General Air Travel Tips

Airplane Temperature
- Because of the altitude, airplanes can be quite cold (especially the floor). I always take a jacket with me on the plane and take one of the blankets that the airline provides. Wool socks are not a bad idea either. On the larger planes, there is usually a little fan that blows on you. The airflow can be adjusted by twisting the unit.

Airport Maps
- The internet has wonderful maps of airports available. I have printed up copies and taken them along, making changing airplanes much easier. I have also looked at the lay-out of the planes to see where my seat was located.

Aisle Seat or Not?
- When traveling by air in high risk areas, always request a window seat. If the flight is high-jacked, terrorists tend to hit the people sitting on the aisles as well as pull out people in aisle seats for mistreatment. It pays to be harder to get to! This may sound extreme but living in South America it is something I always practice.

Aisle Seat, Please
- When traveling alone ask the person beside you if you can have the aisle seat. This means that you won't have to bother the person beside you if you have to get out of your seat. I would rather be bothered than to bother another.

Allow for Delays Between Flights
- Avoid booking flight segments close together. Major airlines consider a connection as tight as 35 minutes to be a valid connection, but this is often not enough time if there are long lines at security! If travel time is not critical, consider allowing at least 2 hours to make each connection. If you are not delayed, you can use this slack time to eat at the airport, where the food is likely many times better than what you may (or may not!) get in the air. (Most major American airports do not require a re-screening if you are merely changing flights, as long as you don't leave the secure area.)

Another Use for Bookmarks
- I've got a couple of plastic encased bookmarks--the paper part is inside a plastic pouch that's open at the top. You can buy these type of bookmarks at most large bookstaores. I can slip my driver's license and any tickets for gate checked bags inside it, then slip the bookmark into the pocket of the boarding pass folder.

Ask for Exit Seats
- When asked if you want window or aisle seats, ask for exit seats. Now you won't have that annoying seating row in front of you. You'll get the same legroom in coach as in first class. On top of that, the toilet is right next to you. Really makes a difference on those 12-hour flights.

Atlantic Flights
- It would be best to have a few items of clothing in your hand luggage, at least to ensure you have a change of clothing for two days. This is just in case your luggage has another destination in mind (some of my luggage has travelled to places I have never been). While most of the airlines will provide you with some means of purchasing the basic necessities, if you happen to arrive at your destination on a weekend or public holiday, this may not be possible. Lost luggage will usually take a day or two to show up, so plan with that in mind.

Automobile/Airline Adapters
- There have been a few instances of airline power adapters not working with in-seat power sources. This can happen when an adapter is required to produce the fully rated 70 watts to fast charge the internal laptop battery but the in-seat power system is not designed to produce that much power. With an adapter efficiency of 90%, the 70-watt load tries to pull 78 watts from the in-seat power unit, and it safely shuts down. The safety circuits in the adapter also sense the overload and also safely shut down.

This can happen with any of the in-seat power systems that have current limited outputs of around 5 amps (Note that 5 amps at 15 volts = 75 watts). This can also happen with any brand of power adapter and with any laptop that draws up to 70 watts.

Many of the in-seat power systems were designed when laptops used between 54 and 60 watts. The need for higher power was not foreseen by the airlines.

Solutions:
Turn off the laptop before plugging the adapter into the in-seat power system. Most laptops will draw less than 70 watts when only charging the battery. Allow the battery to charge for 15 to 20 minutes then try to operate while it continues to charge at a somewhat lower level.
Remove the laptop battery before plugging the adapter into the in-seat power. The operating power of a laptop is far less than the combined operating and charging power. Note that without the internal battery any interruption in in-seat power will cause a loss of unsaved data.

Avoid Airport or Port Parking Charges
- Don't pay for airport or port parking charges. Use an airport transfer service, which will take you and collect you from the airport etc. from outside the terminals, and can carry your party in one car/bus for a fraction of the price of taxis, trains, and buses. Find them local in your area in most directories or newspapers in the summer months.

Avoid Cramps
- Prior to long distance flying, I always have a workout in the gym. (Go for a long fast walk if you're older.) It keeps you form getting cramps.

Avoid Headaches and Ear Blockages While Flying
- When traveling by air, try to avoid napping during the descent. You may not keep pace with pressure changes, and could end up with a temporary blockage of the Eustachian tubes. Stay awake and yawn or chew gum.

Avoid Stiff Muscles
- Avoid stiff muscles by trying to keep them in motion. They can ache from being too still for too long at a time. Every 10 or 15 minutes, help your circulation and muscles by rotating your shoulders (backward and forward) and bending your neck to each side by lowering your ear to your shoulder (and repeating on the other side), as well as back and forth (chin to chest, then back). Also, get up and walk around once in a while to keep that blood flowing!

Avoiding Ear Problems
- Before the plane takes off, suck gummie bears or any type of sweet. This will lessen the effect of getting the pressure into your ear while the plane is taking off.