Many people are required to travel for their job, and sometimes have to fly abroad. To make the most of the time in the air, it is great to get out your laptop, tablet or phone and complete some work while flying. Although this seems like a brilliant idea and an excellent way to make use of time, some risks can come with working on a plane.

1. Give Yourself Space

In order to get work done comfortably, it’s best to have some space around you. You can achieve this by either booking two seats or by upgrading. Premium economy and above offers more room, therefore, more space to set up your work station. What you don’t want is to be squished in your seat, attempting to balance your device on the small fold down table and trying to avoid knocking the person next to you. Furthermore, giving yourself that extra space limits the chance of other people viewing what you are doing on your device; this is especially important if you are handling sensitive data.

2. Avoid A Seat in Front of You

Unfortunately, some travellers are completely unaware of what and who is around them and they will do as they please, even if it is a hindrance for others. More often than not, if you have a seat in front of you, the person in this seat may decide to recline with little or no warning. Even if you aren’t working while you fly, this is incredibly annoying, let alone when you are balancing your device on the table on the back of the seat. There is a chance your device may get damaged in this scenario if you aren’t prepared for the change in position. A way to avoid this is to book seats that are at the front of the aircraft or by the toilets at the middle; no seat will be in front of you, and your table will come out of the side of your seat.

3. Download and Research Before

To make the most of your time on the flight, it is best to research some work before your trip, whether at home or the airport. Download any documents you need before getting on the plane so that they are there ready to go when you have fully ascended. Some flights, unfortunately, don’t offer Wi-Fi so it is a good idea to pre-plan and get organised so you can still complete tasks while you travel.

4. Choose A Flight with Wi-Fi and Get A VPN

If the option is there, choose a flight with Wi-Fi. By doing this, you don’t limit the amount of work you can complete during the trip, and you can also do further research online if required. Additionally, this means that you can stay up-to-date with emails from employees or clients. As with any open network, there is an element of risk when you connect to it; we recommend using a virtual private network; it is a brilliant way to keep your work secure. Take a look at our blog that discusses why connecting to unknown Wi-Fi networks is so risky for more information.

5. Ensure Your Devices Are Fully Charged

Prepare for your aircraft to not have any plug sockets, so ensure your devices are fully charged beforehand. For shorter flights, the full battery should suffice, but for long-haul, we recommend taking a portable charger with you to top up halfway through the trip.

6. Get A Screen Protector

Perhaps the easiest way to avoid nosey passengers is to get a privacy screen protector for your device; this means that only you can view your display. Another useful protector for a flight is a matte finish screen guard; this reduces glare, and therefore, any light on the plane or from the window will not blur or affect your display.

If you are travelling by plane soon and need to do some work during the flight, we hope you now know how to stay comfortable, and more importantly, secure! If you are interested in purchasing a screen protector for your device, check out our range. Do you have any other tips on how to stay secure when working on the plane? Let us know on our socials!