Read on and perhaps your own holiday travels will be much more merry and bright.
If you’re taking your first or fifteenth flight of the year, it always pays to plan ahead. Double check your departure schedule and allow yourself plenty of time for parking, shuttle service, weather delays and security checks.
Rather than printing your boarding pass at the airport, download your airline’s app and check in online, that way you can head right to the baggage drop or to security if you’re not checking a bag.
If you’re traveling with children, take some time to condense supplies, snacks and toys before you get to security.
Generally speaking, bring as little as possible on the plane. Anticipate delays, so that when they occur, you don’t get stressed out and take it out on others.
Steve compares walking through airports to driving on a busy freeway. “You can’t just suddenly stop in the middle of the road, or you can’t just wander off into another lane without first checking your blind spot,” he advises.
To prevent a pile-up on the concourse, step to the side if you need to fetch something from your bag or use your phone. On moving walkways and escalators, stand to the right so that others may pass by you on the left.
All three of us agreed that bringing food on a plane is a major no-no, particularly if the plate is pungent. The odor of a chile verde burrito, or beef and cheddar sandwich is magnified tenfold in the close confines of the plane.
Likewise, loud phone calls are verboten. “Keep your business to yourself, or find a way to lower your voice if you’re making a call before take-off,” adds Joe.
If you’re watching a movie on a laptop or tablet, by all means wear headphones (same goes for kids playing games). Prior to takeoff and landing, discontinue the use of all electronics so you don’t have to be reminded by the flight attendant. Everyone else is being compliant. So should you.
Air travel can leave you dehydrated, so consuming alcohol on a flight only compounds the problem. Opt for water or juice instead.
Flights are frequently diverted due to unruly passengers who, while under the influence, harass other passengers and the crew. “Getting into an argument with a flight attendant can get you removed from a flight and possibly arrested,” notes Steve.
Joe recalls preparing to land in Las Vegas when a tall, intoxicated man suddenly jumped up and yelled “Let’s land this thang!” as he waved his arms. The pilot aborted the landing and had to circle the airport because a fist fight broke out among the enraged passengers, causing many to miss their connections.
Consuming too much alcohol, when combined with unexpected turbulence, can lead to vomiting, which tends to stink up a plane
