Sick of flying :(

[juddles]

@juddles
Some options:

...

(c) Create an AFF get together in SCL.........

Have considered arranging an AFF gettogether in Chile (not in SCL but near LSC) - will do test run with a certain AFF member in March to see if venue is a winner.....

 

[bertflyer]

I can relate to Juddles, although this thread has made me realise that others have it worse. For the past 2+ years, I've been flying PER-MEL every other week in Y for work and find the hardest part is adjusting to the time change and dealing with being tired all the time.

This I can relate to (but in the opposite direction)! I get to PER and I am wide awake at 4am every day as my trips are only a few days and find these trips harder to get the body clock sorted than US or Europe trips where it’s a much bigger time difference.

 

[juddles]

I wonder if the older aircraft type contributes to the general "over it" feeling? ....

I think it is a sheer hours thing. Last few years averaged 2 hrs of every single day airborne, when you add airports and queues that is 4 hrs out of EVERY SINGLE BLOOMIN DAY in this stuff. And despite different menus, the food is all very much the same - it is the same processes they use to make food palatable in a plane - so everything starts to have the same smells, the same flavours.

 

[ChrisGibbs]

2018 (So Far)

Number of Segments: 134
Number of Km's: 380,072
Time in the Air: 22 days 10hrs 07min

2012 (Biggest Year - By Distance)

Number of Segments: 148
Number of Km's: 591,522
Time in the Air: 33 days 16hrs 51min

Since 1999

Number of Segments: 2552
Number of Km's: 6,421,687
Time in the Air: 385 days 3hrs 33min

 

[juddles]

....
Number of Km's: 6,421,687
Time in the Air: 385 days 3hrs 33min.....

I suspect you would perhaps agree with me that a J long-haul seat is just less uncomfortable than Y, not actually a great thing?

 

[ChrisGibbs]

I suspect you would perhaps agree with me that a J long-haul seat is just less uncomfortable than Y, not actually a great thing?

Correct. It's the time total travel time - not just the time in the air or the class of travel you fly that is the PITA. Getting to/from an airport in India or Asia (Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Jakarta, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, etc) can be a 2hr+ exercise at the best of times. Being in F, J compared to Y makes things more comfortable and provides a better quality of drinks - but doesn't make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things. Very rarely do I touch airline food so that doesn't come into play. One of the biggest issues with long term long haul travel is the fact you miss loads of birthdays, anniversary's, funerals, christenings, parent teacher meetings and a number of significant once in a lifetime events with your family and kids. These 'lost opportunities' will continue to have an unquantified negative impact of my view of solo air travel.

Every so often (depending on the ability for QF to free up Classic Rewards seats) i get the ability to thank my family for the support they give me while I'm traveling. Since 2004, every 2-3 years, I've been lucky to take the family on some special vacations that would not have otherwise been possible without the significant travel.

 

[kermatu]

It is called the Platinum handcuffs....a return Syd-Lhr J with double SCs is basically Plat requalication (already QF LT Gold)....my personal / award longhaul flights are usually not QF flights

Double SC J return to LHR as a work trip - can't complain too much.

 

[clipped_wings]

2018 (So Far)

Number of Segments: 134
Number of Km's: 380,072
Time in the Air: 22 days 10hrs 07min

2012 (Biggest Year - By Distance)

Number of Segments: 148
Number of Km's: 591,522
Time in the Air: 33 days 16hrs 51min

Since 1999

Number of Segments: 2552
Number of Km's: 6,421,687
Time in the Air: 385 days 3hrs 33min

This is EXACTLY why we still need to fund and research the "Beam me up, Scotty" theory.

 

[Quickstatus]

This is EXACTLY why we still need to fund and research the "Beam me up, Scotty" theory.

Only for those sick of flying.

 

[Duffa]

I haven't read every page but I don't think anyone mentioned crew???
Last July we caught the the Emirates A380 out of MEL at 05.00.... WTF
It nearly killed me getting up at 02.00 to catch the limo to the airport and after we boarded I started to think about all the staff.
Aircrew getting up at the same time (or earlier, I dunno) to get the flight prepared.
A very good friend of mine, a captain with Virgin Atlantic, missed half his childrens' childhood whilst glamorously jetting around the globe.
I'm happy to make my 3min commute to work and always look forward to my next J experience
I'm feeling your pain juddles

 

[Antoallison]

I know there have been studies done on the short and long term effects of airtravel on aircrew, but I wonder if there have been any studies done on the health of businessmen and women who have to travel regularly/constantly for work.

Apart from the short term jet lag issues, dietary problems from eating meals at odd hours, gastric reflux, constipation etc etc I wonder what the long term effects are with going through all those time zones and sleep disturbances on the cardiovascular system. Mild depression from missing family events and homelife.

Won’t mention possible exposure to contaminants or increased radiation.

Not trying to make you feel worse Juddles !

