International Travel Help

Can you handle a 9 hour drive? Think of a flight as a 9-hour road trip, only with a bathroom and someone serving you drinks. Global Entry is a must if you are frequently returning thru a big airport like Atlanta....it gets you out of the airport just a bit easier, and your company might cover the cost if you are traveling on business.

--iPad is my long flight companion; download Netflix, books, magazines, etc. One fairly lightweight device for all of your in-flight entertainment needs. Small power bank/backup battery is a must for me.

--noise cancelling headphones are a must. I like the Bose in-ear wired, mainly because they'll still work as headphones even when the battery is dead and you can plug into the inflight system. Otherwise, a quality, comfy pair of earplugs.

--food/hydration: plane food is always high salt, high carb, and low flavor. I usually avoid it and try to bring my own. Apples are a traveler's friend, along with sharp cheddar, your favorite good crackers & some kind of dry-cured meats (like Duke's meat sticks, or summer sausage sticks, etc), plus nuts. Some like granola/powerbars, but I prefer minimally processed stuff while flying. I usually wash apples, wrap in a damp paper towel, and seal in a sandwich baggie. Bananas and cherries are okay travelers, but kinda prone to squashing. Tangerines/satsumas are nice, but leave you in need of a handwashing after peeling & eating. Fresh fruit can seem like an amazing, refreshing thing after many hours on a plane.

--some kind of multipurpose neck pillow. Either a raincoat that turns into a small pillow, or (for cold destinations) the down vests or puffer coats that zip into U-neck pillows. Or an inflatable pillow if you don't mind blowing the thing up.

I'm also a fan of brushing teeth/washing face, taking out contacts, when you decide to try to get some sleep. It's a bedtime routine of sorts. In lieu of washing face, you can buy pre-moistened cloths so you aren't splashing around in the lavatory like Shamu.

Can't help you with the irrational fear, except to say that talking to other people can ease anxiety. So maybe make friends with the person in the next seat, or get up and talk to the other people standing in the galley. Or write, draw, etc. (hence the necessary iPad)

Have you ever been on a larger airliner before? They are generally steadier, the bigger the aircraft generally the less they move. Generally....

Don't wait until your first flight to try a pill, take that shite at home with someone watching you. Last thing you want is to wake up in some south african jail cell with nothing but a woman's grannie panties on and no memory of what happened.

xanax and ambien are 'must have's. i just returned Tuesday from Spain. 9 plus hour flights each way from dfw. I slept a solid 7 hours on the way over.

Remember also that pilots must take flight paths that allow for divertion to land in the event of trouble. they don't fly the most direct route in most cases.. this always made me feel more comfortable though i took xanax and ambien every time.

i sweated profusely the first time i made the trip across the pond. never again...

Appreciate the share biscuitsngravy. This is one of those things I need to do. I am less concerned with my he job than the logistics. Navigating the airport in Amsterdam etc...

First question:

Are you flying coach or business?

I just flew to Germany, little over 10 hour flight. I can't sleep very long on flights. I did take a Valium and that helped me doze off for a little bit but I wouldn't count on sleeping through the entire flight. If you have Netflix then download the app on your phone or ipad and go through and put some shows and/or movies on there. Netflix now allows you to download items so you can access them without wifi or using your data. This was a huge help on the way back, I just watched an entire season of Fargo and with breaks here and there I only have two episodes left. Made that flight go by so much better. Don't forget your headphones, whatever you do.

Edit: As mentioned above, don't worry about the logistics so much. Everything was in English. Even announcements were usually in German and then repeated in English. English is the International language and almost everyone in Europe speaks it decently if not fluently. Managed 10 days in Germany and Austria with no issues, well, with the exception of the trains but that's because we had no clue how those worked never using them in the states. Still managed, though!

Well then no worries.

777 or 380? Both have their perks but I am a fan of the 380 business.

I have flown in excess of 15 hours on multiple occasions, and I have a trip coming up to go to Perth soon, which will be another long haul. I usually like to stay up as long as I can while drinking wine and watching the movies. If you can arrange for Emirates then the movie selection is top notch by far. I’ll fall asleep but usually can’t get more than a few hours. The entertainment options are usually what carries me with an occasional nap.

Did I read that you were connecting thru Amsterdam? Are you going to Tengiz?

You going to Tengiz?

You will love flying international business class. I assume with transiting ATL and AMS, you must be flying Delta (or KLM).

Tips:
1. On business class, you have access to the Delta skyclub. Definitely hang out there instead of the terminal. They will scan your boarding pass for access. You will also have access to the KLM lounge in AMS.
2. There will be free food and drink in the lounge - you don't need to fill up, as they feed you pretty well in business class.
3. On the flight from ATL to AMS, you probably get a pod. Check the website to see what plane you are on. Delta has various configurations -- herringbone is better than staggered. Either way, you should have a lie-flat seat with nice bedding, so you can sleep on the flight over. You will also have a small TV screen with a wide selection of inflight entertainment. They provide decent over the ear headphones - not cheap earbuds -- so you don't absolutely need your own. That being said, you still may want to invest in your own noise cancelling headphones.
4. Flights to Europe are overnight. They darken the cabin shortly after takeoff. You will be offered a drink predeparture (typically sparkling wine or OJ, or you can order whatever you want). Once in the air, they will come around and take your dinner order. The food is generally pretty good. It's not like the TV dinner stuff they give you in economy. They give you a real menu.
Some people like to eat in the airport and then go straight to sleep. I enjoy the business class service, so I eat the dinner, watch a movie and have a few drinks before going to sleep. When you are ready to sleep, tell the flight attendant. She will make up your bed while you go to the bathroom.
5. They will also serve breakfast when you wake up-usually about an hour before landing.
6. You will be in international transit when you land in Amsterdam. Follow the signs for transit or international transfer. You should not have to go through customs or passport control. You will essentially stay in the secured area of the airport. If you get confused, just ask. The agents are really helpful and are used to first time travelers. Everyone in Amsterdam speaks English.
7. Get the Delta app (or the app of whatever airline your are flying). You can use an electronic boarding pass on your phone. App will track your luggage, give you boarding updates and gate information, advise of any delays and allow you to make changes.
8. If solo, get a window seat. Business class is more private, so you don't end up with a seatmate to talk to
9. The airline will give you an amenity kit -- yours to keep. Delta has a really cool mini-Tumi box that looks like a mini suitcase. This includes lip balm, ear plugs, toothbrush, socks, eye shade and some other little items. You don't need one of those horse collar pillows.
10. Yes to Xanax or melatonin. If you get 4-5 hours sleep, you have done well. Even with the lie flat seat, it's still hard to sleep on an airplane.
11. Your flight to Kazhakstan may not be as nice. It's possible it could be similar to your across the pond flight or it could be more like a US domestic first class flight. Or it may be European business class -- which is nothing. Business class within Europe is simply sitting in the front of the plane with the middle seat blocked and your food paid for. Seats are the same on the entire plane. They have a little curtain they move back and forth so they can expand the business class section if they sell more seats.
12. Yes -- get global entry.
13. An ipad is a good idea. You may never use it in Biz class, but if their system is down or the flight to Kazahkstan lacks IFE, you have a back up. There should be charging ports at your seat -- USB and 110v.
14. Print a hard copy of your itinerary as a back up. Take a photo of your passport. Print the photo and keep a paper copy with your itinerary.