Newark-Singapore) flight in 2006.

Cathay Pacific 1992 and 1995.

United 2008. Worst airline I've ever been on. Dislike the workers in American airports. Not so helpful. I missed my transfer flight because one of the security guard decided to take his time and act all authoritive, note to self - do not bring metal tendon hammer on carry on luggage.

For US Domestic flights, I seriously hate Continental back in 2006 (it was my domestic flight before SQ). The stewardess was so rude to the Chinese group in the plane. I was so amazed watching her being that rude. I had fight with the check-in counter manager & staff because they were complete *******s. I hate Continental so much, I swore I will never fly with it again. I refuse to give my money to them for any reasons at all.

[cheek]

I remember back in the good ol' days when eye patches, toothbrushes/paste, socks were provided by the airlines.

Nowadays my food tray is stained, the pillow seems to be used, the ear phones are broken, the tv screen flickers, or maybe that's just United.

Yup, it's just United. Asian airlines are much better in terms of food, amenities and service. But if you are flying mainly within America, then I guess you have to put up with it.

To solve your dry lips/throat problem, invest in a chapstick and wear a mask. The mask keeps your throat moist and I think it really works. With the flu going on these days, might be a good idea to wear one anyway.

If your ears hurt, don't ever squeeze your nose and blow. Omg that is the worse idea ever, it hurts the eardrums. Buy some sweets or gum before the flight. Chew them during take-off or landing. Chewing or yawning helps.

If you really cannot sleep, ask for a glass of wine. Drinking at 30000ft doesn't make you more intoxicated. Also sleeping with your mouth open is more dehydrating than a glass of alcohol. So don't worry.

[rosely]

If your ears hurt, don't ever squeeze your nose and blow. Omg that is the worse idea ever, it hurts the eardrums. Buy some sweets or gum before the flight. Chew them during take-off or landing. Chewing or yawning helps.

I've got a very bad problem with this, my ears hurt very bad and not getting better days after the arrival. Is there prolly a problem with my ear in the first place?

[Ken Cheng]

Y
If you really cannot sleep, ask for a glass of wine. Drinking at 30000ft doesn't make you more intoxicated. Also sleeping with your mouth open is more dehydrating than a glass of alcohol. So don't worry.

I have a friend who has a fear of flying, but who must fly from time to time. What she does is that she drinks at the airport bar *before* getting on the plane, and then has someone practically carry her aboard the plane.

I've warned her, though, that someday, she'll be booked for a flight to Oakland, but somehow get flown to Auckland instead.

[cheek]

I've got a very bad problem with this, my ears hurt very bad and not getting better days after the arrival. Is there prolly a problem with my ear in the first place?

Nah I don't think so. I only get these problems when I have a cold and cannot make my ear 'pop'.

Then again, your problem sounds very serious! If you are a frequent traveller, maybe you should have them checked. I know how it hurts, man.

[rosely]

Nah I don't think so. I only get these problems when I have a cold and cannot make my ear 'pop'.

Then again, your problem sounds very serious! If you are a frequent traveller, maybe you should have them checked. I know how it hurts, man.

It's really irritating, as you say cannot make the ear pop. I try many things, chewing, drink etc even using a cotton bud but all is not working.

Maybe I really need to check with the doctor. Everytime I board a plane, I got this problem and it's really painful especially when the plane start descending for landing.

[Suet Seung]

I have these Radians earplugs, I didn't buy it for travel but for other unwanted noises. I think I'll give them a try when I travel.

[junny]

It's really irritating, as you say cannot make the ear pop. I try many things, chewing, drink etc even using a cotton bud but all is not working.

Maybe I really need to check with the doctor. Everytime I board a plane, I got this problem and it's really painful especially when the plane start descending for landing.

The difference in air pressure inside and outside your eardrum is causing the pain. If eating candy/gum, swallowing or yawning doesn't help, you should see a doctor and get medication for it before you fly. I used to suffer from this as a kid - it was really painful during and after the flight, and I couldn't hear a thing for a couple of hours after I stepped off the plane. But it got better as I grew older and now I don't have a problem when I travel.

http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformat...rsAltitude.cfm

[kay &!*]

It's really irritating, as you say cannot make the ear pop. I try many things, chewing, drink etc even using a cotton bud but all is not working.

Maybe I really need to check with the doctor. Everytime I board a plane, I got this problem and it's really painful especially when the plane start descending for landing.

omg i'm the SAME way.. it HURTS LIKE A *****. i wana cry everytime.. and yeah, i can't hear shit after getting off the plane either.. i feel as if i get more deaf by each plane ride i'm definitely going to visit my doctor before my flight to aussie.

[GuGu]

I have a friend who has a fear of flying, but who must fly from time to time. What she does is that she drinks at the airport bar *before* getting on the plane, and then has someone practically carry her aboard the plane.

I've warned her, though, that someday, she'll be booked for a flight to Oakland, but somehow get flown to Auckland instead.

yes, my friend also has a fear of flying so that's what we do when we travel. she always has to have at least 200 bucks for the bar, of course not for herself, but also for me and another friend cause she forces us to drink. ^_^

[rosely]

I read from Junny's links:

The ear specialist may need to release the pressure or fluid with a small incision in the ear drum.

Yaaah!!, so scary and need incision. Did I need to do that each time after boarding a plane - yay

I got another 13 hours flight in about 2 months, really need to find a GP ASAP.

