Air Travel Tips

So are there any in-flight tips that help to make that long, long flight…. (in coach for most of us)…. more bearable?

When we talk to people about where we’ve been or where we’re going, we often hear something like, “I’d love to go there and see that, but I just can’t stand those long flights.”….And sometimes they’re talking about flights that are only 4 to 5 hours long!

We have a friend in New York who worked for QANTAS for years…. She used to say that she didn’t like those “short flights”…. that they didn’t give you time to set up … read more

You’re traveling the world! Now you need to know how to deal with jet lag. Every traveler feels jet lag to some degree if you cross time zones… What you have to learn is how to prepare yourself ahead of your trip and then recover once you get there, so you can get the most out of your vacation time.

Try to leave home well rested. It’s easy to leave packing until the last minute, then be running around picking up last minute things, doing laundry for that favorite travel shirt. Pack a … read more

Jet lag is something that every traveler has to deal with. It’s one thing to change your wrist watch by six or nine or twelve hours… It’s whole different thing to get your body to change the same number of time zones.

All those feelings you have… tired and grumpy, puffy, headachy… they’re all part of a real physical reaction. Your biological clock is upset when you travel rapidly across many time zones. You’re body produces certain hormones to tell it when you normally sleep, when you wake up and when you’re hungry… … read more

You’re ready to push that “buy it” button, and you see that internet flight insurance is offered with that airline ticket you’re buying online.

Internet flight insurance?  You have just seconds to think about it.  It seems cheap enough so you add it on to the price of your ticket.  But is it worth it?

There are times when you should get some kind of travel insurance and times when you may not want to… but either way, don’t buy insurance impulsively.  Take your time.  Research what is offered and what your options are.  Choose carefully.

We have a story to illustrate this.  … read more

Why do you feel fatigue after flights? Ever wonder why you feel done in after traveling? Here are some facts about why you feel that fatigue after flights.

We’re not talking jet lag here, though that fat-headed fatigue is definitely part of jet lag. You may feel fatigue after a long north-south flight where there is little or no change in time zones or even after a daytime cross country flight with only a couple of hours of time change.

One of the main culprits is the cabin air in airplanes. Commercial aircraft are pressurized… … read more

You do know that a direct flight is not a non-stop flight, don’t you?

A direct flight only means that you are on a flight that will take you to your destination without having to change planes.  There will be a stop on the way…. maybe two, but you will almost always stay on the same aircraft.

In rare instances, you may have the same flight number, but you will have to change planes.  This can happen if the airline has to change aircraft for operational reasons…  so pay attention… if the flight attendants announce that there will be … read more

A home pre-departure checklist is just as important as a checklist for your packing.  You’ve made all the plans for your holiday, but while you’re gone, you want your home to be safe too.

If you have pets, you will have to make arrangements for a pet sitter or find a place to board your furry friends.

Did you arrange for someone to water the house plants?  Will someone mow the lawn and take care of outdoor plants?  If you’re lawn grows long and shaggy, it could be a give away that you’re not home.

Did you stop the … read more

Travel Advisories and Travel Warnings are issued by several governments to tell their citizens which countries or parts of countries might be of concern.  It sounds pretty scary to say that there is an advisory or warning about going somewhere, but just because a government issues one of these, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a bad idea to plan a trip to that country.

With terrorism all in the news today, many people get nervous, but if you want to be a traveler you need to learn to weigh the warnings and the news.  You may decide … read more

OK, you’ve made your holiday plans.  You’re ready to pack.  Let’s look at a pre-departure checklist for things other than clothes.

The very first thing to check is your passport.  If you’re traveling out of your home country, is it current?  Did you get any visas that are necessary?  This is your responsibility whether you are on your own or on a tour.  Make copies of your passport to take with you and to leave with relatives or friends.

It never hurts to check to see if there are any travel advisories for the countries you will be visiting.  … read more