Surviving Red-Eyes: 3 Tips for Better Corporate Travel

Got a Red-Eye in Your Future?

Many a corporate traveler has groaned over a flight schedule that includes the insidious red-eye, those flights that leave late at night and arrive sometime in the early hours of the next morning. Not only are you sure to enjoy a messed up sleep schedule once you arrive at your destination, you’ll probably also have to work through the inevitable post-flight lack of productivity. So how do you deal? Get your best airplane pillow poised and ready for some restless and choppy in-flight sleep? Of course not. You follow our 3 simple rules for turning that red-eye into a non-issue.

Don’t Drive Yourself to the Airport

When you think about parking your vehicle in long term parking, do you get a headache? So do we. Why bother yourself with the challenges of finding long term parking right before a tumultuous late night flight? So fine, you say, I’ll just hail a cab. But then you get in the cab and you realize that the cabbie is running up the fair, driving too slow, or doesn’t know the fastest route to the airport. Cue the beginning of the red-eye flight stress, my friend.

So what’s the answer? The answer is to book corporate car service.  A flight as taxing as a red-eye needs preparation from all ends of the pre-flight routine; not having your commute to the airport to relax, get extra work done or get in that last invaluable nap can wreak havoc on your corporate travel experience. Leave the pre-red-eye airport commute to a professional chauffeur and get your business trip off on the right foot.

Don’t Skimp on the Negotiations

If you’re stuck in a bad seat through a red-eye, you’re in for way more stress than you need. Not only will sleep be impossible, but you’ll probably be miserable the whole time you’re awake. Finding the right seat--whether it’s an aisle seat for those of you with longer legs, or a seat by the window for the ones who are bound and determined to get the most adequate red-eye sleep possible, is huge when it comes to surviving your flight.

Don’t be ashamed to ask (politely, of course) if there’s any way you can trade your seat. If your company is a devoted customer to the airline or you have a lot of travel points stored up, red-eye flights are the perfect time to take advantage. Upgrade your seat to first class for your red-eye and enjoy the perks during the time when you need them most.

Pack Yourself Some Essential Items

When flying on the red-eye, there are a few things that you’re probably going to absolutely need: noise-canceling headphones, an eye mask, ear plugs or an extra blanket, for starters. Make sure that you pack these items in an easy-to-reach bag in an organized manner; you don’t want to be fumbling for you eye mask and spilling the rest of your red-eye “kit” all over your lap.

Preparing yourself for sleep on a red-eye flight is an art, after all, and when you’re already tired and you know you have to be bright-eyed and ready to go in a just a few short hours, the motivation to create a better sleeping environment for yourself can be pretty intense. Remember: your corporate travel experience starts with the flight and ends with the flight. Being prepared with items that can make your flight the most comfortable it can possibly be is essential to landing at your destination city ready to take on the world.

 

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photo credit: Robert S. Donovan via photopin cc