Fly like a queen (even on a charter flight)
Once upon a time, you had the good old days when you, as a frequent flyer of KLM, saved a lot of points with which you could buy upgrades for business class. I lived in Curaçao and flew regularly back and forth to the Netherlands. With the points I saved, I could usually fly business class for the outbound or return trip, which is why I have quite a few jenever houses on the mantelpiece. Since the merger with Air France (this is really a bit of ‘grandma tells’, I know), the Flying Blue program has deteriorated significantly. You can only buy upgrades if you have a very expensive ticket, and you earn many fewer points with the new system.
Nowadays, I don't fly KLM much anymore, but I do fly a lot with Ryanair, Transavia, Easyjet, and Vueling. This is because we have a little house in southern Spain where we go regularly. Charter airlines are terrible, everyone knows that. Hard seats that can't recline and screaming children. Still, I have a few good tips to evoke that business class feeling. Seatbelts fastened!
Take the front seats
Yes, yes, even charter airlines have their preferred spots that you have to pay more for. I always choose the front row or the second if it's still available. It costs me 22 euros (or something close) extra, but it offers many advantages. You are the first to board the plane and the first to get off, which makes all the difference. Nothing is more annoying than waiting for the thirty rows in front of you to finally disembark before you can get out. Moreover, you can stretch your legs completely and you don't come out of the plane all crumpled. For the price of two mojitos at that trendy beach bar, you should just always do this.
Self-cater
What I always find the most ironic about flying are the meal boxes from KLM that say ‘delicious snack’ on them. Ha! Don't make me laugh. Everyone knows that airplane meals are disgusting, no matter what you write on the box. It's not much different with charter airlines, and you have to pay extra for it too. Therefore: self-cater. We always get sushi from the super delicious Japanese place around the corner and take that on board. Guaranteed jealous looks from fellow passengers.
Noise cancellation
If there's one thing that drives me completely crazy, it's all the noise around me. It starts the moment you walk into the airport and end up standing in endless lines. Chris and I put on our Bose headphones with noise cancellation as soon as we step off the train at Schiphol Airport. Goodbye background noise, rolling suitcases, and other fuss. Under the reassuring tones of the Indie Chillout playlist (Spotify), we float through all the misery. Totally relaxed, we arrive at the plane. Just remember to take off your headphones when greeting the flight attendant, of course.
Download Netflix
In-flight entertainment? What is that? Fortunately, you can now Netflix download on your tablet or phone. In my experience, watching series makes the flight go by faster than watching a movie. Don't ask me why. On the last flight, we watched YOU and it was really enjoyable.
Flat pillow
Vueling and Transavia are still okay, but those seats from Ryanair are unbearable. Really, you sit better in a regional bus. That's why I always bring a flat pillow that I place in my lower back. This creates a slightly more comfortable sitting position and makes it seem like your seat can recline just a tiny bit. Just a tiny bit, okay?.
Flying can be exhausting. My experience is that you arrive more rested with these small adjustments. And don't forget to applaud when landing, okay?.
