Airlines are responsible for air travel safety; flying on airplanes involves passenger rules as well. Avoid these top 5 airline passenger mistakes for a better flight.
There's been a lot in the news about horrible flight experiences. From the Jet Blue 2007 debacle (on Valentine’s Day, no less), to other record delays and flight cancellations, it’s no wonder that airline passengers’ satisfaction is plummeting. There are expectations that go beyond airline safety rules, such as luggage arriving intact at its destination. News of a class-action lawsuit against British Airways seems, at this point, almost inevitable. After all, few experiences ruin the start of a luxury vacation more than lost luggage. Luxury Travel has documented the trials and tribulations of frequent fliers before, as well as offering suggestions to make long flights more tolerable for families. How nice, then, to read an article from the perspective of a flight attendant. James Wysong, a fellow travel columnist, has a very useful article on MSNBC’s website, regarding 10 common passenger mistakes to avoid on an airplane. Now, the onus of a decent flight still falls upon the airline industry. However, Luxury Travel’s Top 5 of Wysong’s suggestions go a long way for helping air travel, and vacations, get off on the right foot.
Top 5 airline travel passenger mistakes:
Running late - There is a reason for that “arrive 2 hours before scheduled departure time” recommendation. With heightened security, painfully slow traffic near all major airports, and simply the unknown vagaries of travel, that 2 hour cushion is important. Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan may be able to spin some celebrity (or celebutante) magic and breeze their way through to their first-class seats in minutes, but the majority of us still must expect to take our laptops out of their cases and remove our shoes. Running late increases stress and doesn’t help anyone start their travel experience on a positive note.
Booking connecting flights too close – Cutting it close may look good on paper – less downtime between flights, getting the airplane portion of the trip over faster – but it’s never a good idea in practice. When the initial flight is delayed, airlines want to avoid a domino effect of delaying other (connecting) flights to accommodate those passengers by also delaying other airplanes from taking off on time. The stress of booking connecting flights too close is one of the most easily avoidable stresses of air travel. Luxury Travel recommends at least an hour buffer, and Wysong suggests 90 minutes. Better safe than sorry.
Flying sick – Yes, it’s true; some lucky people (paging Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan, again!) can take spur of the moment luxury vacations, jet-setting to tropical destinations with just a moment’s notice. But waking up sick on the morning of a long-planned vacation getaway is a huge disappointment for the rest of us. Loading up on Tylenol and antihistamines and flying sick should never be the plan, except in case of an emergency. First off, spending a vacation in the hotel bed, sniffling and ordering room service, is not a good use of travel dollars. Second, the air on planes is massively recycled. First class, business, and coach passengers are all breathing the same air, over and over again, throughout the flight. Those germs coughed politely into napkins and sleeves are still going to end up spewed all over the plane. Getting other passengers and the flight crew sick? Not a nice, or ethical, move. It’s a bummer to wake up sick on the fist day of a planned vacation, but reschedule anyway.
Expecting things – Low-cost carriers like Jet Blue are known to not supply passengers with much more than a blanket and a bag of pretzels, but cost-cutting measures across the airline industry have led to a similar lack of amenities (in coach) for many airlines. Arrive prepared; bring snacks, wear comfortable clothes, and bring entertainment for children if flying as a family. The flight will be a lot more enjoyable for everyone if the kids are occupied and surrounded by comfort objects. And adults will feel better about air travel when eating favorite snacks as well! Business and first class passengers can expect more in terms of in-flight amenities, of course, but Luxury Travel has noticed, unhappily, that the overall quality of airline food has gone down – including business class meals. It’s not fun to have to fill up on those warm mixed nuts.
Drinking too much – Sure, some people are nervous about flying, and a drink or two can help them relax. But be aware of over indulging. Drinking too much and getting drunk on the plane can10 Mistakes to Avoid on an Airplane, Sept. 25 2007) end in at least embarrassment, and at most, arrest by the air marshal (MSNBC, . No one wants to be seen being led off a plane on the evening news. It won’t just start a well-earned vacation off badly, it will clearly ruin the whole trip. Seriously: Drink in moderation. Further, people who take prescribed medications should remember that those meds often don’t mix well with alcohol, even at 35,000 feet. Rules of body chemistry aren’t suspended in airplanes, of course. In fact, some people's alcohol tolerance can be noticeably lower on planes. The flight attendants are just doing their jobs, not being bad bartenders, if they cut off the drinks. Please show them respect.
These Top 5 common airline travel passenger mistakes are easily avoidable. Use common sense, and luxury vacations won't be ruined by avoidable negative airplane travel experiences.
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