Traveling by plane: tips and tricks for enjoying friendly skies

If your vacations this year call for faraway destinations, you will no doubt find yourself traveling through friendly skies. Traveling by air is the safest form of transportation and allows you and your family to relax and enjoy your vacation instead of dreading the long drive to get there. Thanks to much higher gas prices, many families will turn to air travel. Air travel not only reduces the amount of time it takes to get to your vacation destination, it also helps keep more money in your pockets instead of pumping it into your gas tanks. Whether this is your family’s first time traveling by air or you are a frequent traveler, we will show you some of the tips and tricks to make air travel enjoyable and relaxing.

The most important aspect of air travel is getting to the airport early. Don’t get your vacation off to a bad start by arriving late and missing your flight or having to rush the whole family through the airport trying to catch your flight. To get off to a good start, the night before you leave home, put your luggage at the door and make sure everyone is ready to go. You should plan to arrive at least 2 hours in advance to allow enough time to go through ticketing, security, and have your luggage taken care of.

At the airport, make sure the children have something to do. The airport companions and airport security do not take children kindly without supervision. The airport is a wonderful place to teach children of all ages about the many cultures from around the world as they watch airplanes arrive and depart. To pass the time, make up a game to identify where passengers might be when they get off an airplane or where they are going.

When checking in at the airport, you may find that your plane has been delayed or overbooked. The most important thing to remember here is that airline personnel have no control over the plane. Before you get upset about a delayed flight, think about this: would you rather have the plane be delayed an hour while they review a potentially dangerous condition, or would you rather take a chance? I think we all know the answer to that question. You will find that kindness and understanding will take you further with airline staff than getting upset. Often times, if the plane is overbooked or delayed, passengers who are willing to work with the airline will get travel coupons for discounts on future trips or upgrades on subsequent flights. By accepting the fact that some delays are part of air travel, you could end up having the airline cover the full cost of the trip! A smile is very useful!

On the plane, be sure to bring bottled water for you and your children, as the air on an airplane is usually quite dry. Teach your kids (and yourself!) About airplane safety features. Make sure they know that they must remain seated during the flight with their seat belts fastened. Again, use your time on the airline to plan for the fun you will have at your destination. Bring brochures and maps of the area you are visiting and make it a family activity to plan the things you want to see and do. You will be amazed at how quickly time flies by while planning your vacation.

Finally, remember to relax and enjoy the flight. If you or someone in your family is afraid of flying, there are some tricks you can use to overcome that fear. First, remember that flying is the safest way to travel. Air accidents are rare, and even when they do occur, you will most likely survive such an incident if you don’t panic. Consider wearing a sleep mask to wear during takeoff and landing to help you orient yourself by blocking images of the ground rising or falling rapidly. Noise-canceling headphones also work wonders allowing you to listen to your favorite music while canceling airplane noise.

Flying is fun, convenient, and saves energy for your vacation without worrying about driving. So relax, sit back and enjoy the flight! “It is time to move around the country.”

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http://www.TravelJaunt.com