How to beat jet lag on long-haul flights

Qantas’ recent non-stop flight from New York to Sydney, lasting over 19-and-a-half hours, was greeted with awe by the aviation world. For ultra-long-haul flyers, however, such extended travel across several time zones is all a big yawn, given the reality of being cooped up for nearly a whole day in what is, after all, a flying tin can and battling sleep-depriving jet lag.

Long-haul flights (of up to 12 hours) and ultra-long-haul flights (of 14 hours and more) are becoming increasingly common. Non-stop flights between India and the UK, Germany and France are considered LH flights, while those to the US are considered ULH flights.

In fact, during the five-month period that Pakistan had closed its airspace to India in late February this year, Air India was operating flights that were nearly as long as the Qantas-New York service.