Air Travel Tips
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
Air travel can be frustrating. All frequent travelers have their own ways make the journey a little easier. Here are a few good ones.
By all means, know in advance what your check-in and hand carry baggage restrictions are. There is nothing worse than trying to repack at the airport concourse.
If possible, only utilize carry-on bags. Baggage handling is still a big issue for most travelers. Lost and delayed bags still rank high on the list of travelers’ complaints. If you must check your luggage, it is a good idea to bring a few things on-board with you. This includes medications, a toothbrush, anything of high value and perhaps a clean shirt.
Ask for an exit row seat. These seats have extra legroom. You can’t request one in advance because an airline employee must see you to be sure that you can be of assistance, if needed in an emergency. Therefore, get to the airport early (a good idea anyway) and ask for the exit row.
You can beat the air pressure change problem in a number of ways. You will have to experiment to find out which way works best for you. Some people chew gum. Others swallow, yawn or wiggle their jaws back-and-forth. Still other people pinch their noses and gently blow out.
Understand that the quality of the air is not as good as at sea level. While not as bad as in the days of smoking on planes, it is still not great. That’s because the cabin, while pressurized, is not pressurized to sea level. The air is literally thinner. The presence of any contaminants seems more intense because, as a percentage of the total air, they are. There isn’t much you can do about it, except to be aware of it. Good overall health practices are important. Eat and sleep properly before flying.
The air is dry. Drink plenty of water and use skin moisturizers.
If you are prone to air sickness, be sure to take one of the many over-the-counter medications before you depart. Nothing will help after the plane is airborne. The best method is to take a pill the night before travel, at bedtime. Then, take one more about an hour before departure. If the trip is long, take yet another one mid-flight. If the problem persists, see you doctor for “the patch”, which seems to have the best overall track record, but is by prescription only.
Generally, it gets cold on a plane, especially at floor level. Therefore, it is a good idea to wear heavy socks. Bring a jacket or sweater.
If you are likely to need to use the rest room frequently, decide in advance if you are better off in a window or an aisle seat. There is no formula. It’s a personal decision.
On long flights, the areas around the toilets tend to get crowded. You will want to consider this when making seat requests.
Everyone has his or her own “best” ways to reduce the aggravation of flying. These are but a few more to consider.