Summer is here and many of us are headed for vacations. Cost of gas is up and many of us booked by air so we don't have to pay $5.00 per gallon for gas. If we are flying here are some things to keep in mind that will streamline out trip......
Nothing puts a bigger damper on the fun than leaving for the airport with ample time to check in and board your flight, only to arrive and find out that your flight is delayed...or worse yet, cancelled. Summer is an extremely busy time of year for the airlines. When you combine the increase in travel demand with the decrease in available aircraft--due to airlines trimming the fat and cutting back on scheduled flights--there are bound to be delays and cancellations. But doing a little planning in advance could help minimize the turbulence with your summer flight plans. Here are a few tips:
1. Reservations: Just as the old saying goes, "the early bird catches the worm". When it comes to air travel, the early bird catches the flight. Booking an early morning flight may decrease the chance of dealing with flight delays or potential cancellations. Most summer thunderstorms happen in the afternoon, and booking early flights will help you avoid being stuck in the airport waiting for a storm to pass. And if your morning flight is cancelled, you will still have the afternoon to try and reschedule your flight plans. Additionally, if your flight schedule requires a connection to another flight, be sure and leave enough time in between flights to make your connections, factoring in the possibility of a short delay.
2. Check In: Save yourself some time by obtaining your boarding pass online. Simply log onto the airline's website and print your boarding pass before leaving your home or office, up to 24 hours in advance. You will improve your chances of getting a better seat by checking in early, plus save time and hassle at the airport by avoiding the kiosk or check in lines. Even if you are checking luggage, most airlines have a designated area that you can check in luggage only and avoid the boarding pass lines...or check your luggage curbside, and you're ready to head to your gate with no lines at all!
3. Luggage: But where luggage is concerned, try to travel light and carry on your luggage if possible. Carrying on your luggage will save you time hanging around baggage claim when you land, and avoid the headache of trying to retrieve luggage if it is lost. When you are carrying luggage on, be sure to be in line to board as quickly as you can - as overhead space can fill up quickly, and you might be forced to check bags anyways.
4. Airport / Flight Status: While you're printing that boarding pass out, you can also obtain information about airport delays by hitting www.fly.faa.gov. Or another great site to obtain information about airport delays or to check flight status is www.FlightStats.com. You can even sign up for FlightStats electronic alerts, and receive notifications about flight delays or cancellations via email or text message. Most airlines have flight status on their websites as well, which can also be very handy if a friend or family member is picking you up at the airport.
5. Weather: Log onto www.weather.com to check the weather in the city you are departing from as well as in the city you will be arriving at, to help determine any potential travel delays due to weather conditions. It's also helpful to know weather conditions for your destination, so you can pack appropriately.
6. Security: Even if your flight is on time and there are no delays, long lines at security checkpoints could delay you enough to cause you to miss your flight. To find out how long it may take you to get through security, visit http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov/index.html. And a few hints on getting through security quickly - be prepared. Before you step up to the security table, remove your belt, shoes, cell phone, jewelry, keys and change from your pockets. Remove your outer jacket and place in a bin with your other belongings. Make sure your laptop computer is out of its case, and lying flat and unobstructed in its own bin before sending it on the conveyor belt through security. Keep your boarding pass in hand for the TSA agent to review - don't put it on the conveyer belt. Be aware that if your boarding pass is marked with "S's", you have been randomly selected for a full screening, and sh ould allow more time.
As you pass through the metal detector, be sure not to brush against the sides, as this will set off the alarm. Metal detectors work by measuring the aggregate amount of metal you are carrying as you pass through, and some machines have higher sensitivity than others. If your metal content exceeds the limit, the machine will beep and you'll get one more chance through. This time, be careful in trying to remove as much metal as possible, because if the alarm goes off a second time, you will have to go through the full body screening, which could delay you further. And if you do get selected for "special screening", be cooperative with the agent. They are just doing their job and working to keep passengers everywhere safe.
Taking the above steps will not eliminate delays all together, but will certainly help you avoid having to spend a good part of your summer vacation in a terminal. Bon Voyage!
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