Advice on flying wanted

RIP1_2

I am flying with my gran to NZ in a few weeks time. She has a letter from the doctor stating that she is fine to fly but does suffer from high blood pressure.

When should we make the airline aware and can this be used to our advantage in seating arrangements at all

ROCKINGHAM

I fly to Oz usually twice a year and have done so for the past 20. Malaysian Airlines have a bit more leg room I have found and I have tried them all. The flights tend to be very full these so your chances of having an empty seat next to you are pretty slim. I always ask for the basinet postion and an aisle - that way you can at least stretch your legs out. The best seats are by the emergency exits but I am afraid they do not allow children, the elderly or the disabled to sit there for safety reasons. I am an ex stewardess and believe me after 26 hours - no airline seat is comfortable. Suggest you break journey - KL has a nice hotel within airport complex - a 24hr stopover does make all the difference. Don't forget to join the airline frequent flyer programme too.

Jake'sGran

I have some serious health conditions and cannot get complete insurance even for travel to Spain. But, with the airline I like to use (no use to you as only short haul) they treat me well and I get the front seats where there is extra leg room. This came about because my GP wrote to say that I needed the leg room due to widespread arthritis. With high BP I cannot see what your GP could write for you to get good seating. Can you not pay for extra leg room. Also, with some airlines, you can choose your seats on line - if that is how you have booked your tickets. We went to Oz in '98 and I read a lot about health issues before we went. It's a good idea to drink lots of water and little alcohol and to move your legs about. Some people are now wearing surgical stockings to avoid DVT. If we ever went again (if allowed) I would travel business class as I found the journey just too much for me. We stopped in Singapore for two days.

davethetaller

I have heard it said that half an asprin taken 12 hours before a flight,will thin the blood and make DVT less likely.

Obviously,there may be special rules for people with high blood pressure,check it out with your doctor.

Kasha

I travel abroad on average twice a year longest flight 12 hours. I have never let the airline know? I didn't know I had to? Ive always let my insurance know and got a letter from them to say I disclosed to them that I have high blood pressure.

Jake'sGran

RIP1 wrote: »

I am flying with my gran to NZ in a few weeks time. She has a letter from the doctor stating that she is fine to fly but does suffer from high blood pressure.

When should we make the airline aware and can this be used to our advantage in seating arrangements at all

Firstly, have you made the insurance company aware. Sometimes they don't load the policy for blood pressure especially when it is under control with medication (as my husband is).

Regarding having an advantage re seating on the plane, I have a letter from my doctor to say I require leg room due to widespread arthritis. (The airline has a copy of this letter). I cannot imagine BP will give you any advantage as half the people on the plane might suffer from this as it is so common and not likely to cause a problem during flight. We went to Oz in 1998 and after that I decided that unless I could travel business, or first class in future I wouldn't go as it is such a long journey and I am not one of those who can just fall asleep in the middle of a lot of people. When we went I realised that some people had managed to prebook seats with Singapore Airlines but we were not given the option. I made sure I booked them on the journey from Singapore to Perth. Have you checked to see if you can pay for legroom? I think it depends who you are travelling with.

My cardiologist told me two weeks ago that he would prefer me not to fly at all in future so that is the end of my Spanish holidays.

Have a great time.

Biggles

Jake'sGran wrote: »

My cardiologist told me two weeks ago that he would prefer me not to fly at all in future so that is the end of my Spanish holidays.

I don't see why it should be. The sleeper train is less hassle than a plane, doesn't take that much longer (when you consider the door-to-door time - Ryanair know all about that now!) and you are treated better and get proper meals. See The Man in Seat Sixty-One - http://www.seat61.com/index.html

Jake'sGran

Biggles wrote: »

I don't see why it should be. The sleeper train is less hassle than a plane, doesn't take that much longer (when you consider the door-to-door time - Ryanair know all about that now!) and you are treated better and get proper meals. See The Man in Seat Sixty-One - http://www.seat61.com/index.html

Don't think I could sleep on a train unless I had my own very comfy cabin but thank you for the info. There are lots of things we could do for holidays but my health is not so good so stress has to be avoided. Neither of us fancies a cruise either so it looks like it will be a new car and seeing places in the UK we haven't been to before.

Biggles

Jake'sGran wrote: »

Don't think I could sleep on a train unless I had my own very comfy cabin.

Nor could Mrs Biggles, that's why rail looks such a good option.

Madrid £156 return per person for First Class (£221 Gran Classe with private shower and toilet) you get a two-berth sleeper in a 'Trainhotel'.

http://www.seat61.com/Spain.htm#London%20to%20Madrid

Jake'sGran

margaretclare wrote: »

Jake'sGran, When DH and I came back from Vancouver in October 2003 we decided then that we'd never fly any great distance again unless we could afford to upgrade - we were going to do that last July to Niagara, but then I broke my pelvis and we couldn't. It was an airline called Globespan which was offering much more comfortable accommodation - www.flyglobespan.com

HTH

Margaret

I'm really sorry to hear about your broken pelvis Margaret; that must have been really painful. I did know about the Plymouth Santander route but, don't laugh when I tell you that my OH is not the kind of driver who could take that on. He wants a new car even thought we have a perfectly good one and never go anywhere in it! BUT, the other week a Professor of Cardiology in Sheffield offered to see me and I just happened to comment that it would not be far to go in the car (from Manchester). Like a shot he said "oh no, we'd have to take the train, the middle of Sheffield is dreadful". So, no chance at all of driving in Spain but I can't think of anything nicer. Majorca is our favourite place, especially in the North i.e. Pollensa.
My ideal holiday would be Majorca with a car but that was always a NO as he does not like to drive on the right hand side of the road. My sister lives in Perth, Australia and another dream journey would be Emirates First or Business but now I will never see her again.

Jake'sGran

Margaret, although the Professor in Sheffield has asked me to keep him informed (some of these doctors are fantastic), my own cardiologist says he wants to consult with a couple of others in the Heart Centre before deciding
the best way to go forward so I won't be going to Sheffield in the near future. If we do ever go, my daghter has offered us her Sat-Nav. Thank you anyway.