 

[Nank]

I haven't read every page but I don't think anyone mentioned crew???
Last July we caught the the Emirates A380 out of MEL at 05.00.... WTF
It nearly killed me getting up at 02.00 to catch the limo to the airport and after we boarded I started to think about all the staff.
Aircrew getting up at the same time (or earlier, I dunno) to get the flight prepared.
A very good friend of mine, a captain with Virgin Atlantic, missed half his childrens' childhood whilst glamorously jetting around the globe.
I'm happy to make my 3min commute to work and always look forward to my next J experience
I'm feeling your pain juddles

I agree with you completely on that one. As an aspiring QF A380 captain, I do sometimes worry about how I will fare with all the time zone changes, long hours in a confined space and the effects of radiation etc. that you are more exposed to when cruising at such high altitudes. Good that often you get 4 days on, 3 days off depending on how you are scheduled though.

 

[Boca68]

Have considered arranging an AFF gettogether in Chile (not in SCL but near LSC) - will do test run with a certain AFF member in March to see if venue is a winner.....

I'll be in that @juddles

And in a final response to "sick of flying" , after just coming off 26 hours, yes you read it right, 26 hours on a freakin' bus!!! To get from Tarapoto to Lima , omg!!! I'm going back to flying. Darn DVT!

But I made it to my meetings, with a couple of hours to spare. Mind you, the better half flew back 10 hours after I left on a 1 hour 30 minute flight, but still somehow only managed to just to be ready with minutes to spare for the meetings! How does one do that? My maths says she had a 14 hour head start!!

 

[ChrisGibbs]

I know there have been studies done on the short and long term effects of airtravel on aircrew, but I wonder if there have been any studies done on the health of businessmen and women who have to travel regularly/constantly for work.

Apart from the short term jet lag issues, dietary problems from eating meals at odd hours, gastric reflux, constipation etc etc I wonder what the long term effects are with going through all those time zones and sleep disturbances on the cardiovascular system. Mild depression from missing family events and homelife.

Won’t mention possible exposure to contaminants or increased radiation.

Not trying to make you feel worse Juddles !

Not sure the average monthly hours that Tech and Flight Crew do per month but a number of the regular passengers who travel for work would routinely average 50+ hrs per month of flying. Depending on location you could add 20% (10hrs per month) for travel time to/from the airport. On top of this add a conservative 200+ hrs per month for work and it makes for a not so glamorous lifestyle. Apart from a few exceptions the majority of technology / start-up businesses require employees to travel in Y or at best and when available Y+. So when your friendly CSM greets you on your next flight and says "you fly more than we do" then he/she could very well be correct.

 

[juddles]

Well I must confess, after a few weeks in the motherland, that I am actually looking forward to getting aloft again in three days

I know I will not feel that way when I arrive in SCL, but for now, have recovered from my malaise .....

 

[p--and--t]

2018 (So Far)

Number of Segments: 134
Number of Km's: 380,072
Time in the Air: 22 days 10hrs 07min

2012 (Biggest Year - By Distance)

Number of Segments: 148
Number of Km's: 591,522
Time in the Air: 33 days 16hrs 51min

Since 1999

Number of Segments: 2552
Number of Km's: 6,421,687
Time in the Air: 385 days 3hrs 33min

1994 was my biggest year. Lost count but well over >250 segments, all domestic, so the kms and hours aloft significantly less than you.

Essentially became like my routine commuter "bus ride" as 3 of the weekly sectors were the same every week. Between 3 and 9 sectors per week. Usually ending up in the same hotel in MEL three nights each week.

Kinda felt special at the time when the Golden Wing staff in ADL or Hotel front desk staff in MEL not matter what day, no matter what time, no matter what roster all knew you by sight as you came in the door and despite paying for the cheapest room in the house getting an exec corner suite with wine and fruit waiting on the coffee table each visit. The friendly greetings made up a little bit for the time away from family & friends.

The firm only ever paid for Y but as I was temporarily "in focus" as a very frequent flyer, AN (remember them) and QF usually had me in somewhere in front of row 4 or in row 13 for which I was very grateful given I'm 188cm.

Was very naive (ignorant of) and genuinely uninterested in status, status runs and especially lifetime status; so now just a lowly Bronze but luckily had the foresight to secure a lifetime QC when they were available.

Good to look back on. Those were the days of unsolicited gifts of leather bound monogrammed diaries, boxes of wine turning up for birthdays and xmas, 1A seating on a Y fare, and free lounge membership.

The hours in the air were never really a problem. It was the up early, taxi rides, queuing, waiting, delays, managing luggage, checking in, checking out, (that were at least treble the aloft hours) that were so draining.

These old bones couldn't handle that pace (hassle) any more.

Nowadays I enjoy my annual RTW holiday sojourn to new and interesting places where I want to go, when I want to go and the rare business trip that is more of a novelty now.