Navigating airports and airplanes could be traumatic at one of the best of occasions. As thousands and thousands of vacationers take to the skies over the busy holiday interval, that in-built stress can hit new heights.
In the US, the now-ended authorities shutdown has additionally introduced weeks of travel uncertainty. While shutdown-related flight disruptions have been resolved, vacationers would possibly nonetheless be feeling the anxiousness.
But holiday travel doesn’t have to be a strain cooker ready to explode — simply ask the world’s flight attendants. If anybody’s received surviving holiday travel down, it’s these aviation consultants who fly daily, generally a number of occasions a day.
To be taught from their knowledge, NCS Travel chatted with Florida-based flight attendant Hunter Smith-Lihas, who works as a flight attendant on a significant US airline, and veteran Australian flight-attendant-turned-aviation-researcher Liz Simmons, to hear their ideas, methods and aviation secrets.
Whether you’re flying house for Thanksgiving or heading overseas on a New Year’s Eve getaway, right here’s a cabin crew’s information to surviving the ups and downs of holiday air travel.
Flight canceled? Here’s how to get rebooked, refunded or compensated
Everyone desires to maximize their trip time, however flying on the final potential minute is a dangerous enterprise, says Smith-Lihas. If you need to keep away from lacking the Thanksgiving meal or the clock putting midnight on New Year’s Eve, “give yourself at least one buffer day in between your travel and the event,” advises Smith-Lihas.
Whether you’re touring within the northern or southern hemisphere, there’s a possible for storms and climate delays, which may trigger cancellations.
If you’ve received a buffer day, a canceled flight doesn’t mechanically equal canceled Christmas.
“You at least still have that entire day to get rebooked on another flight,” says Smith-Lihas.
With this identical concept in thoughts, Smith-Lihas recommends vacationers give themselves not less than 90 minutes between connecting flights.
Sure, the thought of sitting round within the airport ready isn’t interesting. But lacking your connecting flight is a a lot worse final result.
“I see a lot of people who book their layover flight connection times with less than 45 minutes,” says Smith-Lihas. “That is not enough time.”
If your first flight is delayed, you may simply find yourself lacking the second, says Smith-Lihas “especially if you’re connecting in a foreign country and you have to go through customs and immigration.”
Some individuals go the opposite method and ebook multi-hour layovers with the thought they might discover a layover metropolis in between flights.
“Personally I have never been brave enough to do that,” says Smith-Lihas. “I just love to get into the airport and get out onto my next flight.”
For low-cost flights, keep away from peak flying days and occasions
If you’re nonetheless contemplating a last-minute holiday getaway, there should be some good offers on the market, suggests Simmons.
Her suggestion is to keep away from peak flying days and occasions, like weekends, and seek for midweek flights for higher offers.
“Midweek flying, you can really pick up some good deals during those days,” she says.
There are many third-party travel web sites on the market, however Smith-Lihas says he all the time tells his buddies to ebook flights straight by way of their airline of alternative.
He suggests third get together platforms are extra possible to mechanically ebook vacationers onto flights with tremendous tight connection occasions.
“And then also, I see people running into issues if they need to change something with their ticket, because the airline doesn’t have access to fix the problem,” he says.
If you’re touring internationally, don’t neglect to examine your passport expiration date earlier than you travel. The last item you need is to be caught out on the airport and turned away.
Do it with loads of time in hand and also you’ll hopefully give you the option to renew it earlier than the departure date, if wanted. Keep in thoughts that many international locations require that your passport stays legitimate properly past your meant keep.
“A lot of countries do require that your passport is valid for six months or more,” says Smith-Lihas. “If you’ve had your passport for a couple years now, you definitely want to check that out.”
It is perhaps tempting to ebook a post-work night flight, however Simmons and Smith-Lihas each suggest getting the primary flight of the day, if potential.
“If you’re trying to dodge any delays, flying at the beginning of the day is beneficial, because any delays or cancellations will roll on throughout the day,” explains Simmons.
“And if the flight is canceled, you at least still have that entire day to get rebooked on another flight,” provides Smith-Lihas.
