Becoming A Savvy Air Traveler
Holiday travel can put a damper on your holiday spirit.
Losing your luggage, which may have Christmas gifts in it, is just one of the many things that can go wrong.
Of course this can happen any day of the year.
But during the holidays, we are already under stress and hoping everything will go well.
While there is no way to foolproof your travel plans, there are things you can do that will give you a greater chance of travel success.
The first thing is not to do what all the other fliers are doing.
Don't schedule a fight during rush hour.
Rush hour for flying is roughly the same as it is for driving - between eight and nine a.
m.
This is when everyone flies.
It's not too early and it's not too late.
So go against the mobs and go first thing in the morning.
If you take the first flight of the day, you won't get stuck in the domino effect of late departures.
Also, try to go to smaller airports.
People always schedule with the big hubs, which means they are busier.
Schedule with the smaller airports and save yourself some time and maybe you'll get a bit more service too.
And if you can, pack light and carry your luggage on board.
It's better to do some laundry than it is to lose your suitcase and be without.
Second, check in the night before.
And print out your boarding pass.
This will save you oodles of time and hassle at the airport, when you are dragging along suitcases and maybe kids in tow.
Also, give the airlines your email or cell phone number.
If there's a problem with a flight, they will often contact you.
Third, scan the internet for apps that will help in your travel adventure.
If you like to work on a computer while traveling, check out seatguru.
com for a map of where the power ports are on the plane.
Flightstats.
com is another good website for information like gate changes, flight status and weather delays.
You can even get a TSA app that will let you know how long of a wait there is at security.
And finally, always be courteous to the gate agent.
No one likes to be hassled, including them.
Show up a little early for your flight and be pleasant.
You will be amazed how far it will get you!
Losing your luggage, which may have Christmas gifts in it, is just one of the many things that can go wrong.
Of course this can happen any day of the year.
But during the holidays, we are already under stress and hoping everything will go well.
While there is no way to foolproof your travel plans, there are things you can do that will give you a greater chance of travel success.
The first thing is not to do what all the other fliers are doing.
Don't schedule a fight during rush hour.
Rush hour for flying is roughly the same as it is for driving - between eight and nine a.
m.
This is when everyone flies.
It's not too early and it's not too late.
So go against the mobs and go first thing in the morning.
If you take the first flight of the day, you won't get stuck in the domino effect of late departures.
Also, try to go to smaller airports.
People always schedule with the big hubs, which means they are busier.
Schedule with the smaller airports and save yourself some time and maybe you'll get a bit more service too.
And if you can, pack light and carry your luggage on board.
It's better to do some laundry than it is to lose your suitcase and be without.
Second, check in the night before.
And print out your boarding pass.
This will save you oodles of time and hassle at the airport, when you are dragging along suitcases and maybe kids in tow.
Also, give the airlines your email or cell phone number.
If there's a problem with a flight, they will often contact you.
Third, scan the internet for apps that will help in your travel adventure.
If you like to work on a computer while traveling, check out seatguru.
com for a map of where the power ports are on the plane.
Flightstats.
com is another good website for information like gate changes, flight status and weather delays.
You can even get a TSA app that will let you know how long of a wait there is at security.
And finally, always be courteous to the gate agent.
No one likes to be hassled, including them.
Show up a little early for your flight and be pleasant.
You will be amazed how far it will get you!
Source...