Airplane travel is one of the safest modes of transportation available today. With security measures being at an all time high there should be little reason to avoid travelling by plane . Many seasoned travellers know the best airline to travel on, the best time to catch a flight, and which airport restaurant serves the best sandwich, if it is not possible to quiz a friend or co-worker about recommendations on travelling the following strategies will help the traveller experience a less hectic journey.
Check out How To Alleviate Airport Nightmares to help your journey stay stress free
Top Tips For Airplane Travel
Flight Tips
Check around before booking a flight. Many airlines offer discounts especially to certain areas, for example Check, compare and book Air India Express flight tickets for services throughout South India, Middle East and Southeast Asia. It may be beneficial to check with a travel agent to see if the destination is offered in a discount package, then compare the cost to you making the booking direct.
It use to be that if the traveller made it to the airport early a great seat would be guaranteed but this is no longer the case since most airlines preassign seats when reservations are made. However if a seat is not to the traveller’s liking it is possible to get it changed. The traveller should go back to the desk twenty-five minutes before flight time to see about changing seats. This is when the seats of all of the passengers who have not showed are reassigned.
When carrying a hanging bag on a plane to put in the overhead it is important to note that the bag can be picked up mistakenly or on purpose by other travellers. Put some type of identifier on the bag to make sure it is recognized.
A coloured string or sticker will help the traveller spot the bag. A name tag isn’t enough.
Use the internet to check out statistics on different airlines. Many internet sites give different statistics that will show the best airline to book. This is also true for cruises, car rentals, and hotels. With the current state of security being on high alert, most airlines take the safety of their passengers very seriously.
Airlines with high traffic, for example Los Angeles International, Washington Dulles, and New York’s JFK airport all have numerous security safeties in place. These procedures all take extra time and energy and should be viewed, not as annoyances but as a means to safeguard travel.
Airplane bathrooms are small and airless. They are also only allowed to be used during certain times. It is important if bladder issues are a problem to have safeguards in effect while in flight.
If a baby is going on the flight, with a parent or guardian, it is important to understand what will be needed to be close at hand. This is also true if children will be flying. Colouring books, snacks, and small toys can be packed in a large purse or shoulder bag. Wet wipes, hand sanitisers are a good idea too.
Check out these tips on How To Save Money On Flights
Lost Baggage
One way to make sure luggage is not lost is to take fewer pieces of luggage but, since that is not always possible, a good practical tip is to make sure that a name, address and phone number is written on all pieces of luggage. The good news is that 95% of all luggage does arrive with the traveller, it is also important to insure bags for their actual value. If the contents are worth more than the £1500 most insurance covers, then extra insurance should be purchased.
Travellers should not fly 12 hours after dental work. Changes in atmospheric pressure can cause swelling and severe pain. People who fly should always carry their medical history. A one page summary can be placed inside a passport. Blood type, allergies, prescriptions and any pre-existing health conditions should be included.
Reasons Not to Drink on a Flight
One important tip when flying is to try and not eat the snacks provided on the flight. Nuts, soft drinks and alcohol can cause a swing from high to low blood sugar. An elevated or low blood sugar level can make a person feel tired, cramped, and/or headachy.
It is important to realise that alcohol has a bigger punch when flying. This is because body fluids in the pressurized dry cabin evaporate quicker. The pressure also makes the intestinal tract absorb the alcohol faster making the alcohol felt quicker. It is beneficial to drink four or five large glasses of water during the flight to keep from being dehydrated.
Alcohol has also been an issue when passengers overindulge and either are removed from the plane before an appointed destination or arrested upon arrival.
In this modern age of zooming from one destination to another there should be no reason why travelling by air should be feared. By knowing the strategies needed to get through security and a few helpful hints to keep up with luggage, an airplane flight can be the start of a joyous trip.
If you are travelling with kids, check out Top 10 Tips For Travelling with Kids
We always pay for seat selection because I know there have been cases of families not being seated together!
I am a seasoned traveller and I’m agreeing with a lot of this! I am quite at home in airports and on planes, although going through security can still be quite stressful due to the medications I carry with me.
These are all great tips. Organisation is definitely key. Having snacks and activities handy for everyone is a must, and warm clothes and socks for longer flights too is always handy!
Oh all this post has made me want to do is get on a plane!
Great tips though, travelling can be really stressful so any tips are so valuable x
wise advice here – thank you 🙂 I’ve got really colourful bags so we can see them on the carousel – my mum has a black case and coloured ribbons but twice men have taken her bag home by mistake – annoying!
We’re due for some long haul flights this summer, some good reminders – like the recognisable bag tags. It’s also helpful to remember that the flying to your destination is part of the fun.
My Mother in Laws bag went missing recently but they delivered it to her the next day which I was surprised by! But I never would have thought about how much there was in there.