Airplane Travel Motion Sickness

Jace

Jace

Well-known Member
Best Airplane seat for avoiding motion sickness...

If you tend to get sick on airplanes, choose a seat over the wing on the right-side of the aircraft.
Why?
Because being over the wing puts you on the center axis of the aircraft and most flights turn left.
Sitting on the right, means you won't get flung around as much.🤗
 

I have heard different theories where to sit for air sickness or in case of an accident. I recommend taking Dramamine for air sickness. You know there are three different axis on an aircraft. Vertical, Longitudinal and Lateral. The center of the axis can change when the plane climbs or descends or turns. However, for the most part the position of the center of the axis that you mentioned is mostly correct. Whether it aids in motion sickness, I cannot confirm. As for making more left turns, again, I cannot confirm that. I never considered charting how many left turns and right turns I made.
 

There have been several supposed truths about flying that have been debunked as myths.
1, You can open a door to the outside while the plane is in the air. (Not true. Once the pilots pressurize the cabin, a person would need super human strength to open any door.)
2. A passenger can get drunk quicker once at cruising altitude. (Again, not true.)
3. The air circulating in an airplane is full of germs. (Not so. The air inside an airplane is about 98-99% pure. Most airlines use HEPA filters.)

I’m sure if you do a search, you will find more.
 
I've never had any issues with motion sickness when flying. However, I remember one time when flying back from Las Vegas when a guy seated across the aisle began to vomit badly. Luckily, he had the sense to use the "Barf" bag, but the noises he made, and the odor, almost made me join him.
 
As a child, I used to suffer from 'car sickness', but I grew out of that. I've never been seasick or had any problem when flying. When I travelled to and from Hamburg, I joking called the flight 'incontinence airlines' as so many passengers (mostly regulars) left their seat to visit the toilet. As a result, I always asked for a window seat so that I wouldn't have to move to let anyone past me.

Flying used to be fun, but I've flown so many times, it's now mainly boring. I've met quite a few pilots, and those on long haul have often talked about boredom. Apart from take off and landing, they have described it as 'just keeping an eye on things'.
 
Jace said:
Best Airplane seat for avoiding motion sickness...

If you tend to get sick on airplanes, choose a seat over the wing on the right-side of the aircraft.
Why?
Because being over the wing puts you on the center axis of the aircraft and most flights turn left.
Sitting on the right, means you won't get flung around as much.🤗
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I fly a LOT..or did before Covid, and hopefully will once again when the airport chaos is over this year.. and I almost always take a wing seat.. or just in front or behind.. Always a window seat.. regardless of what side, doesn't matter to me, left or right. Never had motion sickness, and never been flung around.. even on occasion when my seat has been at the front or back :D
 
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Capt Lightning said:
As a child, I used to suffer from 'car sickness', but I grew out of that. I've never been seasick or had any problem when flying. When I travelled to and from Hamburg, I joking called the flight 'incontinence airlines' as so many passengers (mostly regulars) left their seat to visit the toilet. As a result, I always asked for a window seat so that I wouldn't have to move to let anyone past me.

Flying used to be fun, but I've flown so many times, it's now mainly boring. I've met quite a few pilots, and those on long haul have often talked about boredom. Apart from take off and landing, they have described it as 'just keeping an eye on things'.
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Truthfully, even takeoffs have become mostly routine, unless there is bad weather outside. A lot of pilots will turn on the autopilot at about 500-1000 feet. I liked hand flying the plane until we reached around 8-10,000 feet. Landing keeps pilots busy. A lot going on to make good landings. One pilot is flying the plane and the other pilot is doing the communications, watching the gauges, extending the flaps and slats and lowering the landing gears.

Long haul pilots that fly in excess of 8-10 hours will generally have two flight crews onboard and will switch about halfway through the flight. That’s another reason why I didn’t sign up for flying International. Talk about being bored. I enjoyed my 5-6 hour flights going coast to coast. Once we were airborne and at our cruising altitude and no weather issues ahead of us, we also just kept an eye on things. Having the autopilot was a great invention.

Many airlines will carry Dramamine to aid airsick passengers. Otherwise, I have heard passengers suggest drinking ginger ale or a fruit juice, like apple or orange juice will help them.
 
JustDave said:
The only intolerable discomfort I feel on a plane is being squashed in like cattle going to the market. I have come to hate flying. So when the pandemic came along, I never missed flying.
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I had a passenger that I came to know by first name. He flew quite often on my flights from Washington to LA. He would buy two seats in coach (window seat and middle seat on the 757 and both seats on the 767) with no one sitting beside him. That’s expensive, but he preferred not to have someone sitting next to him. I never asked him why.
 
Capt Lightning said:
I've met quite a few pilots, and those on long haul have often talked about boredom. Apart from take off and landing, they have described it as 'just keeping an eye on things'.
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I asked one of those guys what it was like once. He described it as long periods of utter boredom punctuated by brief moments of shear terror. I think he was exaggerating though. At least I hope so.
 
JustDave said:
I asked one of those guys what it was like once. He described it as long periods of utter boredom punctuated by brief moments of shear terror. I think he was exaggerating though. At least I hope so.
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I have heard some of their war stories, like being over the Atlantic and going into a row of storms. Flying here in the U.S. and approaching storms, we can divert and change the flight plan. The only time we get caught is when storms are over or near the arriving airport. The Captain has to decide “Do I continue the landing or divert to another airport?” Airlines tell us to avoid diverting, unless absolutely necessary. I had my own opinion. I asked myself one question “Can we land safely and without putting ourselves in jeopardy?” With the new radar now on most planes, the pilots can spot microbursts, wind shear and low lying thunderstorms. Some of those t’storms can be above us at 40-50,000 feet. Then again, low lying storms below 20,000 feet can cause a problem while landing, depending on what the velocity of the wind was inside the storm.
 
bowmore said:
My wife suffered badly from motion sickness. I introduced her to Bonine (generic meclazine) and has not had a problem since. It is non drowsy the way Dramamine is.
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I think Bonnie us a once a day tablet, but Dramamine is like 1 every 6 hours or something like that. I also think Bonnie has possibly more side effects. Not sure about that, but I do remember that we did carry Dramamine onboard for awhile and then I believe there was an issue and we stopped giving it out. I don’t know what the status is now.
 
