Travelling can be a nightmare, but there are a few tricks that can take much of the pain out of the whole pain and airport experience. It’s just a case of a little preparation and thinking smart.
How to get an upgrade
Dress well: Upgrades are rare at the best of times, but they’re even rarer for shorts, sandal and scruffy T-shirt-clad bums. If the airline staff are going to pick someone to move out of cattle class to business class, they’re going to pick someone who looks like they’re on business.
Sign up for everything: Air miles members are looked upon favourably. Sign up for absolutely everything the airline offers you (newsletters, frequent flyer clubs, etc), and they’re more likely to pick you out when handing out the upgrades.
How to get the best seats
Research the plane: Websites such as SeatGuru.com allow passengers to check out where the good seats are (emergency exit rows, the two seats rather than three at the back of a Boeing 747) on most airlines. This means you know exactly what to ask for when making a seat reservation.
Reverse psychology: The last seat anyone wants is a middle seat in the middle aisle towards the back. It stands to reason that these seats are the least likely to be occupied, meaning that an aisle seat in the middle aisle towards the back is the one most likely to have a spare seat next to it.
How to avoid delays
Right time: Most delays are due to cramped schedules and landing spots that are tightly packed together. Fly at times when fewer planes are arriving and departing, and there’s more chance of being on time. That means avoiding the morning get-in-for-work flights and the evening get-home-from-work flights. Friday evening, Sunday evening and Monday morning are especially bad times.
Right place: The busier the airport, the more likely a delay is, simply because there are fewer windows to get the planes in and out. Luton or City airports, for example, are going to be less prone to delays than Heathrow or Gatwick.
How to reduce airport hassle
Carry on: If only away for a night or two, airport time can be vastly reduced by not checking in bags. It pays to get one carry-on bag that just complies with airline limits (Ryanair’s is 55cm x 40cm x 20cm and 10kg, for example) to avoid the conveyor belt purgatory.
Get to the front (or back): Those at the front are usually the first off, and thus get through customs before the scrum starts. However, budget airlines often unload from front AND back, meaning those at the very rear get the same advantage.
How to deal with bumping
Arrive early: Bumping is the unfortunate result of airlines overbooking a flight, and it essentially means that someone isn’t getting on. To avoid that being you, arrive at the airport early or, even better, check in or reserve a seat in advance.
Take the bump: The other alternative is to volunteer to be bumped. Airlines will usually put out a call for those willing to stay behind. This usually involves bribery in the form of free flights in future and cash compensation – a nice bonus on top of an extra night’s holiday.
This article was originally written for AOL UK.
Copyright David Whitley
