How to survive an ultra-long haul flight

What’s the best way to cope with 17 hours in an economy cabin?

Ultra-long haul is the new long-haul. Last month, Qantas completed its first non-stop flight from Perth, Australia, to Heathrow, London – 9,240 miles – in just over 17 hours. It’s a remarkably long time to be crammed into an airline seat. It’s also potentially dangerous, as being immobile for prolonged periods can lead to blood clots forming in your legs. Here are some things you can do to make your flight more bearable – and safer.

Move!

“Sitting is the new smoking,” says stretching expert Suzanne Wylde. “Our bodies depend on movement just to function normally, so I believe that the worst aspect of flying is that it is hard to stretch out or move much at all to get our blood circulating.” Wylde advises you should stretch before, during and after your flight. The charity Thrombosis UK advises that travellers should “try and move about every 90 minutes. If it’s not possible to get up and move about, do seated exercises such as ankle rotations and foot flexes.”

Drink! (Not booze)

There’s a lot of dry air in an aircraft cabin. The British Heart Foundation advises passengers should “keep well hydrated by drinking plenty of water and avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine during the flight”. Also, if you’re drinking loads of water, you will solve the immobility problem due to the number of times you will need to go to the lavatory.

Time travel

To avoid jet lag, try adjusting your watch or phone to the time zone of your destination. And then try and sleep. Maybe not for the whole 17 hours.

Be comfortable, not numb

It’s not a fashion show up there, and even if you look fantastic in skinny jeans, you won’t care after you have had your top button dig into your abdomen for 17 hours. Loose clothes or even pyjamas are the way to go.