If there are cancellations, flight monitoring apps could be useful for maintaining a tally of updates. Simmons likes FlightRadar, whereas Smith-Lihas is a fan of FlightConscious.
“With FlightAware, you’re able to track exactly where your plane is. You can see what city your plane is coming from, what time it’s arriving, what time it’s going to be landing,” he says. “You can see the weather and route on that app. It has really up to date information about delays and cancellations. And I just like the fact that you can see exactly where your plane is coming from and what time it’s landing.”
“It’s also worth checking the airline apps,” provides Simmons. “And generally the airline has up-to-date information on X and Facebook.”
New mother and father would possibly discover themselves touring with younger kids for the primary time across the holidays.
Simmons, who’s a father or mother, means that “if you can, book your flights around nap times to avoid sort of that overtired meltdown.”
Simmons additionally recommends bringing snacks or books and any “comfort items” — whether or not that’s a blanket or a muslin wrap or favourite toy.
She additionally reminds vacationers that “kids can pick up on vibes.”
“By staying as calm as you can and bringing positivity, you really can help keep kids settled,” she says.
A optimistic of the holiday interval is there’s heaps to look ahead to, says Simmons.
“This time of year is fun. It’s exciting for kids,” she says.
Talking to youngsters about your upcoming household go to, or sharing Christmas tales “can really make the experience fun where it can otherwise be a little bit daunting or stressful, especially for kids traveling for the first time,” says Simmons.
Still, touring with youngsters could be fraught and Simmons reminds vacationers not to be afraid to ask cabin crew for assist. She notes that some mother and father may additionally wrestle with a worry of flying which they need to keep away from making obvious to their youngsters.
“It’s okay to say, ‘Look, I’m a bit stressed, or I need a bit of help, or I’m a bit worried, please, will you help me?” says Simmons. “The cabin crew will always be more than happy to assist you.”
Flight attendants are additionally skilled to assist individuals of all ages navigate a worry of flying.
“Speaking to them can really alleviate a lot of anxiety,” says Simmons. “Not only for yourself or your children, but also the passengers within earshot.”
Sometimes vacationers are separated from the remainder of their get together and determine to ask different passengers to swap seats.
Simmons says vacationers ought to run these sorts of adjustments previous the crew.
“It’s important for flight attendants to know who is sitting in what seats,” she says. “That could be for a variety of reasons. It could be for medical reasons, security reasons, or simply someone ordered a special meal, or is somebody a frequent flyer, or any other myriad of reasons. If you happen to be chatting to another passenger and they are happy to switch seats, always run it by the flight attendants first.”
Flight attendants have busy durations of their shifts — getting ready for take off and touchdown, for instance, and throughout the food and drinks service.
But on long-haul flights, crew even have a “ton of downtime,” as Smith-Lihas places it. And throughout these quieter moments, he says flight attendants “honestly love to talk to passengers.”
“It gets lonely and boring sometimes. We love when people come back and talk to us, and we love when people give us recommendations for the destination, whether it’s things to do, restaurants, different types of food, to try — we love to hear all of that.”
There have been a slew of recent TikTok skits enjoying on the thought of attempting to impress your flight attendant by paying further consideration throughout the security briefing.
Smith-Lihas says he genuinely takes be aware when passengers are actively listening.
“I’m just so used to seeing so many people not paying attention, with their headphones in, or their heads down, being on their phones or whatever,” he says. “It’s easier to spot someone who is paying attention than someone who’s not, because the majority of people aren’t. So when we do see people paying attention, it definitely catches our eye. It is nice to know that people care what we have to say.”
Passengers would possibly really feel like they’ve listened to and watched airplane security demonstrations and movies 100 occasions — but it surely’s nonetheless crucial to pay attention.
“We’re only telling them the information for their own safety,” says Smith-Lihas.
Pack gentle and keep away from checking your bag
Packing gentle is an artwork perfected and championed by flight attendants — Simmons calls herself a “packing pro” and says she travels with only one very small, well-organized carry-on bag.
