Traveling by Plane

Updated July 28, 2007

When it comes to airlines, there are lots of things to remember, but flying is still the fastest way to get from point A to point B, so we'll all just have to put up with it.

What to Wear

Dress in layers

Temperatures change drastically when you change elevation and location. When you get on the plane it may be 40 degrees F and windy, so you'll need to be bundled up. While you're on the plane it may be 70 degrees F, so you'll need a a little warmth but definitely not a huge coat or mittens. When you get off the plane it may be 95 degrees F and humid, so you'll want to rip off those layers as soon as possible.
Wear jeans instead of skirts or dress pants.

If there's an emergency, you don't want to have your skirt getting caught on everything, and some dressy pants are made with materials that will melt (and burn) onto your skin when exposed to high heat. Never wear nylon stockings on a plane because they will definitely melt and burn during a fire.
Wear comfortable shoes you can run in.

If there's an emergency, you may need to run, climb, jump, etc., and dressy shoes are not what you want to be wearing if you must do these things. Wear a good pair of walking shoes or cross-trainers. Avoid boots or other bulky shoes because of security. Make sure you can take your shoes off and put them back on quickly in case security wants to inspect them.
Don't wear metal.

The more you wear, the more you must take off during the security check, and that wastes every body's time. Inspect your clothes for metal. Do they have metal decoration, studs, etc.? Do your shoes have steel toes? Does your belt have a bulky metal belt buckle? Is your hair clip metal? Does your bra have metal in it? It's difficult to avoid metal completely, but try to keep it to a minimum.
Don't wear excess jewelry.

Of course you'll want to wear your wedding ring and a watch, and if you can't live without wearing your lucky necklace, fine, but keep jewelry to a minimum. Don't wear jewelry that looks expensive if you can help it, even if you only paid $1.99 for it. You don't want to give crooks a reason to rip you off. Metal jewelry will also set off the metal detectors, so stick to non-metal jewelry (the nature look is classier than plastic) instead when possible.

What to Bring

Know your baggage limits.

Different airlines have different requirements, but most airlines let you check in two bags and carry on one bag that can fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment. If you bring extra, you may be charged an extra baggage fee.
Know what you are not allowed to bring in your carry on bag.

Visit the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for an updated list of what you can and cannot bring on your bag. Be sure to check their website or call them ON THE DAY that you will travel since regulations change frequently. You'll probably find answers to your questions on the Traveling with Special Items and Prohibited Items pages.
Know what you are not allowed to bring in your checked luggage.

Visit the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for an updated list of what you can and cannot bring on your bag. Be sure to check their website or call them ON THE DAY that you will travel since regulations change frequently. You'll probably find answers to your questions on the Traveling with Special Items and Prohibited Items pages.
Entertain yourself.

Bring your own headphones if you plan to watch movies or listen to music provided by the airline. If you don't have your own headphones, you'll be charged to rent a pair. You can also rent personal DVD players and even video games at some airports, but smart travelers save their money and bring their own. The magazines on planes are only entertaining for about five minutes. Make sure you have reading material or some other form of entertainment to fill in the rest of your time. If you have kids, make sure you plenty for them to do because long flights can get very boring.

What to Expect

Unexpected delays. Get to the airport early!

There are so many guidelines for when you should get to the airport: one for domestic, one for foreign, one for traveling with baggage, one for traveling without baggage, one for traveling with kids, etc.

I suggest simply getting to the airport 2 hours early and checking in immediately. You never know what delays will pop up. Terminals get emptied out for security reasons all the time. Cancelled flights cause lines to get very long. With increases in security, security lines are long and slow. Then there's always the possibility that your car will break down, traffic will be backed up due to an accident, and parking is always a nightmare. Checking in immediately upon arrival ensures that you will be able to get on the plane.

If you don't check in at least 30 minutes before your flight is scheduled to leave, you may be considered a no-show, and they'll give your seat to somebody else.
Tight security.

Almost everyone knows that you have to send your bag through an x-ray machine and walk through a metal detector, but security is getting a bit tighter.

You will most likely need to have your boarding pass or other approved boarding proof (such as an e-ticket receipt) and an official ID (such as a driver's license or passport) before you can even get through security at many airports.

