Overnight International Flights

Redeye's have NEVER been a good thing. Like a lot of other people, I find it difficult at best to sleep on an overnight flight. Flying back and forth to southern South America calls for Redeye's in both directions. Fortunately, for me, my company flies me in Business Class.

Business Class has varying degrees of comfort, depending on the airline, the aircraft and the configuration. My latest trips have been on American Airline 767s. I would rate my trip south to be excellent and the trip north to be average.

Heading south on this trip I was riding in a newly configured American 767 with seats that reclined until they were virtually flat providing the comfort of rolling from side to side while sleeping. Shields can be raised between seats to avoid the unexpected discomfort of waking to find yourself face-to-face with a total stranger. This configuration can spoil even the most jaded traveler.

Heading north I was on a traditional American 767 with the "old fashioned" Business Class seats that only partially recline. These seats trap you in a semi-reclined position with almost no arm room. Sleep, for me, is impossible and the best I can do is a string of catnaps.

The good news of traveling Business Class on American is that the Admiral's Club is made available. Food is available at a nominal cost. Coffee and juice is free. I can't bring myself to drink alcohol this early even though it is available.

The absolute greatest Admiral's Club benefit for veterans of overnight flights is the availability to take private showers. Simply check in at the Admiral's Club desk and make the request. Usually within 15 minutes you will be paged, handed a key and assigned a private bathroom. Available is a toilet, sink, seating area, towels and a wonderful shower that has a traditional high shower head, a lower shower head on a hose, and a number of horizontal shower heads to blast your entire body. Even though I checked my bags and had no clean clothes, the ability to stand and experience "water therapy" for 15 or 20 minutes was refreshing and a real eye-opener.

One final hint that I try to emphasize to all my traveling friends is to slow down and take your time. With proper planning, there is absolutely NO reason to run, trot or even walk fast through an airport.