A First-Hand Experience Of Taking A Red Eye Flight!
BY
Sibashree
Oct 19, 2023
Red eye flights are those overnight journeys that take off late in the evening and land in the morning.
Now, you might be one of those travelers for whom this means sacrificing a good night's sleep. this, which can lead to that telltale fatigue. And, of course, you will get red eyes after landing.
Interestingly, these flights tend to be longer and are more common in regions outside the Western world.
This is largely because many airports have strict curfews that limit flight schedules, like in:
Europe
Australia
North America
That said, it's not like airlines in the Western world shy away from red-eye flights entirely. In fact, when it comes to westbound transatlantic routes, red eyes have become something of a standard among both European and American carriers.
In this article, I’ll dive into the reasons why red eye flights exist and will weigh their pros and cons. By the end, you'll feel like you've experienced what it’s like to take a red eye flight for yourself!
What Is A Red Eye Flight?
Whether you enjoy these nighttime hauls or not, red eye flights are quite a regular thing for people flying long distances.
They depart from their home terminal at night and reach their destination in the morning.
They are so named because of the physical toll it takes on the passengers, causing them to get red eyes.
Most of these red eye flights take off when flying to the east side. For instance, when you fly from Los Angeles to New York or from New York to London.
But there are exceptions to such flights, such as when you are flying north or south between long distances.
For example, if you fly between North and South America or Europe and Africa.
The whole idea behind red eye flights is to save daylight and maximize your time spent at home and at your destination.
Flying through the night helps you avoid losing a day in travel. It also helps save money spent on a night stay at a hotel. They are cheaper than day flights, too, making it a cost-effective option for budget travelers.
In some cases, there are actually no other options but to take a red eye flight because your origin and destination do not have day flights to begin with.
My Red Eye Flight Experience From Bahrain To London
kayak.com
Recently, I had the experience of taking three flights for one destination. I flew three different classes of travel on a single ticket.
I bought a Premium Economy round-trip ticket from London to Bahrain ten months before my flight. In this firsthand red eye flight experience, I will share my pretty good experience with Lufthansa during my return journey from Bahrain to London Heathrow, which involved a layover in Riyadh.
The expenses of Lufthansa flights to the Middle East did not follow a linear increase as the departure day approached. I have included two charts below to show how the price of my flight changed leading up to the day of departure and after the flight’s schedule was revised.
Lufthansa operates a daily flight from its ground base in Frankfurt to Bahrain International Airport with a layover in Riyadh.
This is a usual setup as it’s a daily flight to Dammam via Kuwait. So, I couldnt book Both Bahrain-Riyadh and Kuwait-Dammam as fifth freedom flights.
Intriguingly, Lufthansa continuously adjusts its schedule for destinations in the Middle East. According to Routes Online, Lufthansa would originally fly to Bahrain via Doha in 2014, but it stopped in 2015 when services to Doha were renewed and and operations to Muscat instead.
Before Lufthansa stopped all flights to Doha in 2017, they operated Frankfurt-Kuwait-Doha flights. In 2017, flights to Bahrain were via Dammam, and in 2018, they were via Kuwait. When I bought my ticket in August 2018, my planned route was Heathrow-Frankfurt-Kuwait-Bahrain, but it changed to Heathrow-Frankfurt-Riyadh-Bahrain in September 2018.
Lufthansa used to operate Riyadh as a non-stop flight without onward legs in 2015, but after discontinuing Doha in 2017, they started flying Frankfurt-Riyadh-Dammam while also initiating flights to Bahrain via Kuwait. However, things were changed again in 2018.
Flight 1: Premium Economy, Bahrain To Riyadh
thriftytraveler.com
When I was at Bahrain International Airport via Uber, I made it through passport control and security within 15 minutes.
The aircraft assigned for the flight was D-AIKN, which is an A330-343X. Boarding began at 23:20.
This was slightly late, but it didn’t matter since only 20 passengers were boarding the red-eye flight A330.
In fact, the gate push-off time was 11.42 pm, eight minutes early. The Premium Economy section of the plane had four rows with seven seats each.
There were only seven passengers, resulting in a load factor of 25% in this segment.
The legroom was spacious enough, allowing the passenger in front to recline without any pressure on the person seated behind.
The amenity kit for the Premium Economy included a toothbrush and toothpaste, a refreshment towel, a sleeping mask, earplugs, and a thick pair of socks.
Although the earplugs were weak and the face mask didn’t isolate light fully, the socks were comfortable. The IFE system was not as good as Emirates', but it had decent options.
One of the few features was live GPS tracking of the aircraft. During the Bahrain-Riyadh journey, they played the movie “100 Things,” a 2018 German film.
Despite leaving Bahrain eight minutes early, the plane arrived in Riyadh five minutes late, as we had to wait for other people to vacate our gate.
Flight 2: Business Class, Riyadh To Frankfurt
onceinalifetimejourney.com
During the second flight from Riyadh to Frankfurt, since it wasn’t a fifth freedom flight, passengers traveling to Frankfurt from Bahrain were not required to leave the aircraft in Riyadh.