You will be asked to turn on your lap top, cell phone, and other electronic devices to prove that they are what you say they are, so make sure those batteries are charged and that you have a power cord just in case.

You will need to run your jacket/coat through the scanner, so take it off while you're waiting in line. While you're at it, take off all of your metal, so the rest of us don't have to wait for you to do it at the last minute. Your bags may be opened up for inspection, so don't put anything in there that you don't want people to see. You may also be frisked and scanned with a hand held metal detector. You may be asked to take off your shoes, so they can be inspected. Even after you get through security, you may be inspected again as you board the plane.

If you have a device inside your body, such as rods, metal plates, etc., you should bring verification from your doctor to prove that they are indeed the reason you keep setting off the metal detector. Otherwise, you'll probably end up half naked to prove that you don't have any other metal on you.
Expensive food and souvenirs.

Convenience will cost you an arm and a leg. If you buy food, drinks, magazines, books, games, souvenirs, etc. at the airport, you'll definitely feel it in your wallet. Even worse is that there are actually airport taxes, which are additional taxes, on top of the sales tax, that are charged just for buying something at the airport. To avoid these high prices, bring as much as you can from home, or stop by a convenience store or restaurant outside of the airport.

How to Act

Be aware of the people around you.

We often don't look people in the eye when we're in public. We look down and keep to ourselves. That's the worst thing you could do.

Look people in the face and smile. Notice if there is anyone who seems to be hovering around you. Pay attention if you see something suspicious. Don't hesitate to report anyone or anything to an airport employee.
Don't act inexperienced.

Even if you've never flown a day in your life, pretend you've been doing it for years. You don't want crooks taking advantage of you because you're naive. If you need help, quietly talk to someone behind a desk or at an obvious station because any crook can stick on a uniform and walk around the airport, but it's a bit more difficult for them to get behind a desk.
Don't make jokes about bombs or terrorist acts.

Just joking around about it can get you in trouble.
Keep an eye on your stuff.

Thieves will grab things as soon as you look away or are distracted. Don't walk away from your things. Don't set your belongings down and turn around to pay attention to something behind you. If you must put them on the floor, put them between your legs, so you'll feel if somebody grabs them.

When you go through security, put your carryon baggage on the conveyor belt to be x-rayed, and watch it go into the x-ray machine. (Sometimes the security agent will try to urge you to walk through the metal detector before you see your baggage enter the scanner, but tell them that you want to wait for your baggage to enter first. Do not let somebody else cut in front of you while you watch the bag go in. Then walk through the metal detectors and sniffers while keeping your eye on the scanners to see your baggage come out. If you see somebody not wearing a security agent uniform grab your luggage before you get to it, speak up. Yell, "Hey, that's my bag! He/She is taking my bag!" If it's a thief, you'll likely stop them from getting your bag. If it was an innocent mistake, apologize and let yourself look foolish for awhile. (Looking slightly foolish is much easier to deal with than losing all of your credit cards, ID, money, plane ticket, etc.)

On the Plane

Get into your seat quickly.

I've been on planes where people will stand in the aisles and talk to each other, blocking the rest of us while we are waiting to sit down. Go to your seat and sit down. It's only polite.
Store your carry on bag under your seat when possible.

First of all, when your bags are away from you and accessible by other people, there is a greater chance that something could be stolen. It wouldn't take much to slip something out of your bag and into someone else's. Keeping your bag under your seat makes it easier to get to anyhow. Plus, if you store your bags in the overhead bin, everybody has to wait for you to put it in, get into it during the flight, and take it out when everyone wants to just get off the plane. Then there are those people who shove bags into the overhead compartment when they really should be checked in. These people are even more annoying because not only do we have to wait for them to simply take the bag out of the compartment, but we must also wait for them to figure out how they managed to fit it in the compartment in the first place.
Always wear your seat belt.

People have been killed by getting thrown around by unexpected turbulence. Wear your seat belt properly, and only get up if you absolutely have to.
Don't be noisy.

People are trying to sleep, eat, read, concentrate on work, etc. Don't make more noise than necessary to respect their needs.
Don't use your cell phone, pager, etc.

You probably won't get a signal anyhow, but it is typically against airline regulations to use these items on the plane once you've moved away from the terminal. Some planes have phones that you can use your credit card to pay for, but they are incredibly expensive.
Pay attention to announcements.

