Greetings again in the continuing "get Mom to Paris now via London" saga: My sister wants to take a day flight over. I've always taken night flights but I don't really have a problem with jet lag. The morning flights from the US arrive between 9-10 at night. Will we be tired - or wired? Has anyone done this? How did it work out? I expect we'd have to get to a hotel immediately upon arriving, maybe at the airport? Is the flight handled the same - movies, food, etc.? Again, many thanks for all the help.

I've done this on several occasions and think it's fantastic. I believe American and British Airways have the only day flights.<BR><BR>Happy travels,<BR><BR>Gerry K

Don't know about morning flights to Europe - if you indeed get one and arrive at 10pm local Europe time, your body will be behind on 4pm US Eastern time and it sure won't want to hit the sack. I think you'll be just as screwed up vs. the traditional way. There are sometimes flights out of, for instance, Newark to some European destinations that depart really late, like 11pm, so you could "try" to fall asleep at a more pertinent time. <BR><BR>In any event, why not try to make the whole jet-lag stuff just a minor little annoyance than a major one? Remember the days when we used to stay up all night sometimes - whether it was to study or to party? Look at it as an experience on your trip - talk to flight cabin personnel, play word and logic games with passengers, read, watch a movie, scribble notes about things you've always to, walk around, etc... Sure, the first few days you'll be kind of zapped, but who isn't? We've got the best coffee over here...

I concur. We took the BA day flight last month and it was great in terms of clearing customs and minimizing jet lag. The flight is handled exactly the same.<BR><BR>There are a couple of recent threads about this which give more info.

The problem with arriving at night is transportation. If you want to arrive at night, I would try and take an early flight out so as to get there as early in the evening as possible. You never know how long a plane will sit on the runway or what disruptions there will be along the way to put you in later than you expected.

Whoops. Posted too late. I agree with the first poster that the day trip is absolutely the way to go, Jet lag the next day was minimal. Your body clock is going to take a hit no matter whether flight is day or night but I'd much rather be wired at midnite in my London hotel room than brain dead in Heathrow at the crack of dawn.

Transport no problem. Arrange for a car to pick you up (a couple of services are repeatedly recommended here....Rays is one of them) or stay at the Heathrow Hilton.

You can also get morning flights on United Airlines.

Jetset,<BR><BR>I love how you begin your post with, "Don't know about morning flights to Europe, and then proceed to dispense all sorts of knowledge regarding them.<BR><BR>Shanna, morning flights are the only way to go for me. I've taken them several times to London. Each time I've stayed at the Heathrow Hilton at Terminal 4, had a few drinks around ten o'clock (pm), and the next morning experienced absolutely no jetlag. Go for it.<BR><BR>Big Al

Thanks, guys. Yes, Jetset, I agree that jetlag shouldn't be a big deal and frankly isn't for me. I have my tricks, plus, I'm so pumped I couldn't sleep if I had to. My little Sis, however, is not as ho-hum about things. She stresses easily. And my Mom is 85 - she drops off without any notice at all, so I'm trying to work around their idiosyncracies. And Big Al - you have the best idea. Get into a hotel and hit the BAR! That makes me feel better already.<BR><BR>HEY!! - no, I'm not a wino! I jest luv me grapes.

I have less jet lag when I take day flights, but this is at the cost of blowing a day of vacation on an airplane. If you have the extra day, it might make things easier for you and your Mom. Have a good trip - and report in to us when you get back and let us know how it went!

I, too, have heard the argument that a daytime flight costs a day's vacation, but I for one cannot enjoy a day's vacation when I'm utterly exhausted. Daytime flights are better.<BR><BR>Gerry K

I personally prefer a day flight. I don't sleep on planes, and I can't function if I'm sleep-deprived, so when I take an overnight flight I spend the next whole day recovering--sleeping, waking up to eat, maybe taking a little walk, but it's a lost day for me.<BR><BR> I sometimes travel a day ahead of a companion for this reason, as I am no good the day after a night awake.<BR><BR> Day flight--earliest is best --I set my watch to the foreign time which helps psychologically. I arrive somewhat tired anyhow, as for me travel is tiring, as is getting up at 5 to get to the airport for a morning flight.<BR><BR> I call the hotel the day before to assure/remind them I am coming in late (I don't stay at an airport hotel). I make sure one way or another I'll arrive in time to buy something to eat, OR make sure I have some kind of customs-acceptable packaged food with me. <BR><BR> Ideal is to arrive in time to go to a restaurant, inside or outside the hotel, and have a big sleep-inducing meal and a couple of drinks.

Actually--I'd do research ahead of time to find a restaurant near where you're staying that's open late. Dump the bags and race out.<BR> <BR> Last time we we deliriously happy in Bloomsbury to find that Malabar Junction (Indian) was open to at least 11 and had a full bar. We ate there almost every night actually.