Not everybody’s nearly as good at avoiding overpacking — and it’s probably trickier over the vacations, when you can be transporting Christmas or Hanukkah items for all your loved ones members.
But on the very least, keep away from checking your bag in the event you can.
“During the holidays, the airports are already so busy, so there are long queues to check in the bags,” Smith-Lihas says. “If you avoid checking the bag altogether, you can go straight through security, straight to your plane. You don’t have to worry about incurring any extra delays in line to check the bag.”
Plus, you keep away from the worry of a misplaced suitcase and misplaced items.
Smith-Lihas not too long ago traveled to Greece along with his husband, a fellow flight attendant. When their bag received misplaced on the best way over, the couple had been in a position to monitor it down thanks to Apple’s AirTag know-how.
“So, I tell everyone now, if you’re going to check a bag, spend the extra couple dollars, buy the AirTag, put it in your bag,” says Smith-Lihas. “That way, if the airline says they don’t know where your luggage is, you can kind of give them a rough idea.”
Smith-Lihas additionally recommends packing something vital, equivalent to items, useful jewellery or medication, in your carry-on — and perhaps a change of garments too, simply in case.
“If your bag does get lost, there’s a chance you might not get it for a few days,” he says. “It’s good to be prepared.”
Smith-Lihas prefers to be first on, whereas Simmons is blissful to be among the many stragglers on the finish.
Smith-Lihas adopts a first-on-board technique as a result of the later you board a packed flight, the extra possible it’s that cabin baggage area is at a premium.
“If you have the opportunity to be one of the first people on the plane, I would definitely take that, because it’s going to minimize your chance of having them check your bag,” he says, acknowledging that many airways board by way of group numbers, which means passengers typically don’t have a alternative.
Simmons — along with her tremendous small carry-on — isn’t frightened about cabin baggage area. Her alternative to board final comes from her dislike of “standing in the middle of a big group of stationary people.”
“Shuffling slowly on an aerobridge is just not something that I enjoy,” she says. “So I generally board last. I’ll hang around the gate, but wait until the final call.”
Simmons appreciates that not everybody might be snug adopting this tactic.
“The many, many flights and years of experience means I can go on last, find my seat, sit down comfortably and sort myself out quickly,” she says. “I know not everybody has that. When people are put into a strange environment and don’t quite know where they’re going or what to expect — until they’re there and it’s full and there’s lots of bright lights and there’s a lot of stimulation, it can be quite nerve wracking for people.”
Simmons stresses that it’s vital to keep in mind that whether or not you’re first or final on the aircraft, it doesn’t actually matter. The plane isn’t going anyplace till everybody on the gate’s on board.
If Netflix holiday romcoms and Hallmark films are something to go by, upgrades are frequent — simply so long as you’re giving predominant character vitality.
Simmons suggests this dream coming true in actual life is (sadly) fairly unlikely.
“Given that many flights are oversold during the holiday season, I don’t think it’s that high,” she says. “Never say never, but it’s certainly nothing to expect to happen.”
If you want your odds, Smith-Lihas’ prime tip is to ask the gate agent.
“It’ll always be up to their discretion, but it never hurts to ask,” he says, including that your possibilities is perhaps increased in the event you’re a frequent flyer with airline standing.
“The more points you earn, obviously, the better chance you’re going to have,” he says.
But in the event you miss the prospect to ask on the gate, it’s possible too late.
“It’s not as easy as it used to be for flight attendants to move people into a more premium seat,” says Smith-Lihas. “It’s best to ask the gate agent.”
Even in the event you’re not touring in a premium cabin, you would possibly give you the option to get pleasure from entry to the airline lounge by way of buying a lounge move.
Smith-Lihas says he “100% recommends” lounge passes, though advises researching earlier than your day of travel.
“Sometimes, especially around the holidays, the lounges do get full, and they don’t do single day passes,” he says.
“But if it’s possible, it’s a great way to escape the crowds, the chaos of the airport. You’re in a little bit of a quiet environment. You can have some food, a drink, some time to relax and time to yourself before you have to go back into the crowded plane. And it’s just a nice way to escape the holiday madness in the airports.”
