Many things improve with age; airline travel is not one of them.\u00a0 Even before increased airport security slowed things down, the flying experience was loaded with\u00a0stress-inducing delays and rude behavior. Frequent flyers just grit their teeth and bear it as best they can, but a bit of pre-planning can improve the quality of the experience enormously. \u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n Since I spend part of every month traveling by air, I try to make my flights an exercise in creative time management.\u00a0 I don\u2019t 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. \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n How can you avoid an exhausting flight?\u00a0 Here are some simple things that can make a big difference in lowering the stress and hassles of airline travel.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00b0 Be considerate of your fellow passengers<\/strong>.<\/strong>\u00a0 Sounds obvious to me, but considering the number of folks I see who seem oblivious to others, this one needs mentioning.\u00a0 My personal pet peeve is people seated in the back of the plane who fill the front overhead bins with their luggage so they don\u2019t have to carry it so far.\u00a0 Later boarders, assigned to the front seats, have no place to stow their stuff.\u00a0 That\u2019s both annoying and rude.\u00a0 Equally irritating are portable video games that produce sounds when they\u2019re played. Cramped airplanes, indifferent service and bad food are annoyances enough. Don\u2019t 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\u00a0practice putting the Golden Rule into action.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00b0 Come prepared to amuse yourself.\u00a0<\/strong> I\u2019m often surprised by the tacky books I seen my flying companions reading, books hastily purchased at the airport gift shop.\u00a0If 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?\u00a0 Don\u2019t depend on airline magazines or in-flight movies to keep you occupied, either. Many airlines have eliminated both magazines and movies on domestic flights\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00b0 Carry a snack.<\/strong>\u00a0 Even on short flights, you may be overcome with hunger.\u00a0 Depending on the airport to provide food can be dicey. It\u2019s worth the extra trouble to bring something healthy along. Dried fruit, nuts and crackers are great portable snacks.\u00a0 Once a year, I eat an airport hot dog.\u00a0 That cures me of neglecting to carry my own provisions.\u00a0 With all the other stresses you\u2019re going to encounter on a trip, it makes sense to take control of your eating so hunger or bad nutrition don\u2019t add to the strain.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00b0 Simplify, simplify.<\/strong>\u00a0 It\u2019s astonishing to see the amount of stuff people drag along when they travel.\u00a0 If you travel regularly, keep a toiletry bag stocked.\u00a0 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 \u201cjust in case\u201d. \u00a0I also suggest that you proudly carry cheap luggage. The expensive stuff doesn\u2019t survive baggage handling any better than the bargain bags so if you\u2019re going to have to replace it regularly, spend as little as possible to begin with.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00b0 Be more than a traveler.<\/strong>\u00a0 Having something exciting to look forward to can lower the irritation encountered getting there. Once you\u2019ve arrived, be creative about the way you\u2019ll spend your time at your destination.\u00a0 While it\u2019s not always possible to indulge yourself on every trip, anticipating at least one special pleasure at trip\u2019s end will have a positive impact on your attitude\u2014which is the most important weapon you have for combating whatever unpleasant surprises you encounter on the way.<\/p>\n Those who never venture into the world don’t have many stories to tell. ~ Annette Simmons<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Many things improve with age; airline travel is not one of them.\u00a0 Even before increased airport security slowed things down, the flying experience was loaded with\u00a0stress-inducing delays and rude behavior. Frequent flyers just grit their teeth and bear it as best they can, but a bit of pre-planning can improve the quality of the experience…<\/p>\n