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Travel Tips for Traveling by Air Plane
# 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'!
# 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 been bored during flight delays. I've never been hungry or thirsty on
flights. A little preparation goes a long way.
# Advice for Traveling Alone
- Traveling alone can be an intimidating experience, especially for those who
don't do it often. Knowing what to expect and thinking about the challenges solo
air travel throws at you ahead of time can make it an easy and efficient
experience.
Avoid checking a bag. This is true of any air travel really, but I find it's
much easier to be a self-contained entity when alone, leaving as little
responsibility to the airline as possible. There's nobody to search for the
right baggage claim with you or to help you talk to the agent if a bag gets
lost. By keeping everything with you, there's less chance of error.
Along those same lines, don't be afraid to gate check a bag (usually signified
by yellow tags put on the bag as you board). This works differently from normal
bag checking, as any gate checked bag is only given to the airline as you board
the plane, and is retrieved right as you exit the plane. The bag never actually
goes through the whole luggage system - that invariably ends misplacing things.
Traveling alone seems to increase the chance of you being searched at security,
particularly if one is not obviously on a business trip. Just assume you will be
searched and pack accordingly.
The biggest advantage of traveling alone is usually the ability to get an exit
row seat. If the airline you are flying with allows online check-in (usually
available 24 hours before departing time) exit row seats can usually be obtained
there. If not, make sure to ask at the gate, as most of the time there will be
the odd one exit row seat that nobody has taken because they want to sit with
their traveling companions. They get company, you get leg room. Sometimes a book
and being able to stretch is better than someone to talk to.
Pack Jewelry in Your Carry-On
- If you must take expensive jewelry items, make sure they are securely packed
in your small carry on. I always carry a medium leather backpack in which I keep
these items. It can easily be placed safely under the seat in front of you and
carried easily to the restroom as well. I also include a lightweight change of
clothes, a nightie, and toothbrush/toothpaste ... who knows where your other
luggage may end up!
# 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.
# 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
like 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.
# Avoid Headaches and Ear Blockages While Flying new
- 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.
# Babies and Kids Suffer from Pressure Changes Just Like Adults new
- 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.
# Tips for Contact Lens Wearers new
- Air cabin pressure is very dry. Be sure that you clean your contact lenses
thoroughly before you fly to avoid eye irritation. Use lubricating drops
recommended by your optometrist to keep your eyes moist during the flight - and
remember to blink!
# 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.
Common Travel Health Troubles
Three of the most common health problems that you may experience when
traveling are jet lag, altitude sickness, and diarrhea. When you fly across time
zones, the differing amounts of light can change your internal body clock,
resulting in a condition known as jet lag. Jet lag may cause some symptoms that
are bummers on a fun trip, including upset stomach, insomnia, and tiredness.
There are some things you can do to combat jet lag; for example, if you're
traveling from west to east, you should stay out of the sun until the day after
your arrival. If you're flying from east to west, go for a brisk walk as soon as
possible after you arrive.
Altitude sickness is caused by dry air, a decrease in oxygen, and low barometric
pressure when you travel to a higher altitude than you're used to. As a result,
you may have problems, such as headaches, dehydration, and shortness of breath.
Some people are affected at 5,000 feet (1,524 meters), but others aren't
affected until they reach altitudes of 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) or more. Find
out what altitude you're traveling to before you go to see if altitude sickness
could be a problem.
The best prevention for altitude sickness is to gradually increase your altitude
every day to get used to it. If that isn't possible, a drug known as
acetazolamide can help relieve and even prevent symptoms of altitude sickness.
If you think that you might get altitude sickness, talk with your doctor before
you leave home.
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