Flight mode: How to stay sane on long plane rides
Flying West for the summer? We know what that's like: Endless hours in a clammy plane, knees cramped, neck twisted, stuck behind the guy who reclines like he's at a spa. The in-flight movie sucks. The snacks are so-so. And for the most of it, you're not tired enough to sleep, but there's nothing to do. Airplane boredom is its own unique hell. The right game can easily kill hours. Try a simple one such as 2048. (SHUTTERSTOCK)
Here are the best hacks to thrive at 37,000 feet.
Game on. Birat Bose, one half of Insta duo @Hungry.Backpackers, flies to Europe almost every month. His tip for not losing your mind on a long-haul: 'Pick a super-addictive game such as 2048. It's simple, free, and before you know it, you've killed hours.' He saves chess for when he's more mentally alert. Most frequent fliers recommend downloading a bunch of puzzle and game apps before they board so they can play them ad-free on the flight, when there's no Wifi for the ads to interrupt. Travel influencer Jinali Sutariya (@TravelStoriesByUs) carries travel-friendly riddle cards. 'You can choose between solving murder mysteries, math or GK challenges.' You can even challenge the stranger next to you, if you're brave.
Treat yourself. So what if you can't afford to fly business class? Packing your own gourmet nibbles and drinks can kill the tedium somewhat. Sutariya carries her own pour-over coffee kit. 'It kills time and tastes so good,' she says. Bose loves to curate a special airplane playlist. 'I save new albums or songs I really want to hear and don't listen to any of them until I fly.' Imagine listening to Run It Up by Hanumankind for the first time when you're strapped into seat 24F with no distraction but the view of the clouds. Another hot tip: Forget in-flight entertainment. Pick a juicy crime show before you fly, and binge all the way until a big cliffhanger, saving it for the journey. It beats having to pick from the airline's selections and getting invested from S1E1.
Make it count. Flights offer a rare, untouchable zone. No distractions, no internet. For travel writer Nainaa R Rajpaal (@Tall.Girl.Travels), it's prime time for digital spring cleaning. 'I clear out photos, delete old files, reply to messages I've left hanging for months. It feels so productive.' Sometimes, she even drafts offline catch-up messages to friends she's fallen out of touch with. 'You never get that kind of headspace otherwise.' Bhawna Rao, co-founder of luxury travel company Encompass Experiences, uses this time to watch all the shows and movies that her husband won't watch with her. 'I binge-watch K-dramas and trashy docuseries.' Use the empty hours of the flight to learn a language or skill. (SHUTTERSTOCK)
Skill up. Sutariya says she often uses flight time to learn new languages through apps. She has also seen fellow flyers carry sketchbooks. You can even take offline YouTube mini-courses. Want to learn how to code? Write better? There's a downloadable video for them both. Imagine landing smarter than when you took off. For podcast buffs, there's Trivial Warfare Trivia and Triviality.
Sweat it. Don't underestimate in-flight fitness. Rao once spotted someone doing yoga mid-air, and now has her own modest routine: Toe touches, calf raises, ankle rolls, shoulder shrugs, and a few aisle laps. 'I feel less bloated when I land.' Rajpaal adds a surprising twist: 'I do bag lifts using my cabin luggage. A gym trainer taught me that. It's weird but it works.'
Hit refresh. There's nothing like a mid-air reset to arrive feeling human again. Carry a change of clothes, even if it's just a fresh T-shirt, and switch mid-flight or just after you've napped. Fresh-smelling clothes can shake the mind of the same-old, same-old nature of a long flight. Both Bose and Sutariya turn to skincare for a pick-me-up. 'I use a face mist, sheet mask, and moisturiser. It keeps my skin hydrated and keeps me busy,' says Sutariya. Bose turns his pre-landing hour into a ritual: 'A little cleanse and moisturise helps me feel less mucky and more like myself when I land.'
From HT Brunch, June 28, 2025
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