Flying for the inexperienced (and reluctant..)

I am not liking Virgin A. Dismal food. And if you want anything else they have sweets and crisps on sale! Token gesture service.
I was very uncomfortable last Friday. I was so wishing I was on the Air New Zealand flight - they are on top form as a result of World Cup...

Been, done it, husband has the New York marathon t-shirt!! I managed to hold the plane up both ways but am still not convinced that being shut in a tin at 30,000ft is a sensible way of travelling, in spite of the seat-back screen which allows you to choose your own films, music, games, flight maps etc. The security was thorough, although not the same at both ends. The little plastic bag for toiletries held enough daily lenses for a week, and on the way back I added 2 energy bars from the marathon goody bag just in case, and they were let through with no problems. We had no regrets about taking just carry-on luggage. Even US Immigration in Newark was ok - pleasant and even friendly.

New York is a great place and as soon as someone comes up with an eco-friendly way of getting there (floo powder?) I would go back!

Thank you all for your help, encouragement and good ideas.

Well done wheniwasyourage, you should feel very proud of yourself. Now, please tell me how I can convince my DH to do the same thing

Oh well done. Glad you enjoyed it and I am very impressed that you managed with so little luggage. (Visions of you both getting on plane, dressed in all your clothes, looking like Mr and Mrs Michelin Man and then peeling off to reveal svelte marathon running figures beneath.)
For anyone nervous I would recommend a couple of sessions with a reputable hypnotherapist. (not one of the ones that has done a 2 day course and specialises in smoking).
I did this when my kids started migrating to the far side of the planet. Previously i was not nervous but resistant to long haul flights. A few sessions with Tim convinced my brain that the flights would pass quickly easily and enjoyably. Made a huge difference. (apart from that last uncomfortable trial by virgin - must get out hypnosis recording and reinforce before my next trip...)
He sorted out some other stuff too. (A saint, situated in the south midlands/northern home counties)

Pity your recommended hypnotist is not in the South East Jess. I would like to suggest to my DH that a hypnotist could help but I rather think that he would not be open to the idea. I'll work on it though and hope perhaps something may happen before too long

Do you mean you want your DH to go flying or marathon running, yogagran? Both seem equally silly to me, although my DH enjoys both for some reason. The best thing I found was to ask for advice and reassurance from friends and relations who fly regularly. That was a great help, even with the irrational worries at 3am.

wheniwasyourage - marathon running, you must be joking!!
No, what I'd like to do is convince him that flying is a reasonable method of transport. He's not scared of it, just doesn't like the idea of hanging around at airports for hours, then being in a "tin box with a lot of other people". Also frightened of the diseases and germs he thinks are lurking in the air conditioning waiting to get into him

In fact,the majority of passengers do survive plane crashes - the newspapers just like to concentrate on the total disasters.
I suffer from claustrophobia, except in the one circumstance when I actually am trapped in an enclosed space - in an aircraft. I have to fly many times a year, as I live in France and have daughters in England and New Zealand, and I also fly to the Caribbean or Egypt for my snorkeling holidays. For some reason, I am always completely relaxed, just bored by the hanging about. I keep a small book of sudoku with me at all times anyway, so I always have something to do in waiting rooms.

I find Easyjet quite cheap for my flights from Geneva to Manchester - so far I have not found any other carrier that flies direct. Next month it will cost me about £50. I have a fairly hectic itinerary - Geneva - Manchester - Singapore - Auckland - Nelson - Auckland- Singapore - Phuket - Singapore - Heathrow - Geneva. I am adding on a week's snorkeling to my annual visit to my daughter as I know there is still good coral in Thailand.

I googled 'aircraft seating' and found several sites that show you the dimensions of the seats and the seating layout in every commercial aircraft. I have chosen Singapore Airlines because several people recommended them. Last year I went with Cathay Pacific and it was a nightmare. Some designer had had the bright idea of enclosing each seat in a fibre glass pod, so the person in front did not recline into your space. Sounds great - except the seat inside the pod did not recline at all - the squab just slid forward. I had to sit bolt upright for both the 9 hour flight to Hong Kong and the 14 hour flight to Heathrow. Not good for a 70-year old with a touch of arthritis.

I always order the vegetarian meals on long haul - I take the view that if I was going to get food poisoning it would most likely be from meat or fish!