Backpack Essentials For Air Travel

Backpack Essentials
- For those travelling with backpacks, bring along several large orange garbage bags to protect the pack from luggage carousels and machinery; prior to checking your pack in, write in large letters across the garbage bag your itinerary and flight numbers, then slip it over the backpack and tie tightly. Your pack is now immune to the gnashing teeth of the luggage carousels, and you'll have no trouble identifying the pack on the carousel.

Backpack for Carry-On
- Use a medium to large size leather backpack for carry-on. It allows to have both hands free for handling luggage, tickets, boarding pass, etc. After checking the luggage carry it by the handle. Always pack magazines, newpapers, and a paperback for the flight and any unexpected delays. It is also a very good idea to pack sandwiches and snacks - you never know when you might need them. After reading the magazines and newspaper and eating your snack, you have room for souvenirs or fragile purchases on the return flight.

Baggage Care and Attention
- When you claim your bag at the airport, check it over before you leave the bag claim area. Look for any new damage on the bag, and to be sure that it was not opened and something taken (airlines have time limits for when these can be reported, and they will need to see the damage before opening the claim for damage or pilferage). The baggage service desk for the airline is normally right in the claim area; this is also true for Customs arrivals. It is especially important to fill out the misplaced baggage information before leaving Customs, as Customs will have special forms that may help the baggage clear without your presence at the airport. If you have combination locks or keys for the baggage, these should be left with the paperwork for your baggage - as it will prevent delays in getting your bag or possible bag damage from Customs opening the bag.

Baggage Screening Can Ruin Film
- Newer baggage screening may ruin film, so carry it with you in your pocket and lay it in the basket when you deposit your keys to go through the screener. And if you find this too hard, you may just need to buy it when you arrive.

Babies and Kids Suffer from Pressure Changes Just Like Adults
- During descent, make sure that infant travelers have a soother (pacifier) to suck on. Although I am not an advocate of thumb sucking, this is an occasion when it would be good to look the other way when your toddler sucks his or her thumb. Kids who understand how to chew (and not swallow) gum can be encouraged to chew bubblegum as you descend to your destination.

Be an Early Bird
- Whenever flying don't book yourself on the last flight of the day. If you miss your flight you will end up stuck in an airport or hotel for the rest of the night.

Be Ready for Delays in the Airline Terminal
- With delays becoming more and more common for flights, every traveler should anticipate them and prepare accordingly. Pack something in your briefcase, carry-on, or purse that will keep you occupied if your flight is late. Perhaps a book or two, crossword puzzles, a cell phone with games in memory, or an MP3player/iPod loaded with an audio book or language lessons. Be sure to have a snack or two handy as well.

Bring Your Own Headphones
- Bring your own headphones for listening to movies and music, they work the same as the ones they sell on the plane for a ridiculous 'entertainment fee'.

Budget Water Sense
- Everybody says to drink lots of water when you're flying - the really annoying thing is that, at airports, water is sold in tiny little bottles at outrageous prices. If you take along your own large empty plastic coffee mug (the kind with a plastic cover and a hole for sipping), airport coffee shops will fill it to the top with ice water for free.

Butter Too Cold?
- Place your frozen butter on top of the hot entree's aluminium foil to melt it before peeling off the foil. That way, you can spread it on your bread easily.

Chamomile for Jitters
- Nervous passengers might consider taking a few chamomile tea bags for the journey. They are tiny, flat, lightweight, and a double stregnth brew acts as a natural sedative. Unlike various travel tablets avaliable, chamomile will enable you to relax without leaving you heavy headed and drooping all over your neighbour. Just ask the flight attendent for the hot water when tea and coffee is offered.

Chapped Lips?
- BRING BLISTEX!! On the plane, this can be invaluable. If your flight is over 1 hour long, I strongly suggest you make this tiny tube of lip moisturizer a part of your carry-on bag. Almost nothing is worse than severe chapped lips in the very dry environment of the plane. Even if your lips are not chapped when you take off, the dry recycled air will do the job quickly! Blistex is tiny, and if you have dry elbows or heals, it can also be used as a skin moisturizer. It is shareable, as you can sqeeze it on to fingers instead of lips, and in very desperate situations, it can be put on the face in small amounts to get rid of that dry, tight feeling. I hope every one will heed this advice; as a veteran flyer, it is a small thing that can make a huge difference!

Check In Early
- Check In at least 90 minutes before departing (overseas) or you may loose your seat. When you check your luggage, make sure they tag it directly to your destination. If you have to change airlines, you may not have enough time to claim luggage, pass through customs and immigration, and catch your next flight.

Check Your Destination Tag
- During airline check-in, especially for flights originating from airports outside the US, check the airline destination tag. If not, your luggage may end up in MNL (Manila) instead of MIA (Miami); DKR (Dakar, Senegal) instead of DAC (Dhaka, Bangladesh).

Christmas Traveling Tips
- Before you leave, call the airline and reconfirm your flight(s) and leave a phone number where you can be reached.

Once you arrive at your destination, contact the airline again and reconfirm your return flight and leave a phone number where you can be reached.

We don’t care what anyone tells you, it is important to reconfirm your flights. Way too many air travelers have had way too many trips interrupted or ruined by airline schedule changes, lost reservations or reservation errors than anyone in the airline / travel industry will ever admit! Trust us on this one folks! Reconfirm! Reconfirm! Reconfirm!

Get to the airport early (2 1/2 hours before domestic flights and 3 1/2 hours before international flights).

If you are planning to carry-on gifts, make sure they are unwrapped, or they will be unwrapped for you at security. (USPS, UPS or FEDEX sounds great!)

Believe it or not some jewelry can be a problem. A beautiful broach (with a long pin) could be disallowed as carry-on. Can it be put in checked baggage? Yes, BUT the airlines are not responsible for the loss of jewelry in checked baggage.