Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Flying Hot and Cold

I'm one of those people who is always cold.  Indoors, outdoors, and especially on a plane.
 
When I wear my uniform pants, I also have on heavy tights and a pair of silk underwear beneath them.  I'm not still warm enough.  Even when I'm up at moving around the cabin doing my service.  Still not warm enough.
 
So it was with great interest that I read "Hot Tips for Cold Fliers" on Tripso.  James Wysong, a former (and possibly current) flight attendant, lists a variety of ways to make sure passengers can keep warm on a flight.
 
His best tip, and the one that makes the most sense, is to be prepared by dressing warmly.  Like all clothing recommendations for cold weather, layering is key.
 
His worst tip is to demand heat.  If you've been following any of the posts, here or elsewhere, you know how vigorously the subject of airline etiquette is being discussed.  Hopefully, by now you've also realized that demanding anything is going to ensure that you are ignored.  Asking to have the heat turned up is perfectly reasonable.  Asking repeatedly, also reasonable.  Keep the demands for a true emergency.
 
Read all of James' tips and keep warm on your next flight.
 
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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I usually have the other problem. I tend to get hot on the airplane. I am always fiddling with the air vent trying to be either not too hot or too cold. I usually settle on cold with a jacket. It's got to be tough with that many people confined together, all liking different temperatures.

Anonymous said...

Mmmmmmmmmm. Silk underwear.

Fly Girl said...

Astroprof: I wonder if this could be a gender issues. I repeatedly hear from men that they are too hot on the airplane.

Anonymous: OK, before things get too far afield here, I'm talking about LONG UNDERWEAR. The kind that skiers or other outdoor athletes wear. Nothing sexy about this!

Anonymous said...

I'm guessing you can figure out who this is but since it's against the rules I'm to be anonymous: I always brew a pot of hot coffee...double bag it with trash bags...and huddle in the corner of the galley where the pax can't see me and hold it on my cold toes and fingers. As I'm sure you know...you learn to be creative when you spend most of your time on an airplane! ;)

Anonymous said...

RE: Silk underwear. I actually wear silk-type underwear and silk type undershirt for a very opposite reason: they make me feel cooler. On the days I run out of these and have to go to my cotton boxers and cotton T-Shirt, I end up spending my day sweating like a hog. It's unbearable and so I try and keep the laundry caught up so I don't run out of the others.

If uniform and space allow (since any silk-type material is usually thinner than cotton and for some people I know, they wear pants so tight that a few extra nanometers is the difference between being able to button up the pants and not), may I suggest you try a cotton long john.

Also to note: tights also can have a cooling effect if you're wearing silky ones. At least they did for me when I tried some to warm up in a freezing server room (hey, a friend suggested it and ya know, I kinda liked it!). Whenever cool air hit them, it intensified the coolness. YMMV.

My $0.02 USD

Fly Girl said...

Never thought about wearing silk for its cooling properties, but it makes sense. Will keep that in mind.