Many things improve with age; airline travel is not one of them. After a challenging romp through an airport, I boarded the plane and was overcome with a wave of nostalgia for the good old days of airline travel when the airlines competed for business in wonderfully creative ways. Planes were painted in playful patterns designed by famous artists; flight attendants wore designer uniforms and were devoted to customer comfort; four star restauants prepared the food. Flying was entertainment in the air and getting there really was half the fun.
These days, frequent flyers just grit their teeth and bear it as best they can. Since I spend part of every month traveling by air, I try to make my flights an exercise in creative time management. I don’t always succeed in arriving at my destination as cool and relaxed as I might wish, but I have noticed that I survive better than many of my fellow passengers who stagger off the plane looking as if they had just endured an ordeal from which they might never recover.
How can you avoid an exhausting flight? Here are some simple things that can make a big difference in lowering the stress and hassles of airline travel.
√ Be considerate of your fellow passengers. Sounds obvious to me, but considering the number of folks I see who seem oblivious to others, this one needs mentioning. Cramped airplanes, indifferent service and bad food are annoyances enough. Don’t be part of the problem, if you can help it. Your fellow passengers are not your adversaries, after all. Think of your flight as a perfect place to practice putting the Golden Rule into action.
√ Come prepared to amuse yourself. I’m often surprised by the tacky books I see my flying companions reading, books hastily purchased at the airport gift shop. If you know you have a couple of hours that would be ideal for reading, why not be selective and use it to read something worthwhile? Don’t depend on airplane magazine selection or in-flight movies to keep you occupied, either. Many airlines have eliminated both.
Some people, of course, use their time in the air to work. In some instances, this appears to add to the stress of travel, but, I assume, has other rewards.
√ Carry a snack. Even on short flights, you may be overcome with hunger. Depending on the airport to provide food can be dicey. It’s worth the extra trouble to bring something healthy along. With all the other stresses you’re going to encounter on a trip, it makes sense to take control of your eating so hunger or bad nutrition don’t add to the strain.
√ Simplify, simplify. It’s astonishing to see the amount of stuff people drag along when they travel. I’ve seen folks that I’m certain were moving all their worldly possessions via the airlines. If you travel regularly, keep a toiletry bag stocked. You might also have underwear, nightwear, a hairdryer and an umbrella stowed in your suitcase ready to go. Pare your travel wardrobe to the bare minimum and refuse to pack anything “just in case”.
√ Be more than a traveler. Having something exciting to look forward to can lower the irritation encountered getting there. If your trip is primarily for business, try to leave some time for sampling local attractions. If you are wild about railroad memorabilia or Victorian architecture or Japanese gardens, add to your knowledge in the places you visit. Not only will it heighten your expertise, customizing trips around your unique interests will make any locale more fascinating.
While it’s not always possible to indulge yourself on every trip, anticipating at least one special pleasure at trip’s end will have a positive impact on your attitude—which is the most important weapon you have for combating whatever unpleasant surprises you encounter on the way.
all points well-taken, thanks for avoiding the by now commonplace horror stories. as much as i hate it, it is the safest and cheapest way to travel. even first class is relatively cheaper and much faster than 75 years ago, when “economy” flights were just being thought of. my only complaint is not being able to sit next to margaret on those long LA – Miami sales conferences flights, as i recall, if anyone had been listening, we solved many of the world’s problems several times over in those flights.
have been enjoying the site, guess i am a tweener, as i am well-paid to cram shakespeare and f scott fitzgerald into the brains of upper-class bolivian children. if there is some thing better than being paid (handsomely, by bolivian standards) to read sonnets and plays of shakespeare, i am interested in THAT job too (just kidding). keep up the eminently readable writing, if i come across a pirated copy of your book here i will not buy it, but read in ten-minute segments when i pass the book stalls.
LOVE your post, Barbara. I concur that fellow-passengers are not adversaries, though some times, some of them act like it. I enjoy engaging with them, tell a joke, say something smart and witty when I feel folks are getting “really” upset, and break the ice so that we can all laugh. Nothing beats a big smile or a belly laugh. When appropirate, find the humor in things; if not appropriate, carry “Agatha Christie”; the book, I mean.:)