I've never suffered from motion sickness. That was a good thing because steaming on a destroyer in heavy seas can be a wilder ride than anything at Disneyland. All the pitching and rolling just made me sleep more soundly.
 
Capt Lightning said:
I joking called the flight 'incontinence airlines' as so many passengers (mostly regulars) left their seat to visit the toilet. As a result, I always asked for a window seat so that I wouldn't have to move to let anyone past me.
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That's something that I always do too. My wife and I used to travel to the US at least once a year, often twice. I sat in that seat with the seat belt on, for the full ten hours.
Capt Lightning said:
Flying used to be fun, but I've flown so many times, it's now mainly boring.
Click to expand...
Flying has never been fun, I can't explain why it distresses me so, probably psychosomatic. I refuse all meals and just to placate my wife, I sip water every so often to prevent dehydration.
It's curious as to why I fear flying so, we have never had an experience like an aborted take off, not even a diversion to another airport, yet I'm filled with loathing when I enter that aircraft.
 
I fly 2 or more times a year. I prefer an aisle seat…I’d rather have someone need to get by me than for me to struggle to get by someone.

I’ve started paying extra for bulkhead seats because there’s more legroom. I’m 5’8 and Ron is 6’2 and a regular seat is uncomfortable, especially for Ron.

I can’t remember the last time I saw a barf bag, a meal, or a blanket on a plane at least in economy.
 
Ronni said:
I fly 2 or more times a year. I prefer an aisle seat…I’d rather have someone need to get by me than for me to struggle to get by someone.

I’ve started paying extra for bulkhead seats because there’s more legroom. I’m 5’8 and Ron is 6’2 and a regular seat is uncomfortable, especially for Ron.

I can’t remember the last time I saw a barf bag, a meal, or a blanket on a plane at least in economy.
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That's so true, not for years... the only thing in the pocket in the seat in front is the inflight magazine
 
horseless carriage said:
That's something that I always do too. My wife and I used to travel to the US at least once a year, often twice. I sat in that seat with the seat belt on, for the full ten hours.

Flying has never been fun, I can't explain why it distresses me so, probably psychosomatic. I refuse all meals and just to placate my wife, I sip water every so often to prevent dehydration.
It's curious as to why I fear flying so, we have never had an experience like an aborted take off, not even a diversion to another airport, yet I'm filled with loathing when I enter that aircraft.
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When I travelled weekly to Hamburg, there were quite a few regular travellers on the flight. One was an accident investigator for a winter sports company. He didn't care for flying because he said he didn't understand the technicalities of the aircraft. On the other hand, he was happy with ski lifts and cable cars because he had to know everything about them for his job. I'm the opposite. I am happy flying, but nervous about cable cars etc..

A slightly related topic... on the said Hamburg flights (which were very good) the cabin crew's safety briefing, was strange... It went something like... "This is the safety briefing. Some of you probably know this off by heart so you can just go on reading your newspapers"
As one pilot (airbus A 320) told me (in the bar).. "don't bother with the safety briefing. The planes are built and maintained to a very high standard and the crew are highly skilled, but if we crash we'll probably all be killed" Not sure if he was joking or not.
 
United has different options on different flights, but I have yet not to find a barf bag in the seat pocket. As for meals, again, it just depends on the length of the flight and destination. In first and business class, food and drinks are served. In coach, maybe passengers get food for sale or a snack pack that includes a sandwich, fruit and snack. It’s all about keeping costs down. International flights, everyone is going to eat. Coach passengers just get a quick meal, usually in a small box. Coach passengers can upgrade their food service prior to the flight, but there is a charge. I don’t know much else about the food service.

The worse part of flying for me now that I am retired is the airport and people’s behavior. I think the rudest people can be found inside an airport. I really have issues with people that use back packs and suddenly turn around or back up and I get whacked by their back pack. Then, when we board, it takes some people too much time to stow their bag in the overhead bins. The aisles get backed up and people become frustrated. Some airlines are making the bins larger to accommodate the larger bags.

The best part of the flight is the flight. Just sit, relax, get fed, have a drink and watch a movie.
 
I always try to get an exit row isle seat, one that reclines but the row in front does not.
oldman said:
He would buy two seats in coach (window seat and middle seat on the 757 and both seats on the 767) with no one sitting beside him.
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I have a friend who books 3 seats for himself and his wife on long haul flights. Costs him less than first, and is not too bad. I have considered it, but never done it.

oldman said:
I recommend taking Dramamine
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I know from years of boating that dramamine really helps a lot of people with seasickness. However to be most effective you should start taking it the night before, after you leave the dock its too late. I don't take it, lucky I guess I have not been seasick since I was a kid, and never had any other kind of motion sickness. No idea why some of us do and some don't.

Dramamine is an antihistamine and I have found that other antihistamines work just as well. However so do a lot of placebos, I think motion sickness can be partially psychological. When I was a kid whenever we got seasick my father stopped the boat and threw us overboard. It worked, but now I am not sure that wasn't just placebo. Worked well though. Guess you shouldn't try it on an airline.
 
 

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