How does one charge a tablet on a long flight?

Nowadays, many newer transatlantic jets have usb charging ports in the entertainment system located on the seat backs. Check with the airline or seatguru or seatexpert for your flight.

Most airlines don't have sockets for economy passengers. You can tell for certain by checking this site: http://tinyurl.com/44udg

I use an external battery. They are very cheap these days and only about the size of a lighter. I use this one: http://tinyurl.com/qad4xbm

Go on the Lufthansa website and find out what type of plane you will be on for your trip, then see if you're able to check on the amenities available on that particular plane. Newer planes seem to have USB ports that can be accessed. Even then, those ports may not work either so just make sure you bring alternative entertainment and make sure to charge your tablet at the airport while waiting to board to get maximum battery life. I have purchased an external battery for my cellphone that I can use with a USB cable but am not sure if those will be strong enough for tablets.

Denny,

Are you travelling on flight 491? That flight apparently uses both Airbus (several different versions) and Boeing aircraft, and has a flight time of about 9H:20M. I had a brief look at the Seat Guru information and it shows that none of the Economy seats have power points. Premium Economy provides 115 VAC power points.

What is the normal operating time of your tablet? As suggested in another reply, the best solution would probably be an external battery pack. There are lots of them listed on Amazon and similar sites in the $20-40 range. Here are some examples......

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aipad%20external%20battery

If you do take a backup external battery - my advice because that's what I usually do - don't have a brain fade and put it in your checked luggage. I was reminded on my last flight that lithium and lithium compound batteries are banned from checked luggage and must travel in the carry on.

I did have the battery in the right place....

Look for the USB port on the TV on the seat. If there is one, you can charge through it. I don't know if you can tell if your plane has this ahead of time. It's common but not 100% in my experience. Otherwise look into an external battery.

Or...charge it in the airport before you go, take advantage of the all night free entertainment on the plane, and try to get some sleep instead of using your tablet all night long. The more rest you get, the better prepared you will be to make that connection in Frankfurt to Linate and the train connection after that.

On our last trip, flying from TUS to ATL to FCO, my husband watched movies and TV all night on the plane's screen. I don't think he even turned on his iPad. When we arrived, I parked him in a somewhat secluded area with our luggage (all carry-on, of course) near one of the baggage carousels and bathrooms while I got EUR and set up our hotel for the night. Having been awake for about 22 hours by the time we arrived and got through passport control, he promptly fell asleep and admitted that anyone could have taken anything, he was so out of it. I watched a little TV or maybe a movie, and managed to sleep more than usual on the plane, so I was a bit more prepared to handle our arrival logistics.

Your day will be longer than ours was by the time you get to Linate, much less your final destination, so if you don't turn off the technology and get some rest, it will be Zombie Denny in Germany and Italy.

Denny,

Could you confirm if your flight arrival is at Malpensa or Linate?

It's to Linate via Frankfurt. I haven't had a cross-Atlantic or cross-Pacific flight in 25 years. Five hours to Boston or to Honolulu seemed like an eternity, both of which I've done in the past 2.5 years.

The tablet was also to be able to shut out ambient noise, mostly loud conversaations, in case I didn't have any sleeping pills with me.

It is Lufthansa flight no. 491.

Ken,

Would this [below] work?

http://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Portable-External-Battery-Charger/dp/B00AA6CS86/ref=pd_sim_cps_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1V7471S0K1RXP4BCMMP5

My mind is all over the place right now, thinking about moleskins and shoes and debit cards...

It will work, but it doesn't carry enough of a charge for a tablet. It's better for smartphone use. Best to use the 6000mAh (which I linked to in my reply) or the 12,000mAh model which is bulkier.

Thanks for helping me rule that one out.

Would this one be even more efficient (it sounds like its in the same series):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AANQLRI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AZF6YB7UVA7OU

?

Does the battery have a long life? Do you have to recharge it as well--at some point--to a wall socket, etc.?

The 6000 mAh model has enough capacity to charge a tablet two times. The battery is charged by connecting the include cord to any USB-wall adapter like this: http://tinyurl.com/nn3ee9w

You can extend the battery life of your tablet white flying by turning off the wifi (airplane mode), and turning down the brightness of the screen.

The more rest you get, the better prepared you will be to make that connection in Frankfurt to Linate and the train connection after that.

It certainly does sound like a marathon and I'd love to get some rest, as in sleep through all of it from the time I board the plane until the time the plane starts its descent, but if I can't fall asleep, it may be torture to be stuck in a seat on a crowded plane for so many hours...which is why with a fully charged --by whatever means--tablet, it would be less arduous to while away the hours...

