Travel Tips: Air Travel

• Ginger for Motion Sicknes new - 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).
  31-Mar-2006 Michelle ID1915
  
  
• A Little Preparation ... - I find that a combination of several common tips goes a long way toward preventing flying problems, or at least making them more tolerable. I go with one carry-on, make sure it's a little smaller than the minimum size, bring my own food and drink onto the plane, bring at least one good book if not two, eat in the airport before the flight, and get to the airport a little early. I've never had to check a bag, and I've never had missing or damaged luggage. I've never been bored during flight delays. I've never been hungry or thirsty on flights. A little preparation goes a long way.
  1-Jan-2000 Thomas Miller ID1193
  
  
• Advance Attention to Safety - When boarding the aircraft, make a mental note of all exits, and count how many seat rows you pass from the exit to your row. This will expedite your escape route in case of an emergency landing if there is smoke and/or power loss in the cabin. And by all means, pay attention to the flight crew! No matter how boring or uninteresting it may sound, their instructions are vital ... and read the aircraft emergency procedure manual completely before takeoff. These are located in the pouch right in front of you. Do this - it pays to be prepared for flight. Knowledge is power, and armed with the basics you can sit back and enjoy your flight.
  19-Oct-2004 Adam Taylor ID1733
  
  
• Advance Seat Assignment - When buying airline tickets online, call the airline to get seat assignment immediately if no seat assignment is given. If you arrive at the ticket counter without seat assignment on an overbooked flight, you probably will get bumped off the flight and forced to take a later flight - which can be several hours or even a full day later. Due to overbooking, getting seat assignment in advance can reduce the risk of getting 'bumped'!
  22-Apr-2001 A. McAnally ID138
  
  
• Air Quality - The air that you breathe inside an airline cabin isn't nearly as good as what you will find most other places. The cabin is pressurized, since the air is so thin at altitude. However, they don't pressurize it to sea level; it is substantially weaker. (This is part of why air travel can be so draining; you can end up with mild altitude sickness!)
  
  Furthermore, the air is very very dry. This can lead to dehydration, which can also make you feel lousy. I strongly advise bringing a litre or two of water with you, and guzzling that non-stop throughout the trip.
  
  Finally, the air is filled with the exhaust products of your fellow travelers. One of these can be cigarette smoke; while smoking has been banned on domestic US flights, such rules are not followed around the globe. Although it might horrify some Americans, not all countries even mandate separate smoking sections!
  
  Another exhaust product is germs. Because airplane tickets are so expensive, and because such effort is involved in making such a trip, people will fly sick. If your immune system is compromised in any way (HIV, chemotherapy, immunoglobulin deficiency), you may well want to wrap your face in a scarf or wear a surgical mask.
  12-Nov-2005 Tim Matthews ID1534
  
  
• Air Sickness - If you get motion sick easily, you may be more comfortable if you take some sort of motion sickness drug before you fly. Note that you must take the drugs before you get sick; there is unfortunately nothing that I know of that will relieve motion sickness once it has started. My personal drug of choice is Dramamine, a readily-obtained over-the-counter medication. Unlike Bonine, another over-the-counter drug, it tends to make one drowsy. I feel that this is a benefit on a long plane ride! Another motion sickness treatment (usually used for boating) is Scopolamine patches. These patches go behind the ear, and usually have no noticeable side effects. I believe that in the USA, a prescription is required. Furthermore, there can be unpleasant side effects, such as dry mouth, blurry vision, and one other one that I forget. (Oh yeah - loss of memory.)
  
  Motion sickness is caused in part by a discrepancy between what the eye sees and what the inner ear feels. (This is why the driver of a car gets sick much less frequently than a passenger: the driver is continuously watching the road, getting a good idea of what is coming next.) It may help to close your eyes the moment you start to consider thinking about getting airsick.
  
  If you do come down with discomfort, one relatively easy but embarrassing way to feel better is to empty your stomach. 'Barf bags' are usually located in the pouch on the back of the seat in front of you. Frequently, using them reduces and/or eliminates the discomfort.
  12-Nov-2005 Tim Matthews ID1533
  
  
• 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.
  12-Nov-2005 Tim Matthews ID1535
  
  
• 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.
  7-May-2001 A Garner ID201
  
  
• 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.
  14-Jun-2001 G Longley ID256
  
  
• 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.
  4-May-2001 Elizabeth Argent ID199
  
  
• 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.)
  4-Aug-2005 ATravelDirectory ID1695
  
  
• 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.
  14-Feb-2002 Catherine Lee ID442
  
  
• Are You Willing to Drive a Little to Save a Lot? - If someone gave Grandpa and Grandma 16 $100-bills, would they drive 64 miles?
  
  Their first grandson has arrived and Grandpa and Grandma want go to Detroit as soon as they can and need the following itinerary:
  
  Raleigh/Durham to Detroit: Monday, December 10
  Detroit to Raleigh/Durham: Friday, December 14
  
  Lowest fare is $1080 round trip per person / $2,160 round trip for 2
  
  If they can save some money, Grandpa and Grandma are willing to drive a little.
  
  A check of alternate cities for Detroit:
  
  Flint, Michigan is just 64 freeway miles Northwest of Detroit at $234 round trip per person / $469 per couple. If Grandpa and Grandma fly to and from Flint instead of Detroit, they save $1,691!
  
  I don’t know where you shop, but where I do $1,691 will buy a lot of diapers.
  
  Can you save money? Choose your city and check it out! http://www.terrytrippler.com/drive_a_little_save_a_lot.htm
  Trippler and Associates, Inc.
  18-Dec-2003 Trippler and Associates, Inc. ID406
  
  
• 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.
  1-Jan-2000 Richard Gao ID1215
  
  
• 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.
  Grenada Explorer Caribbean Travel Guide
  18-Dec-2003 Grenada Explorer Caribbean Travel Guide ID1211

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