There are few things as gruelling as a long-haul flight in economy. Cramming yourself into one of the tiny seats with little leg room as the flight stretches on into its 10th hour will challenge anyone’s endurance, but there are a few tricks you can use to make it more palatable. If you’re jetting off to a far away destination, then you want to make sure your flight can be as seamless as possible and the experts have revealed hope you can do just that.

Medical travel insurance experts at AllClear have teamed up with a Virgin Atlantic cabin crew member to reveal the best place to sit, where to avoid and of course, how to try and get a little bit of sleep on those tricky long-haul flights. The flight attendant, who has more than five years of experience, said that if turbulence scares you then you need to try to book a seat over the wings.

They said: “Seats over the wings usually offer the smoothest ride during turbulence, and the further forward you sit on the aircraft, the less you’ll feel the impact of it.

“Likewise, sitting over the wing is often one of the smoother spots on the plane. Being closest to the aircraft’s centre of gravity, you tend to feel less movement and vibration compared with seats further back.”

When it comes to catching a bit of rest on a long-haul flight, it can be a tricky balance to strike. In order to get some sleep, you want somewhere quiet but this can be difficult to find, according to the expert. 

They said: “You can never truly predict the quietest spot on a plane, as it depends on the passengers around you. But the aft [rear] of the plane can be a bit noisy because toilet flushes are quite loud.

“The seats at the back on all our aircraft recline, so that’s not a problem, but sometimes light catches through the galley curtains on a night flight, and it can be noisy as the crew are working. So, I also wouldn’t choose back row seats.”

For the perfect flight experience, the flight attendant said there is one specific location to try and get seated in: “The ideal seat would be around five rows from the back, or five rows from the front.”

“Crew work front to back simultaneously, or two carts from the front of economy to the back. So, five seats from the front is best as you’ll get your first meal choice.

“It’s also closer to the front for turbulence, as if you’re five from the back you’ll feel it more, and being closer at the front means you’ll get off quicker.”