Now that we’re under a Winter Storm Warning, I’m seriously rethinking our decision not to fly to Hawaii for Easter break. The reality of having to dig out from under 10 inches of snow in late April does that to a person. Still, after hearing about slumbering air traffic controllers, sky-high airfares and TSA employee-run robbery rings, I suppose we’re better off staying home this spring break.
If you are planning to jet off to grandma’s house, the beach or Disney this week you might be wondering how you can spare yourself from experiencing a travel nightmare. Here are some simple sanity savers to help you avoid bumps in the road:
Double Bag: I didn’t think it could happen to me, but it did. During our trip to Hawaii last December I was told that my carry-on would have to be checked because there were no overhead bins left for me to store it in. Typically, I would have had no problem surrendering my bag, but I packed a bunch of items that I needed access to mid-flight and I didn’t have an extra bag to place them in. So, a word of advice to you: Always pack an extra bag in your carry-on. I would suggest investing in a cheap collapsible bag that can be tucked into the pocket of your carry-on. Then, if you are forced to check your carry-on you can place your valuables in the small bag and store it under the seat in front of you.
Avoiding Lost Luggage: I constantly worry about whether or not I will be reunited with my checked bags once I board a flight. However, after years of flying and experiencing what it is really like to have a carrier “temporarily misplace” bags, I have learned to double check that the airline’s luggage tag has my name, flight number and final destination. In addition, I always place a copy of my flight itinerary inside my suitcase with my cellphone number in case the luggage tag gets ripped off. Finally, I invested in a fluorescent pink suitcase that you can see spot easily in a sea of black bags. The bright color hopefully prevents somebody from accidentally taking it at baggage claim. So far so good.
Related Articles:
New Airline Fees–Keeping it Straight
More Bad News for Cash Strapped Flyers