What I would like to see in your carry-on bag!
 

I would like to advise all new travelers on overseas flights to include the following in their carry-on bags in order to make their flights more enjoyable:
Bring your own bottle of water-preferably a litter for an 7-8 hour flight .
Highly recommend salt water nasal spray that keeps your nasal passages open and prevents your nose from picking up various viruses from being so dry.
Inflatable head pillow-can use any place for a quick nap and really holds your head up.
Correct change for liquor on flights in economy-flight attendants can not change everyone's 20 dollar bill!
Some type of snack bar or foiled energy bar in case you get hungry off hours.
Enough diapers for at least 15 hours for your baby AND enough food or snacks for a toddler. Airlines do not have food "waiting" for you in the back of the plane.
Overseas flights can be chilly-DO NOT WEAR SLEEVELESS TOPS without bringing a sweater,etc.Dress in some layers for the flight.
Magazines that you want to read-airlines have really limited their selection these days so buy or bring your own along.
Pen to fill out those custom forms-you cannot "borrow" 200 pens to everyone.
Now go get packing....................

You arent just a kiddin'. Every point is true. I pretty much bring everything I think I will need and dont really rely on them supplying
anything. Water, snacks, something to read, music, and my neck pillow and I am good to go.

I'm always amazed that people don't plan ahead change-wise for their beverage service, having said that... cocktail, beer, wine, on european carriers from US are often complimentary.

Having dry nasal passages has very little to do with preventing your nose from picking up viruses...you really do need professional help.

dry nasal passages lead to cracking which provides a port of entry to viruses and bacteria. Dutyfree had a greeat point.

The one thing I forgot to bring on my carry on was MOISTURIZER. Even though I drank a ton of water my hands were so dry (I think the soap on the plane is what dries them out). Next time I will bring a good moisturizer....

Saline wash well known among flight attendants to help prevent picking up colds and sinus infections.

Many people get severe sinus headaches when from the dry air as well. Saline spray helps a lot.

How many bottles of water in a litter?

Kleenex and unscented face spritzer (my skin gets so dry) are also on my usual list.

Ear plugs.
It gets noisy on the plane, especially when you are trying to take a nap.

What airline are you flying, darling, that you have to pay for alcoholic beverages on overseas flights??? I have never been charged for alcohol by any airline that flew to Europe, Asia, or South America from the US (or back). I have never even been charged for alcohol when flying to Canada from the US. I think maybe the drinks cart hit you in the head, sweetie darling. :)

Hey that's my question too (about paying for cocktails)!! Never heard of such a thing for overseas, but I've always flown European carriers, so thought maybe a U.S. based airline had a different policy.

Hoping 'dutyfree' will clear this up for us.

We flew to Europe in October...free drinks. On the way back...charge!! We were on Delta (in economy)... most US airlines changed their policies to charge for alcoholic drinks last fall.

Not a big deal...we just stuck with water!

Anne

Re: "Magazines that you want to read-airlines have really limited their selection these days so buy or bring your own along."

Limited the selection, yes. But not necessarily the quantity. There seem to be just as many magazines as before but 90% of them seem to be about golf or money.

Can't be US carriers, Suze, because I have flown United to Argentina, Thailand, and Japan within the last year. No charge for alcohol.

Why would Delta not charge for alcohol leaving the US, but charge coming back? That doesn't make any sense. If that is their policy, they're daft.

I just reread Dutyfree's original post. Again, what airline are you using that doesn't give you all the bottled water that you want on an overseas flight? Instead of bringing your own, why don't you just ask the air hostess for water??? I have never flown any carrier--BA, United, Cathay Pacific, Alitalia, Air India, Lufthansa, Air France, Continental, or Iberia--that didn't offer FREE, UNLIMITED bottled water on overseas flights. Even United gives you a bottle of water when you fly a one-hour commuter flight. What gives???

When I flew Finnair to Bangkok, they had little bottles of water at every seat, along with the package with the pillow, blankets etc. And we were able to get as much water as we cared to drink. I kept the little bottle for when I landed and drank lots of glasses of water (when I wasn't sleeping) otherwise.

A lot of airlines are now charging for alcohol to save money/cut costs/whatever. No problem for me since I don't drink on flights. There's nothing worse than having to sit next to a drunk though. Just as well they make it more difficult...

ThinGorjus, I think you're behind the times. AA now charges for booze on international flights (broke my heart), and it seems that I read somewhere that Continental charges, too. Delta began charging for same on October 15 of last year, perhaps while AnneO was on the ground in Europe? I think you owe her an apology.

BTW, my friend who flew on NW on April 27 said alcoholic beverages were still free on NW at that time.

As for free unlimited water, I have never been on a flight where the attendants weren't stingy with water. Plus if you end up sitting on the runway waiting for take-off, beverage service hasn't even begun. (Of course, I'm not speaking of first class.) On my flight back from Paris last year, I was really glad to have my big bottle of water and a sandwich as we sat on the runway for an hour.

Sorry to open up a can of worms when all I was trying to do was to help.....as for money for drinks-yes,most of the USA carriers are now charging for cocktails/wine/beer.
As for the saline nasal spray,having moist nasal passages alleviates nosebleeds,sinus problems,etc.
Yes,most of the airlines go through with water services and offer mini bottles of water but having a bottle of water on you is great when you are stuck in the window seat;need to take a pill when you arrive in the foreign train station,etc.There is only so much bottled water boarded folks!
"Air hostess"? haven't heard that phrase in years...............