After being told to stay seated for ten minutes while they were refueling the plane, a representative from Lufthansa’s Riyadh airport asked me to follow him into Business.
They gave me seat 10H since the Premium Economy and Economy classes were ready to fill up with passengers for the Riyadh-Frankfurt flight.
The flight from Riyadh to Frankfurt was entirely full in Economy, Premium Economy, and Business.
The headphones provided by Lufthansa in Business were exceptional, as they blocked out all noise.
The sound quality from the IFE was also excellent, allowing me to sleep soundly. They attached the headphones to the seat, so I couldn't remove them.
My red-eye flight departed from Riyadh King Khalid at 2:10 am, 15 minutes late, and arrived in Frankfurt at 7:14 am, one minute early. The average delay for the flight LH637 is ten minutes.
Flight 3: Economy, Frankfurt To London Heathrow
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
Regrettably, the last flight of my three-flight sequence was delayed despite arriving early from its previous flight.
The reason for the delay was that the aircraft, which was Lufthansa’s first A320neo with the registration D-AINC, took over an hour to clean.
Although I managed to secure an emergency exit row window seat, which I chose for free during check-in, the legroom on short-haul flights with Lufthansa was a bit disappointing for me.
Moreover, the sandwich served on the flight contained cream and cheese, which was not suitable for me as I do not eat dairy. Unfortunately, there were no alternative options available for me.
Another slight disappointment was that I didn't get any water from the crew before takeoff. So, I had to wait for a long time before we took off due to the delay.
The flight was full in Economy and Business class, and despite the plane being on time on average, we arrived 40 minutes late at our destination in London after pushing off from Frankfurt 29 minutes late.
Additionally, we spent a considerable amount of time circling around London. It was not a big inconvenience, but the service was not as good as my previous flights with Lufthansa.
However, I must acknowledge that Lufthansa quickly and smoothly compensated me with 600 Euros for the missed connecting flight during my outbound journey.
What Are Some Common Health Issues Associated With Red Eye Flight?
When it comes to red-eye flights, there are definitely some health concerns to keep in mind.
The term “red-eye” highlights the common experience of passengers landing with bloodshot eyes, often from feeling exhausted, dealing with jet lag, and battling dehydration.
1. Fatigue
strikes when you can’t get a decent night’s sleep. Unfortunately, finding that restful sleep on a plane can be quite challenging without taking some extra steps to make it comfortable.
2. Jet lag
It is something we typically think of with quick shifts in time zones, but it hits even harder on overnight flights. However, if you're savvy about your body's internal clock, you may be able to ease some of the negative effects of jet lag during these journeys.
3. Dehydration
It’s not as rare as you might think on flights. While cabin crew are usually attentive to serving food and drinks, red-eye flights might have fewer staff on duty, making it tougher to stay hydrated when you need it most.
If you often find yourself on these overnight flights, it’s important to be aware of the potential long-term health implications.
Regularly missing out on good sleep can weaken your immune system and lead to serious issues like sleep disorders, depression, and even an increased risk of heart attacks and cancer.
So, while those red-eye flights can be convenient, it’s wise to take care of your well-being.
Which Class Should You Choose While Opting For Red Eye Flight?
When it comes to red-eye flights, the health risks might sound pretty daunting, but thankfully, there are some effective ways to cope with them.
One of the most crucial steps you can take for your well-being during a night flight is to select the right class.
Sure, economy tickets can save you some cash, especially on these overnight flights, but there’s a reason they’re cheaper.
The lack of comfortable seating can make it really tough to catch some quality sleep. Plus, the passengers usually cram the economy sections, which only adds to the noise and can disturb your rest.
On the other hand, if you opt for business or a higher class, you’ll find much better seating and more appropriate lighting, and flight attendants who will cater to your needs by:—
Serving meals
Providing pillows
Helping you stay hydrated
You can manage some of these comforts on your own. Stil, I would say that investing in a better class ticket can definitely make a difference in how well you handle that long, overnight journey.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are Red Eye Flights More Dangerous? No, red-eye flights are not inherently more dangerous than daytime flights in terms of safety; if anything, they are generally safer due to less air traffic and pilots flying more on instruments. 2. Are Red Eye Flights Cheaper? Yes, red-eye flights are often cheaper because airlines price them lower to fill planes during off-peak overnight hours. This makes them attractive to budget-conscious travelers. 3. Is Red Eye Flight Booking Difficult? Not at all. You can just visit an airline's website or a flight comparison site. Then, you have to enter your origin and destination. Finally, you can filter for flights departing after 9 PM and arriving early the next morning.
Get Ready For Your Upcoming Red Eye Flight!
Honestly, their customer service impressed me so much that I would choose Lufthansa for all my future connecting red-eye flights.
If you have thoughts to share or questions to ask, please leave a comment below! We would love to hear from you!
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