Advice for my plane?

[pveticket]

I'm flying to Israel (10 hour flight) on Sunday. I decided I want to try to sleep on the plane, but no matter what I do I can't. I'v taken tons of differnet medicines for shorter plane rides, but nothing will put me to sleep. Any advice?
Also does anyone know if United Airlines chooses the seats during the booking process or at check in? Our Lufthansa flight was canceled because of the strike, and even though the strike is over is still canceled, so we didn't get to choose seats when booking.
Thanks!

[Rapunzel]

Don't sleep the night before...

and if you can go two days without sleep, I guarantee you'll be able to sleep anytime anywhere.

[Sambo]

Two Vallium and a quart of Jack Daniels. You'll sleep.

Probably before you finish the JD.

[Opus1guy]

Also does anyone know if United Airlines chooses the seats during the booking process or at check in?

You can do it either way, and also anytime between booking and the day before your departure date (seats go to "Airport Control" 24 hours before flight). Just go to united.com and select "Itineraries" and then use the "Guest" feature and enter your Record Locater number (usually a combination of letters and numbers like MUV8GU) and your last name and it will pull up your booking. Then click the "Seat Assignment" link and you can view available seats on a seat map of each plane you will be flying, and select the ones you want for advance assignment.

But before you do that, I suggest you go to www.seatguru.com and look up the specific United plane types you will be flying on to see which seats are considered great, good, or poor on each aircraft type.

You can of course get advance seat assignments the old fashioned way by calling United Reservations and doing it with a live person. But personally I prefer to see the seat map myself via the website, and then select my seats from there.

If you are a Premier or above level member of United's Mileage Plus program, you get to select seats in the "Economy Plus" area of the plane free of additional surcharge. These seat have a few extra inches of legroom. If you're not a Premier member...United will often sell you a seat in Economy Plus for a few extra bucks. Well worth it, IMHO...especially on long flights.

[penguinsoda]

Two Vallium and a quart of Jack Daniels. You'll sleep.

Probably before you finish the JD.

Well that would work if Colin wasn't only 16...

[pveticket]

You can do it either way, and also anytime between booking and the day before your departure date (seats go to "Airport Control" 24 hours before flight). Just go to united.com and select "Itineraries" and then use the "Guest" feature and enter your Record Locater number (usually a combination of letters and numbers like MUV8GU) and your last name and it will pull up your booking. Then click the "Seat Assignment" link and you can view available seats on a seat map of each plane you will be flying, and select the ones you want for advance assignment.

But before you do that, I suggest you go to www.seatguru.com and look up the specific United plane types you will be flying on to see which seats are considered great, good, or poor on each aircraft type.

You can of course get advance seat assignments the old fashioned way by calling United Reservations and doing it with a live person. But personally I prefer to see the seat map myself via the website, and then select my seats from there.

If you are a Premier or above level member of United's Mileage Plus program, you get to select seats in the "Economy Plus" area of the plane free of additional surcharge. These seat have a few extra inches of legroom. If you're not a Premier member...United will often sell you a seat in Economy Plus for a few extra bucks. Well worth it, IMHO...especially on long flights.

After calling the airline and checking online they said the seats are "locked", and we need to get there 5 hours ahead of time to figure it out. I don't know if that means we got the last couple tickets and have been assigned a seat, or no one has an assigned seat. MY only concern is i'll have to sit next to a stranger the whole time (or in the middle section) which would really suck haha.

[pveticket]

Well that would work if Colin wasn't only 16...

Too bad huh?

[awinner]

After calling the airline and checking online they said the seats are "locked", and we need to get there 5 hours ahead of time to figure it out. I don't know if that means we got the last couple tickets and have been assigned a seat, or no one has an assigned seat. MY only concern is i'll have to sit next to a stranger the whole time (or in the middle section) which would really suck haha.

chances are 3 days before, you most likely will get stuck with a middle seat...get there early enough and possibly get bulkhead or emergency exit...I would take 2 bendryl (perfectly safe), or take 3, but nothing like 2mg xanax to make you unconscious.

[knittingknerd]

Bring a book with you and in case you don't sleep you can still be "productive."

Have fun though!

[nbodyhome]

Two Vallium and a quart of Jack Daniels. You'll sleep.

Probably before you finish the JD.

I usually start with 2 Tylenol PM. If that doesn't work, an added glass of wine will always put me out. (flying makes me nervous, though mostly just the take-off).

But as Colin is 16, I would stay up late and not get much sleep (I'd personally not go a night completely without sleep, maybe 2 to 4 hours), and then take 2 Tylenol PM. 10 hours is a very long flight, so I'd be surprised if he doesn't sleep at all.

I slept really well on the trip back from California last week.

Have a great trip!

[babyfishmouth]

Try taking motion sickness pills. They're available over the counter and are safe for 16-year-olds. They're not meant to knock you out but, when I take them, they relax me enough so that I can get to sleep.

[Sambo]

Well that would work if Colin wasn't only 16...

Really, it works no matter the age...

[IzzyInWonderland]

Tylenol PM also works for me to help me sleep and I have the vanilla flavored ones which are good going down. I am also trying to solve the problem of how to sleep efficiently on a plane as a flight longer than an hour or two gets me a little stir crazy and i hate sleeping upright, nothing will get you a kink in your neck faster.

[pveticket]

Thank you all for your helpful advice!
I'm leaving for the airport in just a bit, so i'll be sure to post a big trip report when I get back on the 18th. Were going to be in Germany until Tuesday and Israel the rest of the time.
I ended up buying a neck pillow and Tylenol PM, so I hope that will work.
Thanks again!

[Max Fischer]

here is a crazy idea- talk to your family doc and see what she reccomends.

I don't agree with the thought of getting hammered or sloppy do to drugs. If the shiz hits the fan, and there is an incident on the plane, you'll need all your marbles.

Travel safe.