Top
10 Tips for Having a Good Flight
The
days of flying the glamorous skies seem to be gone forever. The seats
are smaller, the leg room is more cramped and the airlines are
charging extra for everything from luggage to snacks. But that
doesn't necessarily mean we have to resign ourselves to merely
enduring air travel. In fact, there are plenty of ways to improve the
experience of travel, despite federal safety regulations and snoring
seatmates.
In
this article, we'll run down 10 tips for having a good flight.
Remember, the primary goal of each of the items on this list is to
benefit you, the traveler, but these tips will also make the whole
in-flight experience a lot more comfortable and a bit less
crazy-making. There are even a few easy ways to keep yourself
healthy, rested and entertained during your flight, which always
makes for happier travel. Let's begin:
10.
Bring a Sleep Kit
Sleep
kits can be purchased in most airport gift shops these days, or you
can build one at home to keep with your luggage. The basics for a
sleep kit include a U-shaped travel pillow and an eye mask to block
out sunbeams bouncing off the clouds below. You'll also want to block
out as much sound as you can, and earplugs can definitely help with
this. If you've got the extra cash, noise-cancelling headphones can
make a world of difference, too. They can negate outside noise
(crying babies and aircraft engine sounds included) whether you're
playing music through them or not.
A
small blanket or large shawl is the final item you might want to
stash with your sleep kit. It's nearly impossible to grab some sleep
when you're shivering. Airlines used to give out blankets regularly,
but these days, it's often another item they can charge you extra
for. So if you've got a red-eye flight or perhaps you're crossing a
few time zones, it's best to bring your own sleep kit -- but keep it
light.
9.
Keep Your Carry-on Small and Light
Most
airlines these days are charging passengers for checked luggage,
regardless of weight. This means everyone is now trying to cram
clothes and gear for a two-week vacation into a carry-on and a purse
or a small backpack, both of which are usually heavier than the
person carrying them. Don't be fooled -- flight attendants are onto
passengers who try to bring too much stuff into the cabin, and
they'll make you check it, even as you try to board.
Simply
stick to the guidelines and you'll be golden. A small carry-on
suitcase that's light enough for you -- yes, you -- to lift up into
the overhead bin is fine. One additional bag, like a purse or a
laptop bag (but not both), is also allowed. It should fit under the
seat in front of you and leave enough room for your feet.
Not
only do these rules follow the official guidelines, but it will make
you far comfier on your flight if you don't have a huge bag crammed
in at your feet, a shopping bag tucked in by your hip, and a sore
shoulder from lifting your overstuffed carry-on into the overhead
bin.
8.
Check Your Carry-on at the Gate
This
one only works if your bag is already the approved carry-on size. If
you reach the gate with your luggage plus one bag and the flight is
very full, the attendants will often ask for volunteers to check
baggage to free up space in the overhead bins.
Take
this opportunity! They'll tag your bag, give you a receipt and your
bag will be checked through to your destination, even if you have to
change planes in the middle of your trip. You'll have just your purse
or laptop bag with you in the cabin, which has everything you need
anyway, like headphones and a book or a sleep kit.
You've
probably noticed that space is at a premium in airplanes these days.
We'll talk about how to get your gear into that space next.
7.
Check Recent Regulations Before you Leave
Airline
regulations change all the time in this post-Sept. 11 world. One day,
your bottle of travel shampoo is fine; the next, it's confiscated for
being over the size limit for carry-on liquids. Laptops used to be
fine in the seatback pocket, too, but no more. The rules have
changed, and now they need to be stowed under the seat or in the
overhead bin when not in use, just like everything else you carry-on
with you.
Save
yourself the headache of learning the rules too late by checking the
web site of the Transportation
Security Administration
and the Web site of the airline you'll be using to travel. The most
up-to-date regulations will be there. Make sure to share them with
your travel companions, too. It'll help keep hassles to a minimum.
6.
Pay for In-flight WiFi
Business
travelers and the constantly connected will be thrilled to learn that
many carriers now offer in-flight wireless internet -- for a fee, of
course. But for those whose time is money, it's worth it to stay
productive and in the loop while in the air.
The
price isn't prohibitively steep, especially if you can expense it.