On quick haul jumps, there’s not a lot distinction between the pricier seats and the again of the airplane.
But in the event you’re flying lengthy haul, Smith-Lihas and Simmons each agree a premium cabin will improve your expertise.
“Take London to New York,” says Smith-Lihas. “It’s about seven-ish hours. I definitely think it would be worth it, just so you’re able to get that rest. You have the lie flat seat, you have space to move around. You have a nice meal. I think that’s a great little Christmas gift to yourself.”
If you’re going to splash out, analysis one of the best ticket choices and whether or not you may pay by way of Avios or airline factors, and examine what your chosen airline gives in its premium cabins.
“The more premium the class, the more of an incredibly luxurious and pleasant flying experience you can have,” provides Simmons. “There’s incrementally increased picker costs related to every rank of cabin as they ascend.
“If you can treat yourself at this time of the year — you’ve worked hard and you want to kick back, you want to lie back flat and snooze your way halfway across the globe —absolutely go for it. There really is nothing like traveling in a premium class on a beautiful airline, especially for a special event.”
But don’t overdo the alcohol and meals
If you’re having fun with the spoils of top quality, it is perhaps tempting to take advantage of the bottomless champagne.
But arriving house for the vacations already hungover is unwell suggested.
“Always keep in mind how you’ll feel at the other end,” says Simmons. “The real party will start at your destination, so resting and making sure that you’re in your best possible state when you arrive for that party is so important.”
Instead, Simmons champions staying hydrated with water and natural teas.
Meanwhile, Smith-Lihas provides that wherever vacationers are sitting within the airplane, they shouldn’t be afraid to ask flight attendants for extra water.
“The cabin air can be very dry,” he says. “It’s easy to become dehydrated on a plane.”
Smith-Lihas additionally all the time packs an empty water bottle and fills it up after going by way of safety, to keep away from buying costly bottled water on the airport.
Yes, celebrities travel house for the vacations too — however Simmons suggests “you may not even notice them, even if they’re standing right next to you.”
They’re often within the extra personal top quality areas and “they shuffle on very quietly. They’re very low key.”
For flight attendants, interacting with the occasional well-known face is simply a part of the job.
“They’re customers, and as flight attendants, you see an A-lister as just somebody to be cared for and looked after,” says Simmons. “I haven’t been star struck by anybody, and I’ve had some pretty amazing Hollywood actors, pretty legendary Hollywood actors on board, who’ve come in and had a chat with us in the galley.”
No one desires to be sick over the vacations, however what with weaving by way of crowds on the airport and sitting in shut proximity with different passengers on board the airplane, it might probably really feel like an inevitability.
Smith-Lihas says it’s value remembering that airplanes are cleaned between flights, and airplane air filters are designed to assist fight germs spreading.
But when Smith-Lihas is touring, he nonetheless chooses to wipe down his airplane seat and tray desk. Some airways present passengers with a sanitizing wipe, and also you would possibly as properly make use of that, he says.
Bring your personal blanket, your eye masks, your travel pillow — no matter helps you’re feeling extra at house.
Get films downloaded in your telephone or pill. Make positive your Kindle is charged. Bring coloring pencils and books in your youngsters.
Noise-reducing headphones are a worthy funding, says Smith-Lihas, who additionally all the time brings “a bag of snacks” from house.
Even in the event you’re anticipating to be consumed the airplane, it’s good to be ready, he says. You is perhaps delayed on the gate. The plane is perhaps sitting on the tarmac for ages earlier than take off. The airline won’t have your most popular meal.
As for Simmons, her stick with it all the time consists of “an extra power bank for my phone, a small amenity kit — if it won’t be provided during the flight — and some eye patches and a little bit of lavender oil for myself.”
Simmons finds the lavender oil scent helps her chill out, however she’s additionally “always mindful that passengers around me could be sensitive to any essential oils or perfumes.”
In common, whereas Simmons is all in favor of creating the airplane seat your personal, she stresses passengers ought to keep away from “your comfort spilling out to others’ space and making them uncomfortable.”
