Amuse Yourself on a Plane
Very long flights, and not so very long flights can become boring. Taking a nap is one option, until you wake up three long hours before landing with nothing to do, you could annoy the person sitting next to you. However there are other ways to amuse yourself without bothering anyone.
Contents
Steps
Sample Airplane Tips
Doc:Airplane Activities,Ways to Be Comfortable on a Plane,Ways to Be Comfortable on a Plane
Amusing Yourself on a Plane
- Read. Always a good choice; take at least two books, depending on the scheduled length of your flight. Get books that are easy and fun to read, because you'll be stuck with them. But it is not recommended that you take your book about aircraft disasters or hijackings for obvious reasons!
- Listen to music. Take your iPod/MP3 player. There is always lots to do on them, and you can buy songs on iTunes (or similar) beforehand. All electronic equipment needs to be turned off for take-off and landing for safety and so you are fully alert. In flight, iPhones and other mobile phones should be set to "in flight" mode - if it doesn't have it, don't turn it on.
- Watch a movie. Movies are a good choice because they last longer and are generally enjoyable.
- Play games. These are (unsurprisingly) fun, at least for a little while and help kill time, like this Dull swipe app. There are lots of games on iTunes besides what your iPod comes with. Also, you can play games while you listen to music. There are also (on long haul) games on the screen tucked away somewhere near you. If you have a PSP or DS, ensure the wireless function is turned off.
- Listen to audio books. These are also available and take a long time to finish. You can just sit back and relax and listen.
- Socialize. Talk to your seatmates. Sometimes you meet great people. You can have long talks if you are from the same country or you have the same cultures.
- Take sudoku puzzles. Take difficult ones. Time flies when you attempt to solve them.
- Knit or crochet. This is a great opportunity to catch up on that crocheting or knitting that you never get to do at home. Bring a dull needle that all airlines will accept, sharp ones will be taken away at security.
- Writing. Start that autobiography on yourself that you have been wanting to do for a while, or journal!
- Stare out the window. Watching the scenery flow by {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} below can be fascinating especially with the aid of the map on the back of the seat in front of you. Enjoy the different colors and textures, hills and valleys, structures, and roads. A road atlas can add to your enjoyment on domestic flights, but only if you've got a window seat.
- Sleep. Some of us can, some can't. If you want to sleep during the flight, try to get a window seat. That way, you can rest your head on the window or side of your seat. It is a lot easier to sleep in First Class, but if you're in Economy, sleep on the little pillow they give to you.
- Take a portable game player. This is so you can enjoy your game while the time goes by. Make sure any wireless functions are turned off.
- Watch television on the screen overhead but if you are on a long flight they might have a television for every person, so use it and watch the films you have always wanted to watch.
- Have a friend with you to talk with if you can. Most of these things can be done with others: sudoku, listening to music, etc.
- Take photographs. You can enjoy hours taking pictures of the Sahara, Caribbean islands, clouds, or sunsets.
- Write a story, poem or email about the feelings that the trip, its experiences or expectations, or your photographs evoke.
- Make a list of all the sites you want to see, or why you are excited to see them at your holiday destination. Have fun!
- It truly is childish, but try your best at an impression of your favorite character. Surprisingly, this is quite amusing.
Tips
- Try not to just sit waiting for your flight to end. You should keep yourself entertained as much as possible.
- Don't be a pushy conversationalist. Though you may be forced to share space with a complete stranger, your seat-mate may not want to talk to you as much as you want to talk to them.
- If the person sitting next to you talks to you, talk back in a nice way. Keep the conversation going so time can fly and both of you can become friends.
- You may not realize it, but the engine noise on a plane can be very tiring, and interferes with listening to music. Consider purchasing noise-canceling headphones as they really reduce engine noise.
- Bring a drawing book and some crayons so you can draw.
- Be aware that some mobile phone/tablet games may require internet access. If your plane doesn't offer WiFi, you may not be able to play on board.
- In-flight magazines, though filled with tons of ads, occasionally have great articles. Skim them for a good, surprise read.
- Most modern mobile phones have built in MP3 and movie players. You can easily upload / download a movie and convert it into a playable format - this is a far easier way of watching your favorite films without having to rely on what can be described at best as "varied levels of entertainment"
- Magnetic travel board games will pass the time without losing all the pieces. The problem with this is if they are too strong they may mess with the TV or other things and WILL get confiscated at security.
- Contrary to the advice given in point 8, don't take crochet or knitting needles on a plane in your hand luggage for obvious reasons!
- Watch in-flight movies.
- Your flight may also be renting DigePlayers (for U$D15 to $25), which are portable TVs with a variety of movies, music videos, and TV shows.
- If you take a battery powered electronic device, make sure to charge it because the battery drains quickly when watching videos or playing games. Try to find out if you can charge on your plane, as many airlines are starting to realize that people have needs.
- Enjoy the food. Airline food is not always as bad as people make it out to be.
- Imagine what the person beside you is thinking about. You can have a lot of fun with this!
- Take a deck of cards as you can play card games.
Warnings
- Some people don't like to be talked to by strangers on a plane.
- Do not talk about guns, knives, gangs, bombs, terrorism or anything that has to do with violence! People might have suspicions, and you will find yourself escorted off of the plane. Especially after the 9/11 incident.
- If you knit, sharp knitting needles most likely won't be allowed.
- Don't use cell phone service. Even though there is no reason to not use them other than to not disturb fellow passengers, you probably don't want to break the rules. The FCC association set a law that cell phones may not be used on an airplane unless it is in airplane mode (with cellular reception turned off). But you may use your cell phone for other purposes.
Things You'll Need
- Book(s)
- An iPod
- $15-$25 (if they rent DigePlayers)
- Portable game systems (like a Nintendo DS or a Game Boy)
- Pencil and eraser
- Cards
- Camera