Gogo Inflight Internet, to use one example of the service, charges
about $12 for one flight's worth of internet service. A monthly pass
for frequent travelers runs about $30. The connection isn't
annoyingly slow, and the ability to tweet from 30,000 feet (9.1
kilometers) above is priceless.
5.
Drink Water
The
air in the cabin isn't humidified, which leads to that
all-too-familiar parched feeling. Lips chap, nasal passages dry out,
skin feels papery and the likelihood of blood clots can even
increase. Sounds great, right?
But
the good news is that all these things can be mitigated by staying
hydrated -- simply drinking water. Start early, drinking as much
water in the airport gate area as you can hold comfortably for about
an hour. That's about how long it typically takes for the seatbelt
light to be switched off, allowing you to visit the restroom. Then
keep drinking water, about 8 ounces (0.2 liters) every hour or two,
while you're in the air. Don't try to substitute coffee, soda or a
tiny bottle of booze for water either. Caffeine and alcohol will
dehydrate you -- the opposite of what you're trying to achieve.
If
you're concerned about the waste of plastic water bottles or the
price of buying water in the airport, bring a reusable bottle from
home. You can't bring it through the security line full of water (or
anything other liquid, for that matter), but you can fill it up at a
drinking fountain or a bathroom faucet once you're at your gate.
4.
Bring Hand Sanitizer
It's
easy enough to be a vigilant hand-washer while you're still on the
ground, where soap and water are pretty easy to come by. The airplane
bathroom has both, too, so make good use of them.
But
sometimes, you're sitting in the window seat with a sandwich on your
tray and a rumbling stomach. Wait! Don't pick up that sandwich! Not
yet, anyway. First squirt a little alcohol-based hand sanitizer into
your palm and rub it around. Airplanes have lots of surfaces that
everyone touches, like arm rests, tray tables, overhead bin handles,
in-flight magazines, light switches -- the list goes on and on. A
simple preventative measure, like using hand sanitizer, can help keep
at least some of everyone else's germs out of your system.
3.
Bring Healthy Snacks
Save
yourself some cash, probably some heartburn and even some time on the
treadmill by packing your own healthy snacks rather than relying on
airport and airline food.
Simple,
cheap snacks can keep you healthy and prevent your blood sugar from
dipping too low during a long flight. Crunchy snacks like carrot
sticks, celery sticks and whole-wheat crackers are satisfying and
require a minimum of fuss to eat in your seat. Granola, nuts and
dried fruit are also great choices, but they often have more calories
than you might think, so check the labels and serving sizes when you
pack these items.
Sandwiches
can be good to bring along, too, but make sure to use ingredients
that will last the entire journey. Mayonnaise eaten at the end of a
cross-country flight is never a good idea. Just be sure that whatever
you bring is easy to eat, doesn't require refrigeration and doesn't
need utensils.
2.
Bring a Portable DVD Player
Savvy
parents know that kids get bored in the air, even if the flight isn't
a terribly long one. Portable DVD players can be found online and at
big-box electronics stores for as little as $100, and they're
definitely worth the price. You know that SpongeBob SquarePants DVD
your kid wants to watch over and over -- and over? Well, an airplane
is the perfect place to let him or her indulge. Just remember to
bring headphones for your little travel companion to keep fellow
passengers (and you, too) from having to hear that theme song for the
15th time.
Keeping
kids entertained and happy makes the flight better for everyone. The
last tip has the same effect, no matter what your age.
1.
Get in Your Seat and Power Down
When
you board the aircraft, find your seat, place your carry-on in the
overhead bin (if you didn't check it at the gate for free) and sit
down. Then turn off your cell phone, iPod, portable DVD player, or
whatever electronic device you have with you and wait patiently for
the announcement from the captain or the flight crew that it's safe
to switch your approved electronic devices back on once again. That
announcement is usually made just a few minutes after the plane is in
the air.
No
airplane can take off while people are standing or talking on the
phone. And no flight attendant is going to look very kindly upon you
when he's had to ask you for the fifth time to turn off your phone.
And while it's very considerate of you to offer to switch seats with
one half of a couple who are sitting apart, wait until the flight is
in the air and the seatbelt sign is off to play musical chairs.
Tensions
can run high for passengers and flight crew alike, thanks to new
regulations and the number of people packed into the cabin eager to
get moving. Do your part to get the plane off the ground and it'll be
a better flight for everyone on board.
0 comments:
Posting Komentar