Useful Air Travel Tips

Connection Flights
- Book all flights with at least 2 hours between, because if you have a delay, the airline has to get you the next possible flight + hotel + dinner, if there is no flight on the same day. If, however, you do not have at least 90 minutes before your flights are scheduled to board, then the airlines will consider it to be your fault and will not reimburse you for a missed connection.

Cut out the Middleman and Contact the Airline Top Brass
- If you have any kind of problem on a flight, report it to flight attendants, counter staff, and other front line personnel. However, do not stop there. Usually the results will be minimal or non-existent. Instead, contact the airline's toll-free number or e-mail, and follow up by mailing copies of documentation to their postal address. Be specific with dates and times, and offer a realistic problem solution that will settle everything to your satisfaction.

Do not Delay! If you Lose Your Ticket, Report it Immediately
- Lost air tickets cannot be replaced on the spot. You might have to pay for a second ticket, and go through channels to get your money refunded on the lost ticket. However, do not wait to report it lost. Contact the airline immediately and arrange for the appropriate paperwork. You may have to wait as long as six months for a refund. Refunds may have a handling fee deducted from the total.

Dress Presentably for Upgrades
- If interested in getting an upgrade (first class) you must be wearing clothes that are presentable. This means dress slacks for men and a button down shirt, no jeans or shorts allowed. Females should dress in smart casual or business attire. This is for international travel - I'm sure a domestic flight would not be so strict.

Dry Air on the Plane
- If the air gets too dry in the plane, wet some paper towels and breathe through the wet towels.

Evian Spray
- Evian spray - the greatest invention ever for air travel! Great way to freshen up and moisturize your skin. Especially useful if your nose feels so dry that it hurts.

Fear of Flying?
- Most people have a fear of heights. This is a reasonable survival trait! However, when coupled with extreme media coverage of disasters, this can lead to very debilitating fear of flying. Furthermore, for many people, not having any control of the plane makes the fear worse. This is not unlike how one usually worries more as a passenger in a car than as a driver of a car. This is not necessarily a rational fear, if looked at in the context of all possible hazards. There are far fewer fatalities per airline passenger-mile than there are per automobile driver-mile. This is probably due in part to the fact that someone else is doing the driving, and that someone else has been extremely well trained, is not tired, is not drunk, and has a backup in case he or she spills coffee in his or her lap.

Knowing a little bit about aerodynamics can sometimes reduce your anxiety. Despite what we all learned from watching Saturday morning cartoons, you do not hang in the air until you look down, you can not run into and become part of a painting, and, in particular, you do not go straight down the moment you run out of speed. Cartoon Laws Of Motion do not apply in The Real World.

Furthermore, commercial jets always have at least two (and usually three) engines. The chances of two failing simultaneously are very, very slim. So relax.

If all this logic doesn't help you, join the ranks of thousands and do what they do: get drunk before you get on the plane! (Note: I got some pretty irate email from an airline steward complaining about how awful drunkards were to deal with on the plane. If you aren't a happy drunk, booze might not be the best relaxant.)

Food on the Plane
- Food on airlines is about what you would expect, considering that all the food must be prepared ahead of time and served to a large number of people with very different taste preferences. It is amazing that the food is as good as it is, but still, it frequently will not please you. U.S. carriers are pretty good about accommodating standard dietary preferences, but you have to help them out. If you are vegetarian or keep kosher, tell your travel agent when you purchase the ticket, and the airlines will usually accommodate you.

If you have food allergies, you are probably safest bringing your own food with you. (In fact, even if you eat anything, you are probably better off bringing your own food with you!) Be advised that many countries have import restrictions on foods; If you bring food, be sure that you either finish it all on the plane or make sure that it will clear customs.