[kay &!*]

I read from Junny's links:



Yaaah!!, so scary and need incision. Did I need to do that each time after boarding a plane - yay

I got another 13 hours flight in about 2 months, really need to find a GP ASAP.

try this method.
before an hour boarding the plane, take sudafed.
just before departure, put on earplugs.
while on the plane, sip on water and yawn frequently.
since it's a long ride, take advil/tylenol mid-way the flight.
an hour before landing, take another sudafed.

my friend SWEARS by this method.. like you, her ears were really bad.. to the point where she couldn't help but started crying. that's how my ears are on the plane too i also have a long flight coming up so i'm definitely going to do what she suggested.

[rosely]

try this method.
before an hour boarding the plane, take sudafed.
just before departure, put on earplugs.
while on the plane, sip on water and yawn frequently.
since it's a long ride, take advil/tylenol mid-way the flight.
an hour before landing, take another sudafed.

my friend SWEARS by this method.. like you, her ears were really bad.. to the point where she couldn't help but started crying. that's how my ears are on the plane too i also have a long flight coming up so i'm definitely going to do what she suggested.

Thanks Kay, yeah I read that, using the decongestion pill, I will definitely try that. There is no way I will let the GP put a knife in my ear and cut it to make an incision.

Yeah, it's really hurt, if I'm a girl I'm sure cried LOL. It's like the ear drum going to burst out but can't. It's really painful and irritating. My right ear can't hear properly for 3 days straight after the flight.

[cheek]

Is the incision permanent? Might not be that bad an idea and I don't think you will feel the pain during the procedure anyway. But of course, taking a pill is a wayyyy cheaper option. Poor you. I hope Kay's suggestion works for you, it must suck to hurt that bad.

[Suet Seung]

Useful tip:

Check your flight status. Before you leave for the airport, go to flightstats.com for up-to-date arrival and departure information at most major airports (along with estimated wait times for security lines).

Source: http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/...244/index.html

[Suet Seung]

Luggage 101:
http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/...593/index.html

Vacation Essentials Check-list (goes beyond the clothes)
http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/...225/index.html

How to Pack a Suitcase wisely:
http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/...225/index.html

More tips on Travel:
http://browse.realsimple.com/work-li...vel/index.html

[rosely]

The alcohol wipes (from those Essentials check-list) is very important and handy. Better than the face-mask which lots of people using it. Which is just scary when people look at it. The virus can go into the system through hand-touch, even by touching eyes or ear which is not covered by the face-mask.

The H1N1 infection is most of the time happen through surface touching and not airborne. The airborne infection can happen if one stay near to someone infected and this person sneezing and you touch or inhale (eewww) the droplets.

So while traveling, the alcohol hand wipes is very handy because even if one wash their hand in the rest-room, one still have to touch the door handle etc after that. So better to wipe your hand with the alcohol wipes after you visit public places (rest-room, bars, pubs etc), well just in case, better be safe than sorry.

Anyway, hand-wipes is cool, coz Mr Monk do it all the time LOL (j/k)

[NuDaFu]

OMG! I wouldn't mind travelling in a plane looking like that in the interior.

I have a friend who has a fear of flying, but who must fly from time to time. What she does is that she drinks at the airport bar *before* getting on the plane, and then has someone practically carry her aboard the plane.

I've warned her, though, that someday, she'll be booked for a flight to Oakland, but somehow get flown to Auckland instead.

That's hilarious! One of my future dinner stories .

The difference in air pressure inside and outside your eardrum is causing the pain. If eating candy/gum, swallowing or yawning doesn't help, you should see a doctor and get medication for it before you fly. I used to suffer from this as a kid - it was really painful during and after the flight, and I couldn't hear a thing for a couple of hours after I stepped off the plane. But it got better as I grew older and now I don't have a problem when I travel.

Difference in air pressure affects everyone - whether or not one reacts to it depends on the condition of your inner ear and/or Eustachian tube. The reason why there was a change from kid to adult may've been based on the change in physical angle of your ET. I don't believe it is due to the angle change itself, as a slanted ET logically should make the problem worse - may be existing physical blockages (e.g. wax, excessive fluid) were cleared away after ET change, and therefore made the ET more capable of handling pressure differences? Hard to tell without a full childhood med history.

Thanks Kay, yeah I read that, using the decongestion pill, I will definitely try that. There is no way I will let the GP put a knife in my ear and cut it to make an incision.

Yeah, it's really hurt, if I'm a girl I'm sure cried LOL. It's like the ear drum going to burst out but can't. It's really painful and irritating. My right ear can't hear properly for 3 days straight after the flight.

This is a really stab in the dark, but if your GP hasn't picked up on any physical obstructions, and it seems your ears only get blocked/hurt during flight, it seems logical that it happens only during that specified flight time? Maybe the inflammatory response of your inner ear and/or ET is particularly sensitive, or even lymphatics aren't draining properly for you? Air pressure differences of course can affect fluid pressure - if pent up fluid pressure in the local area of your ear builds up, it could simulate a mild inflammatory response (maybe minus the heat) and lead to either a temporary physical deformation/obstruction that may not only explain pain, but also affect hearing disturbance. Can explain why the usual remedies of yawning, pulling ear, chewing gum doesn't work, because they're all aimed at re-establishing pressure difference between ear and environment by physically shifting the ET.

Your GP wants to make an incision in your ear to fix your problem during flight? Not that I'm doubting his/her decision without knowing the medical reasoning behind it, but I do wonder why this procedure should take place at all and if or if not it is evidence based. Conventional medicine after all is supposed to be EVB (evidence based medicine). If it isn't EVB - which interestingly can be the case - I'd question the pathophysiological reasoning for using the minor surgery.