Travel Secret #1 – Immediate help for a canceled flight
As discussed in my previous article, if you find yourself in a situation where your flight is canceled or delayed, don’t get on the line, call on the phone. There is a small window of time available to get there and secure the best seat or a seat for your destination while this new variable (the canceled or delayed flight) is being absorbed by the airline’s scheduling system. In my experience, if you wait more than 5 or 10 minutes, many of the available resources have been secured by those at the front of the line. If you’re in the first 5 people to get to the counter, you’re probably in good shape, but if not, get on the phone. The agent you speak to on the other end of the phone can probably do everything that desk agents can, and you’ll usually find them friendly and willing to help!
Travel Secret #2: A Very Relaxing Trip Home
This is great advice for business travelers heading home on the last day of their trip. This is especially helpful if it’s been a long day, which is often the case! After checking in at the airport, go to the bathroom and put on a new pair of socks. Your feet will thank you and you will definitely remember how good it felt! I take it even further: When I’m at the hotel packing my suitcase in the morning, I always make sure a pair of jeans, socks, and my running shoes are easily accessible. This is important when changing in the tight spaces of a bathroom!
Travel Tip #3: Airport Etiquette
There is absolutely nothing wrong with brushing your teeth in the airport bathroom! When I first saw someone doing this, my initial instinct was, “Hey, that’s not cool!” – but it is so much. There’s nothing wrong with it and your dentist and fellow travelers will appreciate it!
Travel Secret #4: Avoid having your luggage “checked at the gate”
This tip has a much higher success rate if you’re sitting up front (“Front” if you don’t already know, that’s “first class” in airline parlance). If you’re late boarding because it’s your first flight you weren’t able to take advantage of Essential Travel Tip #5 or #6, and there’s no more room on the ceiling, get a flight attendant’s attention and, in your tone kindest, humblest and most appreciative, ask if there is any way they could possibly store (“stow” – keyword – indicates that you fly a lot) your bag in “the closet”. Be sure to ask nicely, as this is a secret request and possible secret favor – there isn’t room in “the closet” for everyone’s bag. You won’t believe it the first time a flight attendant tells you there’s no room and your bag needs to be “checked at the gate” (read: an additional 45 minute delay after landing) and then you manage to have a different flight attendant. keep it in the closet for you – it will happen.
Travel Secret #5: Safety Through the Breeze
When I walk into the TSA line to go through security, I temporarily store my cell phone, change, and anything else that might trigger the detector in my laptop bag. I’m always amazed at how many travelers fumble around and put all of these things in the plastic container or bin to scan separately, and then have one more thing to retrieve on the other side. It’s simpler and safer to just put these things away before you get there!
Travel Secret #6: How to sit in the front row of the bus, regardless of your seat assignment
I can’t believe I’m divulging one of the biggest travel secrets of all and that it works with an insanely high success rate. All airlines typically occupy the first row of economy class (referred to as “the bulkhead”) by not allocating this space during normal seat selection. They usually “release” the bulkhead only at the gate (not the airline counter), which is during the hour before your flight time. I don’t know the exact policy why they do this, but it makes sense to have space to put a child or a disabled passenger or maybe an airline employee at the last minute, in an easily accessible seat on and off the plane. . For frequent travelers, the front row on the coach is a key spot, mainly because from there, you can potentially be in your car on the way home (or make your next connection) long before travelers sitting further back have “dropped off.” .
Here’s how it works: If you have a lousy seat, go up to the counter and ask if there’s a seat closer to the front and, in your most gracious, humble and appreciative tone, ask if they’ve “cleared the bulkhead” for any chance. I literally have over a 50% success rate with this, it’s ridiculous. I’ll show up to board a full flight on a 767 with a lousy seat assignment and find myself in the first row of coach, aisle seat, with my feet in first class – it happens all the time and it will for you too!
I hope these tips make your trip more tolerable and, who knows, maybe even enjoyable! There’s more to come, so be sure to sign up for Travel Secrets at Hotels-OnSale.com to get them delivered to your inbox as they’re released! This service is completely free, your email is kept in the strictest confidence and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.