The battery is charged by connecting the include cord to any USB-wall adapter like this: http://tinyurl.com/nn3ee9w

I think this is the same sort of "gizmo" that I use to recharge my Nexus 7 to the wall socket via a micro-USB cord, connecting tablet to "gizmo" to wall socket. Isn't it also called a power adaptor??

Yeah that gizmo should work. These USB wall adapters are easy to purchase in lots of places.

You have been given lots of good options, and as was already noted, there is lots of "free" entertainment available through the monitor on the seat-back, so to ward off boredom, ambient noise, etc., you can just use the entertainment that is available on the flight, and save the battery life on your tablet that way. Just bring your own headphones. Lots of movies and tv shows, and as others have noted, try and shut off the monitor a couple of hours in so you can get some rest (most of my viewing occurs on the flight back). I know it's silly looking, but ear plugs and an eye mask work for me (plus a pm medicine that appears to have been somewhat controversial when I have mentioned it previously, so will not do so this time).

Yes, I will make use of all the various options, especially if my doctor won't come through in time and prescribe sleeping pills...I don't normally watch television. Turning my tablet to airplane mode...but I went ahead anyway and bought an external battery anyway, although I'm unfamiliar with how they work...taking something to make me drowsy would be best...diphenhydramine, forget the brand name, makes me drowsy when I get my slow-drip IV every 8 weeks.

Denny,

One other point to mention....

I deal with the problem of ambient noise by using a good pair of noise cancelling earphones. Even if I'm not listening to anything, leaving the earphones in place tends to reduce the background noise to some extent. After watching two or three movies, perhaps listening to one of the music channels, having a meal and a snooze (or two), I have no need for a tablet to keep me entertained.

The Jackery is great. I've used it on my last few trips. Between that, and keeping the iPad in airplane mode, you shouldn't have any problems.
Just be sure to have the cord to charge your ipad with you.

For me, the eye mask is essential. In the context of a flight, I don't think it looks silly.

Yes, sometimes watching an inflight movie or two helps one to drift off to sleep. A downloaded movie on an I-pad would be even better. I have a number of books on my Nexus 7 as well, not sure how much power that consumes.

Watching videos or gaming is what will really drains the battery. If you're just using a tablet for ebooks or music, you probably won't need an external battery. But I prefer have my own selection of movies/TV shows on my device. I don't like to use the airline's entertainment system and rely on their selections or the possibility that the monitor on your seat is out of order; I've seen that happen. Back in the 80's I was on two very long El Al flights to Israel, and the only entertainment offered on one flight was non-stop episodes of the TV show Matlock, and the other non-stop episodes of the BBC show Open all Hours. I was traumatized for life by this and vowed to never let it happen again:)

My only comment is if you flying between Seattle and Europe it will be mostly at night when you should be trying to sleep and not need your tablet. Coming home is a different issue since you tend to be awake the whole time. Also, I would avoid a Rx sleeping pill as it might knock you out too much. Some of the lighter, over the counter, pill would work better. My general advice for the trip over is to ignore everything on the plane, put on the eye shades and eye plugs, store the tablet as you really do not need to be stimulating your brain at that time of night.

I'm with Frank. My worst time during any vacation is the time on the flight. The best option for me is to sleep through it as well as I can. Better to sleep now so you can have functional vacation time when you arrive than be entertained on the plane and brain-dead tired on arrival.

A direct flight is great because you don't have to wake up for a change. I don't even look at the entertainment choices. I start by setting my watch to local time at my destination and commit to thinking only in that time (no thinking about the time at home). Once on the plane, I'll settle in, maybe eat a light dinner (there's too much commotion through dinner to sleep). After that I put headphones on with soft classical music, cover my eyes (they used to give out blindfolds, now I bring an old one), make myself as comfortable as possible, and remember it's ten at night in Frankfurt so I better get some sleep.

If taking melatonin or a tylenol pm helps, do it - but not half way through the flight. You need it to be out of your system by the time you arrive.

My general advice for the trip over is to ignore everything on the plane, put on the eye shades and eye plugs, store the tablet as you really do not need to be stimulating your brain at that time of night.

Yes, I hope I can just konk out, but if I can't for whatever reason, the tablet (with its MP3 capabilities) offers potential relief, from downloaded books to audio books to music. Anything from classical to New Age and World Music can be an enormous help so that one is not dwelling on being awake with nothing to do, or focusing too much on the distractions around me, i.e., other people's "activities."