No Laptop, No Problem: 9 Things to Pass the Time on Your Next Flight

Tyler Salk

As the risk for terror appears to be at an all-time high, the US Department of Homeland Security is banning the us of laptops on planes as they feel terrorists will use computers while on board flights to take them down. Agree with the ban or not, one thing is for sure; your next international plane ride could be really boring. Laptops, tablets… everything bigger than your phone could very well be banned. I am not 990’s expert on European travel  but ADHD has trained me to know how to handle boredom better than anyone. Here are 9 things that you can do on an international flight without a laptop:
 
Remember, cell phones are allowed still in airplane mode. Don’t forget a portable charger!

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Download a movie
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On Google Play, in the App Store, and even on Netflix, movies can be downloaded in just a few minutes (you should probably do it at home before going to the airport). Even though it’s on a smaller screen, you still get to choose what you watch, and knock a few hours out of any flight. Just remember not to laugh too loud, and to bring your headphones.​

Listen to music
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Again, this is something that you might want to download before hand. Who doesn’t like music? The answer is no one, but they might not like your music. Two similar rules. Don’t sing along and don’t forget your headphones. Dancing in your seat might be acceptable.

Sleep
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If people are following the advice from ideas one and two, remembering their headphones, the flight should be pretty peaceful. Do your best to not get a full night’s sleep the night before your flight, and catch a few z’s on the plane. It’ll probably help with jet-lag, too.

Games on your phone
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This one might be tricky because some games do not work in airplane mode. However we have access to how many games on our phones? Let the time pass by as you travel across the ocean. What’s the worst that happens? You have a little fun.

Read the newspaper

Who has time to stay up to date on the news anymore? Obviously the 990WBOB audience, but chances are your friends aren’t all up to date. Why haven’t you told them about us? If they cannot get access to wifi on the plane, buying a newspaper is the next best option. With breaking stories, politics, sports, entertainment, etc. you could cover a couple of hours minimum by keeping yourself informed.

Read a book

Some of our personalities get picked on for being nerdy. It’s all in good fun. But reading isn’t only for nerds. Go back to the days before computers were a thing anyway, and pick up where the old folks left off. Take out a book on the plane. Fiction, nonfiction, it’s a way to entertain yourself for quite some time while you descend to your destination.

Crosswords / Word Searches / Sudoku

Why not pull out a book and work on some puzzles that will keep your mind busy? Sitting on a plane in boredom can be torturous, but as your mind tries to solve a puzzle, you can probably keep yourself occupied.

Talk to the person next to you

Yes, some people are annoying. Some people smell really bad. Some people are just a nuisance to talk to ). Most people aren’t too bad though. When you’re on a flight for hours on end, your phone can die. You could get tired of reading your book. But there will always be someone next to you who you can at least try to talk to. Chances are you aren’t traveling alone, however if you are the person next to you could be bored out of their minds as well. Who knows, you could make a new best friend… or you can really piss them off, but you’ll never have to see them again anyway

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