I was never aware of the points made by Adam, on Turkish Airlines flights, flight attendants actually advise that you nurse or bottle feed, during take off and landing (particularly for younger babies) to ease the pressure on their ears.

Regarding your question you will find great Practical Tips for Nursing on an Airplane

In my opinion, I would nurse him during take off and landing, feed him solids during the flight, and try to have him sleep once you are airborne. If he is already easily distracted then it is only natural that he will be distracted during the flight.

The article, Ten Tips for Flying with Babies, casts some doubt on whether it's even allowed:

Is breastfeeding on planes -- illegal?! We talked to Jake Aryeh Marcus, a lawyer specializing in breastfeeding rights, to get information about policies around nursing in flight. Ms. Marcus says that aviation law can be confusing and there really isn't a straight answer. If a woman is concerned, she should talk to the airline beforehand. "The advice I give people is to contact the airline by e-mail before traveling and ask what the policy is concerning breastfeeding on the plane. Then the mom can print that and bring it with her. If she is questioned by a flight attendant, she can then pull out the e-mail."

Most nursing moms will fly without incident but if you're concerned you can also take these precautions:

• Request a seat by the window and reserve the seat next to you if you won't be flying with your partner. That way you have more room to get your baby into position.
• Ask the flight attendant for a blanket or bring your own cover-up to help you be discreet.
• Wear clothing that makes it easy to latch baby on without too much rearranging, like a button-up shirt that you can unbutton from the bottom.
• If you're really uncomfortable nursing your baby in public, top him up just before you board the plane even if it's before he seems interested. He might get through the flight without needing another feed.

Some articles seem to suggest that the mother should bring milk and bottle-feed - which has its own set of challenges trying to get through security with milk. Other articles are pretty straightforward in proclaiming a mother's right to nurse on a flight.

You'll probably need to consult with the airline, and as suggested print any correspondence you can hand to the flight attendants if they have questions.

It shouldn't be an issue, and probably won't be, especially if you can arrange (or re-arrange) seating so you have space between you and your fellow passengers, but there are no guarantees:

The pilot has the authority to enforce whatever rules they deem necessary for the safety and comfort of their passengers, and even if the airline has told you otherwise, a flight attendant may require that you not nurse during the flight. You'll need to be prepared with alternatives if that's the case. You can always file a grievance later, but baby is hungry now...

Good luck!

I tried to get a window seat because then you can hold the blanket up on just one side if necessary as to hide yourself from the other passenger's but the baby feels like they are not covered and they can see you. I nursed a few times in an isle seat and found it to be more awkward.

We once had seats near the back of the plane and found that the noise of the engine actually makes a great "white noise" effect because it was a constant roaring noise. So maybe the engine noise will actually help your baby be less distracted for nursing...unless there are other things going on like other loud babies/children.

If worse comes to worse you can always go to the bathroom and nurse uncovered that would decrease all the distractions for your baby AND for sure it would solve the "not allowed to nurse rule" which I have a hard time imagining anyone could enforce.