Perhaps flying is still a rare adventure for you. Or maybe you have reached a point where it feels as if you spend half of your life in airport waiting lounges. Whatever your background or needs, here are a few top tips which could add that little bit of extra comfort to any flying experience.
Choosing a Flight
Whenever you are choosing a flight it can be very beneficial to shop around a little bit. Use comparison websites like skyscanner to make sure you see every airline that operates a route. There can be huge price differences. Comparing prices can save you a huge amount of money – much more than you would save on most other purchases.
The same applies to your travel times. Flying on one specific day or at one specific time can easily be double or triple the price of a flight just a few hours earlier or a day later.
On every flight, it is likely that the person sitting next to you has payed a different price for exactly the same service. Being flexible, shopping around, and if you can booking the tickets early are all ways you can make sure that you get the price which all of the passengers around you would envy if only they knew.
One excellent way to save money can be to choose a morning flight. If somebody paid me $50 or even $100 to wake up a few hours earlier one day I would almost certainly take it. This logic can often apply when flying. What’s more, morning flights are much less likely to be delayed or cancelled. You might even be paying less for a better service. This is because morning flights are far less likely to be affected by unexpected events, which can build up through the day and cause delays.
Check the Small Print
If you’re an experienced flier then you are probably well aware that different airlines can have very strict rules about baggage weight and size. Make sure that you are fully aware of what you can and cannot bring before travelling. It can be very stressful if you turn up at the airport with the wrong size bag and have to pay an extra charge. If you need to bring more luggage, make sure to book it in advance.
Many airlines these days will make you pay extra to sit next to your travel companions, especially the European budget airlines. Again this is something you should be aware of when booking.
Where to Sit
If you do choose to pick a seat (some airlines will allow you to do this free of charge) there are some basic tips you should keep in mind.
As a rule, you will want to sit towards the front of the aircraft more often than not. At the front, you will often be one of the first to be allowed off after landing. Any turbulence will feel less severe compared to the back and it is not quite as noisy as the middle, where the engines are usually located on the wings. You are also more likely to have a wider choice of food options if you are eating.
The middle does have the benefit of being the plane’s centre of balance. It will usually not experience bad turbulence, but, as mentioned, is the noisiest part of the plane. The back will tend to feel turbulence the most.
Another consideration may be the length of the flight. If you plan to sleep then that is usually easiest if you have a window seat because you can rest your head against the side of the plane. On shorter flights, it can often be beneficial to opt for an aisle for a little more room.
It is rare that you will ever be upgraded, but there are one or two tips which flight attendants say will increase your chances. Smile and make eye contact. Perhaps even ask them about their day and their job. A little kindness can go a long way and if there happens to be a free seat in a better position, most flight attendants swear they would offer it to somebody who showed them a little extra kindness.
Make it Comfortable
Finally, no matter where you are sitting or how long your flight is, there are one or two things you can do to improve your own comfort and experience. One is to fly with earplugs, or, ideally, noise-cancelling headphones. Flying is a surprisingly loud pastime. Typically, you will be exposed to about 80 decibels of noise for the duration of your flight. Doing something to cancel out that noise will have a huge impact on how refreshed you feel when you arrive at your destination.
It can also be worth investing in a neck pillow, especially for long-haul and overnight flights. You will find it very difficult to keep your neck in a comfortable position if you try to get some shut eye in an economy airline seat. A good neck pillow is designed to solve this problem, keeping your neck supported so that it doesn’t feel stiff when you wake up.