Edo

I am currently looking to book flight tickets between Manchester and Calgary. Just wondering if anyone has travelled on that route with an airline that offers flat beds in the business class? I know Canadian Affair operates directly between Manchester and Calgary but I am not sure if they have a business class in their fleet. I have some sleep issues and will have to be at work the next morning when I arrive in Calgary. So I think its a good idea to give my body time to rest on the way so that I can arrive fresh and get on with my work the next day. I don't mind taking a stopover on the way if theres no direct service.

Theoldfields

The Canadian Affair flights are with Air Transat or Thomas Cook and do not offer flat beds.

Aviator

The only way to go.

ninaDGBCA

You could fly or take the train from Manchester to London and then take Air Canada to Calgary. They offer flat beds.

airbornesapper

Air Canada lay flat beds/pods...not bad at all. Thanks to upgrades, I have enjoyed 22 of them in the last 12 months.... mainly to Frankfurt and Munich. From there cattle class....

Don't think I would pay for the AC Executive First experience unless the offer was a good one.....

lf1

The flat beds are great, but going from the UK to Calgary is normally done in daylight hours, so it makes it more difficult, for some, to sleep. Air Canada has flat beds, but they fly out of Heathrow. AC does fly out of some regional airports, but only at certain times of the year and I couldn't say what type of aircraft they use on those routes. BA probably has flat beds.

On a "scheduled" flight from LHR you will arrive in Calgary in the mid to late afternoon, depending upon the airline. This will give you at least one nights sleep before heading to work. In recent years, whilst flying LHR to YYC, I have been taking a product called " No-Jet-Lag" and I swear by it. My jet lag was always worse flying to Calgary and these pills made such a difference. I was a bit skeptical when I first saw them in a local travel store in Calgary, but after speaking with the person in the shop I decided to give them a try and I am now a convert.

Good luck.

Oink

It's also known by its other name, Don't-Get-Pissed-On-The-Flight.

Novocastrian

You realize don't you that this is a homeopathic product i.e. one that contains absolutely no active ingredients and which relies entirely on the placebo effect?

lf1

Don't doubt it, but it worked for me, so after the tedious flight to YYC from LHR it is nice to know that I didn't face days with a fuzzy head.

bats

I prefer the traditional flight mix, antihistamines and gin. Works for me.

ninaDGBCA

I never find the flight from abroad to Canada that bad. Usually go to bed at Canadian bed time and back to normal the next day. Worse is the overnight flight outwards.

Oink

You're right, its worse going from abroad to the UK as you miss out the night. If you don't have to be in a meeting the next day the best thing is to down about five pints in the airport lounge and then keep sucking them down until after the dinner then have a nap.

ninaDGBCA

Oh I'd love to but unfortunately the airlines don't provide babysitting service and so we've to look after our 3 little ones ourselves and although all 3 are really good and quiet flyers I fear boozing kind of interferes with that .

Maplease

You obviously aren't giving them enough

OP - Sleeping tablets may help.

Atlantic Xpat

Through a combination of business travel policy for longer flights and e-upgrades I fly fairly regularly in AC exec first. The lie flat pods are pretty good, especially on the long overnight flights like YVR to HKG. Much better than the back of the bus ( where I am if its my dime I'm spending!)

AFAIK the charter carriers don't do lie flat...needs to be scheduled and not all airlines business class is lie flat. Seat guru.com is your friend.