“Never encroach into somebody else’s seat,” agrees Smith-Lihas, who’s all for an inflight skincare routine, however advises in opposition to utilizing a travel mirror that lights up, for instance.
“Remember, there are people trying to sleep,” he says.
On long-haul flights, Simmons all the time brings compression socks. But she all the time slips her sneakers again on earlier than getting out of her seat.
Smith-Lihas can also be firmly staff shoes-on.
“Every day I see people that go into the bathroom without shoes, and you need to wear shoes in that bathroom,” he says. “It grosses me out.”
The holiday season can see “a spike in anxiety, stress and passenger incivility” on airplanes, as Simmons places it.
“Airports are bustling. Flights are often at capacity. Delays are more likely due to the increased demand and weather,” she says. “But at the same time, people are carrying the weight of holiday expectations… And that could be getting gifts to loved ones or making it home for family gatherings or managing the pressure of those family gatherings.”
Remembering that everybody’s “in this together,” would possibly sound like fundamental recommendation, however Simmons suggests it’s genuinely useful to remind your self that getting indignant in traumatic conditions is rarely going to assist.
If you end up getting wound up by one other passenger, Simmons advises taking a deep breath and asking your self: “Is this really important enough to get really angry about and angry towards a stranger about? Or can I breathe out? Let it go.”
“That’s so much more pleasant than sitting in your seat huffing and puffing and being quite cross at somebody you’ve never seen before, and you will never see again,” she provides. “People generally don’t go out of their way to upset others.”
Rather than being antagonistic in the direction of different vacationers, consciously bringing heat and lightness to a fraught state of affairs could be actually highly effective and have optimistic knock-on results.
“It doesn’t need to be a grand display of positivity,” says Simmons. “It can just be something as simple as offering a smile to a fellow traveler, showing patience with airline staff, sharing a kind word with a person in the next seat. These small gestures of positivity, they’re great for everyone, and they reflect that holiday spirit.”
Sometimes, irrespective of how arduous you attempt, different vacationers will deliver negativity to the cabin.
In these situations, Simmons advises doing all your greatest to keep away from letting their dangerous angle damage your expertise of the vacations
“Unfortunately, it is public transport, you’re always going to encounter at some stage, perhaps, one person who’s going to be a little bit of a Grinch of the season,” she says. “Just put your walls up and don’t worry about them. Think about your own little bubble of peace and happiness.”
Many flight attendants don’t have a alternative when it comes to working over the vacations.
“I’ve missed so many Christmases,” says Simmons. “I’ve been over the International Date Line on many a New Year’s Eve.”
There will all the time be pockets of pleasure for flight attendants working over the vacations (“You might wear a festive tie or a Santa hat at Christmas. Or on Thanksgiving, crew might wear a turkey tie. I do really enjoy that. It really does put me in the holiday spirit,” says Smith-Lihas) But many flight attendants may also be lacking family members after they’re within the air over the vacations.
Kindness from passengers might help brighten these more durable workdays.
“Small gestures of goodwill are always so appreciated and certainly do not go unnoticed,” says Simmons, who says she’s been gifted sweets on previous festive flights, a very good deed that made her day.
As for Smith-Lihas, he all the time appreciates a Starbucks reward card, or sweet — each of that are frequent items on his US flights.
He additionally as soon as heard of a flight attendant who was gifted a visit to Disney World by a passenger.
“That was kind of crazy,” he says.
While items are considerate, flight attendants don’t count on them, and particularly not extravagant ones. They’re additionally typically not allowed to settle for money.
As Simmons says, “sometimes the best gift is patience and understanding and a smile and kindness.”
Simmons suggests preserving “the message of the holiday season” entrance of thoughts is her prime tip for surviving traumatic holiday travel.
“A lot is happening in the world at the moment, and there’s a lot of unease around, there’s a lot of uncertainty for some people, and not everybody has a family to go to during the holidays,” she says,
“So just keep in mind how powerful kindness is. Being kind and smiling, the impact that could have on a stranger’s day, on their mood… It’s so special, and it’s something that we really don’t harness. Maybe we don’t realize how much power we have, and we don’t think to harness that enough.”
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