brisbec

Flew BA the first time on my own - got mightily drunk as it was the first time for something like 15 years that I'd been in a passenger plane. I was in the RAF and had got free flights in fast jet aircraft where you get a lovely thing called a parachute, so I was kinda freaked out, when I looked under my seat to find a bright yellow thing that is supposed to save my life!!! The stewards were great, actually, he got a little bit annoyed with me pressing the buzzer for more beer, so he just brought me a carrier bag full

2nd time was with Singapore Air and a 6mth old. Stewardesses were fan bloody tatstic!!! My daughter was waking just as I was nodding off and once I'd got used to the fact that they couldn't take her anywhere, I allowed them to coo over her while I had an hour.

As for jetlag, I only suffer when I come back to the UK and both times it's taken me a good 5 - 6 days to become human again.

Best thing about flying - cheap cigarettes
Worst thing - the fact that you can only bring 200 back from outside Europe!!!!

Brisgal

Lots of interesting stories and great tips here.

I like the look of those new sleeper bed seats in British Airways.. imagine being able to lie flat and have a decent kip....

can never get comfy on those economy seats...... zzzzzz makes me tired just thinking about it!! LOL

Still I marvel at air travel..my boyfriend and I love planes and the whole travel experience....

My mum always says she can't wait for the beam me up scotty option...

happy travels folks!

jandjuk

I hate air travel...

I hate take off, I hate landing, and I tolerate everything in between as long there's no strange noises.

I hate the idea that if we're going down, I'll have time to think about it - that terrifies me.

I hate the fact I can't sleep unless I'm lying down - so I manage only a few hours in a 11 hour flight - which makes it a long journey.

I do like the video seat backs though - the games and the movies, the map, and the cameras on the nose - that's cool.

But otherwise, give me a train anyday...

chris hogan

Last year flew to Bulgaria with crackpot airlines TERRIFIED. I think it is, as was mentioned earlier we worry more about not being able to do much for kids if anything did happen.Flying back from Bulgaria last year I heard and felt a large vibration below me seat.
First time I thought it was the wheels going in 2nd and 3rd time I knew they only put the wheels away once:scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:
This was then happening every couple of minutes(blubber blubber)It turns out I was sitting over the toilet pump/tank.By the time my legs had recovered I made good use of that pump

Simone

Oh, what a great topic!
I just love flying!!
First flew to Aus when I was 5, stopped over in Maldives. Still have video to prove it, yum yum!
Also love airports! When I was a kid we'd have to go to Perth International Airport in the middle of the night to pick up rellies who flew in from Europe. Flights always came in middle of the night. Loved it, and loved the escalators and watchting plane land and waiting at gate for people to come out.
Anyway love long hauls. Hardly sleep, just read and watch movies. Love looking out window (seeing the lighted oil fields of Suadi Arabia.
I like take off and landing. Sometimes get sore ears but am usually ok.
Never had jet lag. Must be cos I'm young :P Wonder how it'll be next year, now I'm officially an adult!

favourite stopover destinations?
Maldives, but don't actually remember.
Bali- stopped there 4 days in 1996, I was 14. Got plaits and beads in my hair, yippeeeee But Bali was very touristy and busy.
In 2000 we had a one hour stopover in Singapore. Went in Cactus Garden, nice and humid!
Bad experience: stopping over in Kuala Lupur or something with a P in the middle east when I was 14. Had to go to toilet and it was really busy and there were only those hole in ground ones! Aaaaaahhhhh nightmare! So I didn't go!

your airline of choice?
Don't care. Have been in Singapore Airlines, Garuda, KLM, BA, Qantas.
the beef or the fish?
Fish.
Oh, I just love (the) food I always want to try everything so I make sure my bfriend chooses other thing, so we can swap. Just love all the little packages!

best duty free item?
none, is still to expensive....

bondipom

You do not need a visa on a British passport (not sure about Aussie) and yes you will have to go through customs and immigration. Very efficient when compared to Heathrow or Kingsford Smith

Pollyana

Thanks again Bondipom - well informed as ever! & having experienced both Kingsford Smith (twice) and Heathrow (too many times to think of), its good to know that Hong Kong is nothing like them!:scared:

steandleigh

Don't really enjoy the long haul flights, ( kids aged 5 and 2 ), but they are very well behaved and sleep unnervingly well! ( must be all that red wine i passed off to them as ribena!!! )

Don't mention fish to me - was served a very nasty dish of sweet and sour fish with plain pasta on our flight from bangkok to london. Will be requesting child meals for all of us in future as they were way more palatable.

Don't mind take off or landing - I hate turbulance. bangkok to sydney - didn't think we were going to make it. I'm no wuss, it was very frightening, like being on the big dipper for a good 40 minutes. Even the cabin crew were starting to look a bit scared.

I prefer to look upon long haul flights as a game of japanese endurance! 22hours of solid agony in a cramped tin. ( with kids! )

Oh well, it's worth it eh?!!!

Simone

Oh, I love turbulence! So cool! But maybe because I've never had it really bad before......
I guess I wouldn't be enjoying myself in a big storm!

Badge

we had turbulence once coming back fom the US in 1995. we were watching the dream nightmare scene from Apollo 13 when everything goes wrong - the astronauts are tumbling through their capsule etc - just then the plane went through the worst turbulance I've ever encountered - eveyone SCREAMED. meself included.

It was better than IMAX.

bundy

I've always wondered about the sailing option too...how d'ya manage that one?

podgypossum

OK..everyone can let out a big cheer... i'm gonna be negative now!!

The flight to NZ was one of the worst experiences of my life. I hated every single moment of it, and i never want to do it again.... there... i said it..

ohsohopeful

I'd also be interested to hear about options other than flying. My Mum has had surgery on her middle ear and isn't sure if she'll be able to fly out to visit us. I said I would book her on a cruise if that's what it takes for her to see Oz but have no idea what's available.

Simone

My parents first looked into going back to Holland (from Oz) by boat.
I think it was going to be with a freight ship which had some cabins for passengers. We would've gone through the suez canal.

I think we didn't do it in the end cos it was expensive, and in the end we didn't have that much time. I'd ask my parents but my dad is away this week, and I don't think my mum'll know much about it....

But usually this isn't an option. I think it would be a lot of hassle and a lot of money and time to arrange it. But if you're desperate or very eager, who knows!

Badge

yeah would be interesting to see the cost - do you have to do it as part of a posh cruise (££££) or can you get on a 'cargo' ship in steerage etc

bet its more than 10 pounds the POMS of the same name paid though.

badge