ATL-BKK Plane Help
 

I have a ticket to BKK for next month. It is a one stop connection thru Seoul on Korean Air in coach class. I am looking for advice on the following

1.) Keep my present ticket
2.) Leave ATL on Monday evening after work and overnight in Seattle arrive in BKK same time of my original ticket
3.) Will I survive a 15 and a half hour nonstop from ATL to ICN

A little about me I am 5'4" so coach won't kill me I hope and a few pills will help LOL. Thanks for any input.

no problem at all...take a pill a couple of hours after you leave atl and you will sleep for a while....you will be very tired upon arrival in bkk so plan to do little or nothing on day one and early to bed on day 2....

get good pills from your doctor....

going to seattle is a good idea also...we are from boston and have done that twice and once in LA....it does cut a few hours off but not as many as you might think....and you have to pay another days lodging

I know that Bob and some others swear by sleeping pills on the flight, but here are some cautions:

1. The use of any kind of sleeping pill will increase your chances of DVT (deep vien thrombosis) as it means you do not move around much. It is recommended that you stretch, do exercises in your seat, and that you get up and walk around at least every two hours to help prevent DVT.

2. Some sleeping pills are renowned for causing memory problems where people awake from sleep at the end of their flight, feel refreshed, but then don't remember to take their carry-ons off the plane, etc.

3. Some sleeping pills can cause very bizarre thinking (Ambien is famous for this) in a very small percentage of people. DO NOT test out a new sleeping pill on an airplane. Take it a few times before your trip to make sure you don't have problems with it.

4. Some people who have flight anxiety get even more anxious with some sleeping pills and may feel panicky.

Kathie has a very good point about DVT. I have a condition that causes my blood to clot easily and have had DVT in the past, 2 things that predispose me to have it again. I take daily medication to help prevent this, but still, whenever I fly, the doctor has told me to wear compression stockings and most importantly to move around and do exercises at least every two hours. He also said this is very important for air passengers and anyone who stays in the same position for an extended period of time, as DVT can happen to anyone.

I'm with kathie. I avoid pills (except for aspirin) on flights. Don't want to do anything to increas risk of a blood clot== I'd rather be tired.

excellent points kathie....what happens if you have total memory loss, even without pills, and then take them....do you forget to get off the plane and end up in cairo, the next leg of the flight??

I don't know, Bob, why don't you report back to us? lol...

1) With your present ticket, your flight is scheduled at 15 hr 10 min. The actual flight time might be an hour less, winds permitting.
2) That would be 5h 25m from ATL to SEA nonstop plus 11h 50m from SEA to ICN plus extra time at SeaTac.
3) That ATL-ICN flight regularly lands at ICN with rows and rows of passengers who didn't survive it.

KE has used both their 747-400 and 777-200 on this route. Right now the timetable says it's all 744; and it has been since 1/29/2006.

That is one of the longest 747-400 non-stop service in the world, just slightly shorter than CX's LAX-HKG.

KE has 33-34" pitch in coach, which is very good, but no personal video screens on the 744. Some of their 772 have personal screens, some don't.

mrwunrfl - Reading your answer to Q3 gets me wondering if the reason for CX's LAX-HKG for stopping at ICN/TPE often is to unload dead bodies... ;)