Given that you're looking for distraction on a flight, then, rather than disappear up my own backside telling you all about the great and worthy books I read, I'll just recommend page-turners that you have a chance of finishing on the flight:
Touching The Void – Joe Simpson (no further explanation needed…but if you haven't read it, try it, I couldn't put it down once I started)
If you'd prefer fiction (seemingly poo-pooed by some here…why??), then how about a nice well crafted thriller? I can recommend two writers: anything by Harlan Coben or Tess Gerritsen will keep you turning the pages. Hey, they're never going to win the Nobel Prize for literature, but I can't resist a good old thriller sometimes.
Enjoy the flight.