You will be told when you can use electronic devices, when you can get up, what to do in case of an emergency, etc., so pay attention. If you don't follow the rules, you can get yourself into trouble.

What to do if . . .

You need assistance.

Just ask! Go to your airline's ticket desk (or the desk at the gate), and tell them what you need. If you need a wheelchair or somebody to push your wheelchair, just ask. If you are traveling with children and can't handle holding the children, the carseats, and your carryon bags at the same time, ask if they have somebody who can help carry the carseats onto the plane.
You get bumped.

Sometimes airlines will overbook flights -- sell tickets to more people than can actually fit on the plane. They usually ask if anyone wants to give up their seat, and some people will because of incentives, but when nobody will volunteer, they decide who will not get to fly by "bumping" you.

If you get bumped talk to the airlines immediately (go to the gate or desk) and find out what your compensation is. The compensation you get varies, but it can include money, discounts on future flights, accommodations, meals, phone calls to inform anyone who is expecting you, and even goodie baskets as a thank you. They usually try to get you on the next flight, but sometimes it can take awhile. If the delay causes you to miss a connecting flight, make sure you are compensated for that too.

I'm actually a fan of demanding compensation. If the next flight is tomorrow morning, then I'll be demanding a hotel room. If the hotel they put me in doesn't have a shuttle to the airport, then I'm going to demand a rental car. If I don't have enough money for my next meal, which I had expected to eat on the plane or at my destination, then I'll demand money for food or a restaurant gift certificate. You may not always get want you want, but it never hurts to ask, and you'll likely get something rather than nothing. Just be persistent but not rude.
You miss your flight.

Talk to the airlines and find out what they are willing to do to help you. Some will apply the cost of your ticket to a ticket to a new ticket on another flight if you make the changes immediately. Others will let you fly standby on the next flight. Some will charge you extra to get you on another flight while others will do it for free if you do it within a certain time limit. The response you get could even depend upon why you were late; was there an emergency or did you just oversleep?

Of course, the type of ticket you purchase makes a big difference. Non-refundable tickets are by far the most expensive in the long run if you miss your flight, but refundable, flexible, transferable tickets and the like are the most expensive if you don't miss the flight. If you have a habit of being late, purchase the more expensive flexible tickets. If your certain that you will make it on time, purchase the less expensive non-refundable tickets. It pays to be punctual.
You lose your luggage.

So you go to baggage claim, watch all those bags come off of the conveyor belt, and that sickening feeling hits you: your bags aren't there. Before you go into a panic, go to the baggage claim desk and find out if they know what happened to your luggage. Perhaps it was simply placed on a different plane due to lack of space. Maybe it came in before your flight and was set aside. Maybe it is coming in a few minutes.

If you're not so lucky, file a report / claim. Make sure that each bag has your name, destination address, and a phone number where you can be reached, so the airline can get the bag to you when they find it.

If the worst happens and they don't find your luggage, the airline is required to compensate you. Make sure you have a list of everything in the bag to ensure you are compensated for the full amount you deserve. There is a limit on compensation though, so for very expensive items, you may wish to purchase travel / luggage insurance.

Let Go Of Your Fears

You are more likely to be in a car accident than a plane accident. However, we still have a fear of flying. Maybe it's because the thought of falling is far more frightening to some of us than the thought of rolling across the road. Maybe it's because we feel like we have more control in a car. Maybe it's because airplane accidents get more media coverage than car accidents. Maybe it's because we drive in cars so much that we have simply lost our fear of car accidents.

In any case, several pilot friends of mine have made some very important points to combat the fear of flying:

Pilots go through many hours of training and schooling and need a medical exam before they can get a pilot license, while automobile drivers only need to take a DMV test.
Air traffic is coordinated by air traffic controllers and pilots working together, while in cars, everybody just does their own thing, and the rest of us have to just hope that other drivers will follow the rules of the road.
Pilots don't drag race or try to make donuts. (Well, at least the only do it at stunt shows.)
Airplanes are thoroughly inspected and maintained on a daily basis. When was the last time you inspected your car?

If you liked this page, please share it with others...

| Tell a friend

Scroll down to comment on this article.