How to Make it Through Summer Air Travel
Flying this summer is no joke. With the worker shortage (pilots, crew, grounds crew, TSA) across the nation our patience and flexibility is being tested. Here are a few tips to help make for a more successful traveling experience this summer.
1. Download and use the airlines app. You can get your boarding pass, track your bags, see your incoming plane, and change a flight. The app will sometimes notify you of a change before they announce it at the airport.
2. Fly the first flight in the morning. This gives you the opportunity of having other flight options later in the day should your flight get cancelled.
3. Fly to your destination early. If you have a cruise or guided tour scheduled plan to arrive at least a day early if not earlier. This allows for any delays and if you arrive on time you get an extra day or two exploring a new destination.
4. Schedule longer layovers. No one likes sitting in the airport between flights, but the longer layover gives you more room for error should your first flight become delayed. Even before the pandemic I would never book a layover shorter than an hour. For summer travel I am booking 2+ hour layovers.
5. Flights are full. If you want to sit with friends or family, pay extra to select your seats. If not, you will get a middle seat and you will be sitting with strangers. I only book main cabin or higher for my clients and select their seats at booking.
6. Flights are being oversold. Often times there will be a request at the gate for anyone willing to change their travel plans and fly at a later time. If no one volunteers they will begin bumping passengers to the next available flight. The first passengers to be bumped are those that booked using sites like Expedia and Kayak. Book with a Travel Agent or book your flights directly on the airlines website.
7. Pack a carry on. Checked bags are being delayed or lost due to staffing shortages for grounds crews. If you travel with just a carry on, you know your bags won’t get lost along the way. You can fit everything in a carry on bag if your trip is shorter than 7 days. Leave some shoes at home. Pack mix and match pieces.
8. Get trip insurance. Trip insurance can be there to help minimize the financial hardship should your flight delays cause you to miss connections and arrive at your destination later than planned. Keep all documentation and receipts to make filing a travel protection claim much easier.
9. Be nice. This one is pretty simple. Getting upset with airline employees gets you no where. This is not their fault. Ask nicely. Be patient. Be understanding. Have respect for others.
