airplane travel to germany

[chasswen]

book your tickets at LEAST 8 weeks out and you can get good deals on biz class tickets.
we flew last aug and i got the round trip biz class tickets for 2500.00 each.
chuck
try to avoid usair as there seat are old and can be tough on the butt.

[sharman]

If you're not too tall, I found a way to be very comfortable.

3 seats coach, together. It's cheaper than one seat business class. You can book good fares a month or so in advance, unlike business which is astronomical unless booked two or more months in advance. And you can lie completely flat, and few airlines have business class seats that recline completely flat.

This last tidbit is what really made it work for me: I bought a memory foam mattress topper, folded it four times, wrapped it in a sheet (sewed shut), and it fit perfectly over the three seats (you want full size, not twin or queen). It rolls up easily, and I bungee corded it to a rolling duffle bag to shlep it around. Stewardesses came up to ask where I bought it.

Hope this is helpful. Let me know if you want more details about making the foam cushion.

[dshobbies]

Welcome to the forum though sorry you find the need. I tried posting yesterday but my post disappeared 3 times, so here goes again.

I too recommend flying business class if your budget allows. I did love the idea of that topper. Lufthansa's bus class has flat seats that although they're not completely horizontal, you should be able to find a comfortable position. Non-stop would also limit sitting, waiting, walking and flying time.

I also recommend a DVD player because Germany's only English TV station is CNN. I'm so sick of CNN... sick, sick, sick (and that's with a DVD player)

Can you tell us a little about your circumstances.

Good luck to you, Dale

[Poncho]

Lets see here...

If you can fly business / first class - do it!!! Your whole body will thank you both going and coming.

If flying coach - bring a neck pillow to help with sleeping during flight.

A sleeping pill is a great idea.

Direct flight is a must. Also, if you live in the mid-west I would recommend a flight out of say Chicago or maybe New York. They will fly directly accross. We made the mistake of arranging our flight from Ohio to Atlanta GA. The flight from Atlanta was much longer because they follow the coastline clear up to say like Maine then they fly accross the ocean.

DVD - A must have - either on the plane or in the hotel.

Bring an electric outlet converter for any appliances you plan on bringing such as a laptop, curling iron et al. The plugs on our devices are not compatible other wise.

Bring all of you medications and then some in labeled bottles!!!!!!!!!

[sharman]

Further to the subtopic of entertainment. I laboriously taped 100 DVDs from tv for my trip and managed to ruin them all. So I was forced into books-on-iPod by default, and I really loved that. With one ear pod, you can lie completely still, eyes closed, as comfortable as it's possible to be under our miserable circumstances. It was especially good for me since I can only lie on my side.

[ellecincos1]

Thank you all. It will help on my plan to have ADR surgery around April-May..
I have a grade 5 annular tear (L5-S1) which did not respond to a nucleoplasty i had done in september...My leg and back pains have been getting worse and worse, unbearable some days.

[Maria]

When I was checking out flights to Germany I looked into buying the 3 coach seats as I travel that way from California to Florida every year and am nearly comfortable as I'm on the short/small side.

This last trip back from Florida I thought I would die with the plane seats I was lying across just while waiting for the plane to take off. My hips were burning and aching and I was ever so glad to get bumped from that plane for mechanical probs. Fortunately the plane that finally went out had far more comfortable seats.

I think that idea mentioned about the topper is GREAT! Direct flights as well as even one stop is killer for me esp. since we have to arrive at the airport so early for international flights, stand or sit around and usually I don't sleep well at all the night before my flight so I'm exhausted. Sleeping pill is another great idea as long as the flight is long enough. That was the only reason I didn't take one last time I flew.

Good luck and make sure you question whoever makes the reservations re the seating, armrests going up and every detailed question you can think of. I always look online at the seating arrangements while making reservations.