Morley Selver suggests never getting on an airplane hungry. You might think you will get a meal shortly, but the following could happen: 
1) Everyone boards the aircraft, then they decide they have to fix something. They are not sure how long it will take, therefore nobody is allowed off. 
2) You take off on a 3-hour flight that has 2-1/2 hrs of turbulence where the flight crew is not allowed to serve meals. 
3) You do not like the food. 
4) There is an electrical problem with the galley and you're half of the plane does not get a meal.

The best bet is to eat before you get on or take something you can snack on (e.g. a granola bar). If you take two, you may be able to sell one for a few bucks! :-)

Forgettable 'Fun' Stuff
- Always carry on board while travelling by air overseas: many magazines, crosswords, and some stuff so that you can have fun during the flight that may happen to be very long and boring..

Free Luggage Labels to the Rescue
- Don't put your home address on your luggage label when you are flying out. It can easily be ripped off your luggage by a thief who knows where you live (and that you are away). Use your destination address or better still, use a tracking luggage label like the ones you get free from .

Gate Check It:
- Anything you have with you upon boarding the plan that won't fit easily in the overhead compartment and that will impede your travel through the airplane should be gate checked. It's safe, and by the time the airline lets you off its airplane your bags will generally be waiting. DO NOT put your bags under the seat. You lose valuable leg room and won't be able to move your legs around during the flight.

Get More Leg Room on the Plane
- Being an everyday kinda guy ... I can't really afford to fly first class on my trips overseas -but do a bit of research and while cheking in ask for the WINDOW SEAT NEAR EMERGENCY EXIT ... You will get enormous leg room.

Getting the Meal You Want
- On long international flights, there are usually one or more meals served and two meal choices to select from. If the flight is crowded and you are one of the last passengers served, you can bet your choice of meal won't be available. This can be a problem if you're on a long flight and the only meal selection available is something you don't like.

To ensure your choice is available, when you check in request a seat toward the back of the plane - as the meal service tends to start there. Or better yet, request a special meal such as children's or vegetarian when you book your travel. You'll get the meal of your choice and be served first.

Ginger for Motion Sicknes
- If I get motion sickness, I like to take ginger root. The ancients used to take it when going on a long trip on a boat. They've also done studies to prove that it really does work (and it's better than motion sickness drugs - and they are scientists).

Have Details When You Need Them
- Have a typed copy of all passport numbers with issue dates and expiry dates and dates of birth of children - so that you do not need to get out your passports or other documents when going through customs etc. You have the info. to complete the numerous forms without having to show where you keep your documents. Also, take a spare photo of all your family members to enable you to comply with any immigration or visa needs.

How to Get Some Sleep on Your Flight
- If you are flying a red-eye (overnight) flight, and the plane is not too full, you can usually move around to a seat that has vacant seats on both sides and then you can stretch out for a nice sleep. But note that you are required to keep a seatbelt on and visible. If you are on a red-eye flight and cannot find 3 vacant seats, you still can get some sleep if you have those neck pillows that go around your neck - they keep your head from falling over and waking you up.

Identify Your Bags as Fragile
- When you first arrive at the check-in counter, request that your bags be deemed 'fragile'; this will keep them at the top of the pile and they will be among the first to come out in the baggage claim!

Inflatable Travel Pillow
- In preparation for long flights, purchase an inflatable travel pillow (Walgreen's has them) to keep your neck positioned and supported. The U-shape helps maintain your neck's natural cervical curve. It can be used back home, too, while watching TV or snoozing in the recliner!

Know the Seat Assignment
- Before making airline reservations or requesting seat assignments, it is better to know the seating configuration of the aircraft that you are flying. Seatguru.com has the details of seats for most US airlines. It shows which seat to avoid and which seat is better.

Low Humidity
- When flying, the low air humidity can really affect you. Undereye moisturizer works great to protect and moisturize your lips, which can otherwise end up cracked and dry. (I like the plain, unfragranced undereye moisturizer from the Body Shop.) Also, if the flight attendants offer you a warm, damp towel near flight's end, take it! It can be a very refreshing comfort.