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Do you need some flying travel hacks for your next flight? Qatar crew share their recommendations to make you feel red-carpet ready after a long haul flight.

Air travel can be one of life’s true joys. In the decades since the Boeing “Jumbo” 747 made it feasible for even ordinary folk to travel the world affordably, many millions have been able to do so. We now think little of sitting inside a pressurised metal tube and whizzing across continents, oceans and time zones, disembarking for a holiday, sports event, wedding or business meeting.

Air travel has never been easier. But some still feel the impact of long-haul flights, jet lag, and hours of relative inactivity, especially as modern airliners are able to stay aloft longer than ever. It needn’t be that way.

Serving more than 160 destinations worldwide from its award-winning Doha hub, Hamad International Airport (DOH), Qatar Airways’ crew gets to go to lots of places, often. They share some hacks for arriving at your destination looking and feeling like a star on the red carpet at the Oscars.

Try these six flying travel hacks

Air travel has never been more convenient and passenger-friendly. Although some people still feel exhausted after long-haul flights due to jet lag and hours of relative inactivity. In this article, Qatar crew share their expert travel hacks and tips for passengers on long-haul flights.

Travel hacks form Qatar crew. View from the back at unrecognisable cabin crew, looking at the skyline of Doha, Qatar, sunny day

Hack #1 Stay vibrant and hydrate your way through the skies

Unless you live in, say, Chile’s Atacama Desert, the air in a pressurised cabin is generally drier than the air you’d breathe on the ground. Nowadays, it’s less of an issue because of the use of space-age materials. For example, carbon composites are used in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Qatar Airways and others. This method enables cabins to have more humidity than before. But Qatar Airways crew reckons it is still a good idea to sip plenty of water. For the same reason, applying a little moisturiser can stop your skin from drying out.

Little girl in airplane drinking water and listening music.
Little girl in airplane drinking water and listening music.

Hack #2 Sip smartly, even James Bond takes it easy on the Martinis

It’s nice to enjoy a drink or two when the seatbelt lights go off, and the drinks trolley comes around or to savour a glass of good wine with your meal. But too much of it can have a dehydrating, diuretic effect, say the Qatar Airways crew. In case you decide on non-alcoholic alternatives, Qatar Airways serves a variety of beverages. Particularly as part of their welcome drinks, including freshly produced juice, iced tea and coffee, popular cold beverages. Moreover, they serve interesting varieties of mocktails such as pineapple margarita, apple cooler, orangeade, pineapple punch, and the traditional spiced tomato with Tabasco and a slice of lemon. 

Feel like a celebration without without getting tipsy? Try Le Manoir des Sacres’ So Jennie, a luxurious, alcohol-free pale pink sparkling beverage solely made of the finest grapes.

Martini cocktail

Hack #3 Prioritise your ZZZs for a bright-eyed arrival

Airline cabins are quieter than ever and conducive to some shut-eye once airborne. Several airlines now offer lie-flat beds, and the Qatar Airways crew recommends the airline’s Qsuite cabins, which have been repeatedly voted the World’s Best Business Class offering. Qsuite features a revolutionary business suite design and the world’s first double bed in the class. Even a few hours of sleep can help you feel less groggy when you land.

Hack #4 Essentials kit for a cosy flight

Many travellers find that noise-cancelling headphones, eye masks, neck pillows and other gizmos work well. It’s worth trying them at least once. Although airlines offer blankets – and in many cases – pyjamas, regular flyers often carry a sweatshirt to cut the chill of the aircraft’s air-conditioning. Some travellers also find that wearing reading glasses rather than their usual contact lenses is more comfortable when flying.

Granted, it is difficult to remember everything for a trip, especially when it comes to packing amenities for the flight. Qatar Airways provides every business class passenger with an amenity kit specially designed by Diptyque to ensure pampering for all flights. From lip balm to hydrating facial mist, anti-ageing moisturizer, hand lotion and perfume to a plush set of ultra-comfortable pyjamas. The 100% cotton pyjama set from The White Company is a favourite amongst frequent travellers, because it provided a comfortable fit on a long-haul journey.

Sleeping Mask for a flight

Hack #5 Flight freshening up: Rejuvenate before you land

Depending on which airline and class you’re travelling, you may have access to showers or spa facilities at a transit airport. Hamad International Airport, which serves over 50 airlines, has a number of its lounges available to layover passengers not travelling first- or business class. You can swim some laps at the Oryx Airport Hotel’s Vitality Wellbeing and Fitness Centre, located at the airport’s South Plaza, near the yellow Lamp Bear. You may even wish to take a steam-bath or play a game of squash before boarding your flight for the next leg of your journey. 

The state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport was clearly designed with passenger comfort and convenience in mind. The airport’s South and North Plazas have facilities that offer showers as well as signature services such as table massages, facials and nail care. Many passengers find a massage helps rejuvenate body and soul, and a variety is available at Hamad International Airport.

The exquisite Hamad International Airport (DOH),
The world-class Hamad International Airport (DOH),

Hack #6 Bask in the sun: Reset your body's clock naturally

Long-haul flights that cross one or more time zones can cause jet lag, which is a disruption to the body’s circadian rhythms – essentially, your body clock. Symptoms can vary from mild insomnia and feeling drowsy during the day to anxiety, headaches and unsettled digestion. Flying from west to east generally triggers more serious symptoms than flying east to west. Qatar Airways crew’s suggested hacks include: Spending some time in the sun when you reach your destination. Some countries that have extended periods of winter darkness have “light cafés” or “light lounges” to help alleviate Seasonal Affective Disorder SAD). 

SAD refers to a depressive condition resulting from lack or exposure to sunlight. Either way, getting some light in your life will help “reset” your body clock, according to the Qatar Airways crew. Hamad International Airport goes above and beyond ‘stress-free’ travelling. Don’t miss out on the ORCHARD, an indoor tropical garden nestled at the heart of the airport. This secluded location offers passengers a space to relax, rejuvenate, catch some much-needed sunlight and recharge or stretch out their muscles with a yoga routine.

Conclusion

Incorporating these flying travel hack routines into your travels is likely to help you arrive refreshed and ready to enjoy whatever awaits you, whether it’s a holiday, closing a business deal, contributing to charity projects, or accepting a golden statue. Visit Qatar’s website for more travel routes.

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Travel Hacks from Qatar crew. Don't let fear of the unknown stop you from enjoying an unforgettable flight with Qatar
Don't let fear of the unknown stop you from enjoying an unforgettable flight with Qatar

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