Just as you begin to stress about seeing distant family members, getting the perfect gifts, and keeping your head above the wave of financial strain, comes the time to plan holiday travel. I know from experience that everything seems to hit at once, but I want you to know that flying can actually be a fun, relaxing getaway in the sky! Based on some tried and true tips (along with a few new ones), I have created an updated and refined list for 2010 of things to bring, and not to bring, on your flights this holiday season.
What To Bring With You:
Your choice of gear can make the difference between a stress-filled airplane experience and a relaxing getaway in the sky.
1) Carry a comfortable pillow to use as either a low back or neck support. Label it with your name and cell phone number just in case you mislay it. Pillows made specifically for travel are widely available for purchase at airports but can be found at better prices at large discount stores, travel stores or on line.
2) Bring soft foam earplugs to ensure a relaxing, serene trip, regardless of whether your seat-mate is a screaming baby or snoring business man. For music and video use, see my Karen’s Pick’s to learn about Comply’s NR10 Noise Reduction earphones which allow you to listen to music or inflight video while reducing external noises.
3) Wear a pair of comfortable slip-on shoes, which can be easily removed at security, provide good support for long airport gate transits and ensure comfort despite the inevitable in-flight swelling that occurs on long airborne flight segments.
4) Carry an empty water bottle which you can fill inside of security in order to save the cost of buying expensive airport bottled water. I also carry iced tea and lemonade sugar-free drink mix tubes which will mix with a 16.9 oz bottle of water to make instant refreshing drinks. Ask for a glass of ice water on board and you have a lo-cal, inexpensive beverage.
5) Take reading material you can discard along the way to lighten your load. Magazines and paperwork that you do not have to return home are good candidates for travel reading.
6) Establish a personal habit to never move from any location (be it security screening, a restaurant, boarding lounge, passenger seat, check-in desk or public transportation) without first taking inventory of all pertinent travel items. Count your bags and have your total number firmly in mind (1 rollaboard, 1 briefcase, 1 jacket makes 3 pieces to retrieve) so you know how many you need to account for when leaving. Before you change location, double check to ensure that your passport, ID, ticket or other important docs are in your possession. Once this becomes an established habit, you will greatly lessen the chance of leaving behind those hard-to-replace items and hopefully ensure a relaxing, hassle-free journey. Nothing ruins a trip faster than forgetting a valuable possession and spending the rest of your trip trying to retrieve or replace it.
What Not To Bring With You:
What should be as simple as taking off one’s shoes has the ability to cause more stress and wasted time than any other step in the flying process. Don’t be afraid of the security line – plan ahead!
1) Plan your travel clothing to exclude any large metal buckles, bracelets, necklaces or pins to keep metal detector gymnastics to a minimum.
2) Make sure to check the TSA guidelines for the year, as they tend to change. This year, for example, corkscrews and cuticle cutters are fine for carry-ons, but printer cartridges, gel candles and gel shoe inserts are prohibited. Check it out at http://www.tsa.gov.
3) Wrapped gifts may present a problem at security, and could be unwrapped by officers for safety purposes. Either plan to wrap them when you get to your destination or make arrangements to send your gifts ahead of time in order to avoid the hassle altogether. If you do bring a gift along for the ride, make them small and easy to carry—gift cards and books make great on-the-go presents. Note that while a bottle of wine may seem like an easy, portable gift, it will be confiscated by airport security before it ever reaches the hands of the intended receiver.
Following these tips will help you ensure a smoother, more carefree journey and leave you free to worry about more important issues – like your aunt’s fruitcake!
Happy travels!
Captain Karen Kahn
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