Top 10 Travel Tips
Photo by Hennie England
I have worked in the airline business for over 25 years now. I spent a lot of time flying and when working for the airline, I have to be on best behaviour travelling. When you are watching every move you are making, you become a very good observer of others on a flight, at the airport, and travelling in general.
I have quipped about wanting to write a handbook on airline etiquette for the last 10 years but let the thoughts I had diminish in between flights and never scribbled them down on paper.
So, here are my top 10 travel tips to help you and your fellow travellers—hopefully!
Kindness. If the airline staff have an attitude, don’t give them any reason to put a target on your back. You could be the next one after a long line of passengers who just grumble at every little detail or pay economy prices expecting first-class treatment.
Upgrades. Limit trying to get upgraded for something you didn’t pay for on every flight. They have heard it all before a million times; it’s not cute.
Be prepared. All airlines work on timeframes; the departures are strictly scheduled to not cause delays. Always have your tickets, IDs, or passports easily accessible and ready if asked to produce them.
Departure time. If you don’t get to the gate by the time that it says last boarding call, that’s on you. Even if it is a minute late, doors have to close on time for a reason. You can threaten to call the authorities all you want; you have no leg to stand on. (People actually do this! Don’t be one of them.)
Boarding. Oh, the nightmare of boarding. If you are group 5 standing in the way of group 2 boarding, you’re a problem and delaying your own boarding. Would you take a ticket at a deli counter and stand in between someone else and the butcher until your number was called?
Carry on luggage. I don’t care what the airline policy is. If you only have a backpack and you are expected to make way for roll-ons but block your own foot space, that’s not on. Your ticket allows you to an equal amount of overhead bin space as anyone else.
Seatback. Everything on the seat in front of your seat is linked to another passenger’s comfort: the tray table, the in-seat video screen, and the seat pocket. Have some consideration when moving or using these items. Repetitive tapping on a touch screen or slamming your tray home when you’re finished gets old. Reclining your seat during a meal service—just rude.
Deboarding. There’s absolutely no reason to be the first one to stand up as soon as the seat belt sign goes off. Who are you that makes you so important? It’s an unwritten rule; it is your turn when the row in front of you leaves. The cabin door opens when it opens; the jetty gets there when it gets there. If you have another flight or you have places to be, plan better. If it’s down to the airline, the cabin crew will normally make an announcement to get passengers to the front who need to be there. If you really want to be the first one off, buy a first-class ticket.
Seating. Leave your seating area as you found it. I have been gob smacked by the state some cabins have been left in. Just because the flight will be cleaned during the turn-around, that is not a reason to trash the plane; that’s just entitlement kicking in.
Baggage collection. Believe me, your luggage does not come any faster if you stand as close as possible to the baggage belt. Also, you have no idea what order it was loaded or unloaded in, so probability suggests you will always be standing in the way of someone else’s bag. In most major airports you will see subtle tile work in the floor indicating a line to stand behind. Try it!
#bicoastal
