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Top 10 flying tips
Help yourself to a smoother flight by trying out these top tips.
Low price v location
When you're tempted by a crazily low flight price, check to see where the destination airport is. You might find that it's a long and costly journey from the airport to where you really want to be, and that you'd be better off paying a little more and getting closer to your destination.
Pack with plastic
Pack items such as suntan lotion, moisturiser and perfume into individual bags, just in case the packaging gets smashed or the contents leak. Plastic or paper tissue can also help prevent creases, so fold around delicate clothes too.
Stow your stuff
With strict security checks in place, items such as razors, penknives, hypodermic needles must be packed into your hold baggage, not your cabin baggage.
Check in early
Get the seats you want by checking in at the earliest time given by the airline. Remember that you can sometimes check in at train stations which serve major airports. If you're meeting a friend at check-in, go ahead and check yourself in, then reserve a seat for your travel partner to make sure you can sit next to each other.
Mark your bags
As well as tying luggage tags to the exterior of your bags, stick or tie some inside as well, as an extra precaution.
Long legs
Tall? Get a seat by one of the emergency exits. Try asking in good time, but you probably won't be allocated the seat until check-in, as staff there have to see for themselves that you are able-bodied, and capable of opening the door should an emergency situation arise.
Dress smart
It's always a good idea to look presentable when you fly. You'll feel much better when you arrive at your destination and, if you feel brave enough to ask for an upgrade, you're more likely to get one if you're dressed smartly.
Do not disturb
For less chance of getting disturbed by a chatty neighbour or by cabin staff, take an eye mask - and wear it.
In-flight comfort
Walk or move around as much as you can on your flight to help prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT, see this article for more). Drink plenty of clear fluids (water, not gin or vodka...), to help make sure you keep hydrated on your flight, as cabin air is very dehydrating. Avoid alcohol at all costs - it's more intoxicating at altitude and you're likely to have a stinking hangover when you land - not the best start to a holiday.
Pops away
Chewing gum or sucking a mint can really help prevent your ears popping during take-off and descent. You can also check out chemists for devices that you put into your ears, which are designed to help prevent the pain caused by changes in cabin pressure.
Jet lag
Jet lag can ruin the first few days of a long-awaited holiday, or make an important business trip seem impossibly demanding.
Read on to find out what is thought to cause jet leg, and how you can help avoid it.
What causes jet lag?
The most important factor in jet lag is how many time zones you cross, and travelling east seems to be worst for most people. Jet lag occurs when you cross over a number of time zones and disrupt the normal 'circadian' rhythms which help you wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night - your 'bodyclock'.
If you have a rigid routine, it's likely that you might suffer more than someone who adapts easily to change - babies seem to be barely susceptible to jet lag.
The symptoms of jet lag can include fatigue or exhaustion, a feeling of disorientation or fuzziness, and the inability to sleep.
You may also feel deyhdrated from being stuck in an air-conditioned cabin for hours, which in turn can cause headaches, make your skin dry and make you more susceptible to colds or viruses.
What can you do to avoid jet lag?
Try these suggestions to help counteract jet lag next time you fly:
change your watch as soon as you get on the flight, the quicker you adapt to the time zone the lower level of jet lag isl ikely to be
when you arrive in the new time zone spend some time outside during daylight hours. Natural light can help cue your body clock
try to adjust your bedtime and mealtimes to the new, local timetable as soon as possible
it can help to schedule commitments at times when you are likely to have maximum energy: in the evenings, after flying east, or in the mornings, after flying west
the impact of alcohol on the body can be two to three times more potent when you're flying, so one glass of wine in-flight has the effect of two to three glasses on the ground.
Avoid feeling even worse with a hangover by reducing alcohol intake before and during your flight
get as much exercise as you can. Walking up and down the aisle, rotating your ankles and doing gentle stretching exercises in your seat can help to reduce discomfort, and allow you to have a more relaxed flight
during extended stopovers on a long-haul flight, try to grab a shower: it can really wake up your circulation and get things moving.
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