26 Mar 2019
Posted by Barry Aldworth 
Sitting by the hotel pool, getting lost in a new city, sitting down to a meal twice the size of anything you’d eat at home – these are all some of the best parts of any holiday. One of the least enjoyable aspects, however, is actually travelling to your destination. Air travel means we can access destinations we otherwise couldn’t, but no-one enjoys being wedged into a too-small seat with zero leg room while the person next to you sleeps/drools on your shoulder.
We all have our little tips to make travelling on holidays a bit more bearable. With that in mind, the AA Travel Insurance have come up with some simple steps you can take before and during your flight to make travelling a little more bearable.
Packing
Whether you’re packing for one or for a family, you’ll want to maximise the space in your carry-on baggage in order to avoid paying for an overweight check-in bag. Making a list of all the essential items and roll your clothes so that you can fit them into every nook and cranny of your case. If you’re unsure of where to start with packing, check out our handy packing tutorial.
Leaving for the airport
It’s always a fine balance between getting to the airport with enough time to complete all the pre-boarding steps, while not wanting to be there so early that you’re forced to aimlessly wander the airport watching the minutes tick by. During school term, you should generally aim to be at the airport approximately 90 minutes before your flight. If you’re travelling during the peak summer-holiday season, allowing 2 hours may be wise.
Security
As you’re preparing to go through security, remove your belt, shoes and jacket, even if you’re not asked or think they won’t set off any alarms. This will help speed up the security check process and get you through to your boarding gate a little faster. Similarly, it’s a good idea to keep any electronic items on your person, for example in a backpack or handbag. Otherwise you may find yourself having to pull this items out from the bottom of your carry-on and then having to re-pack your entire suitcase on the airport floor.
When it comes to your passport there’s two important features. Firstly the purple cover which will allow you easy access to all other EU countries (much better than a blue one) and secondly the fact that it’s pocket-sized. Take full advantage of this second feature and keep your passport on you from the start to the end of your journey.
Have a little patience
When you’re travelling, it can be easy to get frustrated with your fellow passengers or event airline and security staff. However, remaining patient and co-operating with staff will help speed up the pre-boarding process and get you to your eventual destination faster. In fact, a recent AA Travel Insurance survey found that rudeness towards staff is the behaviour which Irish holiday-goers are least likely to tolerate.
Flight
You’ve made it through security, now the real fun of sitting in a metal can with hundreds of strangers begins. At this stage, you’ll probably want to start to unwind ahead of the holiday, so bringing some noise-cancelling headphones and portable power banks can help you tune out your surroundings.
During the flight, if you’re looking to stave off the groggy feeling you can get, then it’s always a good idea to get up and move around for a few minutes mid-flight. A little sugar rush from a snack or something like orange juice can help you stay alert.
Main image used under Creative Commons
