Travel Smart

01/27/201302/14/2013 / mikew66 / 2 Comments

Best Time to Fly

Holiday Makers usually fly on weekends, and business travellers prefer to fly on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Tuesday and Wednesday are usually quieter and these are the days you will find the cheaper airfares. Also you will find the Airport is not as busy, and you will find shorter queues and less congestion

Check in at Home

If you have access to a computer and the internet, check in online and get your seat allocation. Most airlines let you check in at least 24 Hours before your flight. This is another time saver at the airport especially if you don’t have any luggage to check-in.

Your Smartphone

Download your airline’s app before you fly, you can check-in using your phone get late gate changes, and flight status updates, get all the information you used to have to line up to ask the agent for. A great time saver.

Take an empty water bottle

Take an empty water bottle you can fill it up once you are through security. Most airports have water fountains that you can fill up and stay hydrated, and you will save $5 to $6 bucks on those airport prices for a bottle of water.

Carry a small pack of Anti-bacterial wipes

Believe me those trays on the aircraft do not get cleaned that often, and some of the things passengers use them for defies belief, so a small packet of wipes in your carry on will come in very useful not just on the plane but for hotels and wherever else you think needs a wipe down

Choose an aisle seat (my personal preference)

I like the access for a quick escape on arrival, and being able to get up and go to the bathroom when I need to is well worth it. I am willing to put up with, occasional bump and having to stand up to let other’s out for this little bit of freedom. In the end it all comes down to personnel preference though, and I know some people just cannot pass up the window seat for that great view.

Meal Service

Meals will vary widely in quality and quantity depending on the airline and class you tarvel in. They will range from a simple snack domestic economy class to gourmet meal in long haul first class. Most airlines will not cater for everyone to have the same meal though, as they bank on people making different choices. Sitting further forward in the economy cabin will give you a better chance to get your first choice

Always be polite

Be polite, a smile and a thank you goes a long way when you travel, showing patience and being considerate and helpful will not only make other’s feel good but you will feel good as well, and we all know a happy traveler is a good traveler.

See You At The Airport

Mike

You’re late for your domestic flight

01/17/201302/14/2013 / mikew66 / Leave a comment

You’re late for your domestic flight

You are are slightly disheveled a little panicked with a stricken look on your face, yes you are LATE and as you fumble with the self-service kiosk, your worst fears are realized. This machine is not going to let you check in. Depending on how late you are, its time to consider your options.

My first bit of advice is “do not Panic” and certainly “don’t lose your cool”, keeping a clear head is the key to fixing your dilemma.

By now you are probably trying to think of a good excuse to justify why you’re late, this is where my next piece of advised comes in

Don’t bother with the lame excuses

Remember this is an everyday occurrence at the Airport, and the check-in agents have heard all the excuses before and hundreds more. Did you really think those lame excuses work anyway?

here are a few of the most common excuses

The Taxi did not turn up

I read my arrival time as my departure timer on my itinerary

My alarm clock did not go off

The Traffic was bad

The car park was full

My assistant advised me of the flight time

My next piece of advice is Gather your thoughts and check your options.

How late are you

-30 and most Airlines self-service kiosk will be unavailable for check-in and you will be to late to check bags.

If you don’t have any luggage to check-in, you can run to the gate before -20 minutes to departure you might just make it

If you have booked through an agent and if you have the time call them, they may be able to help getting you rebooked for the next flight, especially if you are on of their corporate clients.

If you have baggage to check in go straight to the ticket counter and see if you can be rebooked on to the next flight.

One thing I have learnt about airports is that not all agents are consistent with the rules. You may be lucky and strike one that is a bit more relaxed but don’t always bet on it.

Make sure you put on a smile and say something like this.

“Hi I think I may have just missed my flight

I won’t bore you with an excuse. Is there any chance you could help me Please

Don’t forget to smile and be nice

don’t assume you will automatically be changed to the next available flight; it will all depend on what type of ticket you have purchased. If you can be rebooked, be prepared to get out that credit card most times there is a rebooking fee.

Whatever happens staying calm and being friendly will go along way to getting the help you need. In the end accept the fact that you have missed the flight and move on with the best option. Whatever happens ,you would have learned a valuable lesson

Running late for an International Flight (Now that’s a whole other story)

See you at the Airport

Mike

Airline Check-in Times

Virgin http://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/bookings/manage-my-bookings/check-in/

Qantas http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/checkin/global/en

JetStar http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/planning-and-booking/checking-in/sms-boarding-pass

Tiger http://www.tigerairways.com/au/en/webcheckin.php

01/15/2013 / mikew66 / Leave a comment

Great Post It also translates to us males just substitute the items mentioned for the male equivalent

outfitofthedayblog

I have a friend who is travelling to Wales in a few months. She wanted some sound packing advice. These ideas will give her the inspiration she needs…

First, what you wear to the airport, especially for the long flight, really matters.

This group not only is perfect for mixing and matching on a trip but could serve as the foundation of a basic wardrobe.

This is what she packs:

Three pairs of shorts
Three pairs of dress pants
One skirt
Three pairs of casual pants or jeans
Three nightgowns
Three bathing suits
One sarong
Three lightweight sweaters
Four dresses
10 casual shirts
Six dress shirts
A clutch
Toiletries
Two pairs of shoes

She’ll wear the third pair of shoes, as well as jeans and a longer sweater.

Personally, I wouldn’t bring nightgowns, shorts or bathing suits, or as many casual shirts, but I’ll post my list and justifications for…

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Travel light next time you fly

01/12/201302/19/2013 / mikew66 / 6 Comments

: Do you hate standing in queues at airports, queuing up at check-in, and then having to deal with the whole excess baggage drama? Not to mention that anxious wait when you get to your destination. Waiting at the baggage carousel after most people have collect their bags and left, and you are standing there just hoping your bag is next.

This all takes time and raises the blood pressure, and in some instances spoils your holiday. Well there is a way to just avoid all that hassle and breeze through the airport both on your way out and when you get home.

The Answer:

I have recently discovered and now put in to practice traveling with only one “yep” one carry on bag.

Your first step to hassle free travel is to visit two web sites the first one is http://www.onebag.com this web site is the Holy Grail to traveling light, offering exhaustive detail on the art and science of travelling light.

This is a great place to start your journey to lighten your load, and I recommend that you check it out, it will change they way you travel forever.

The Second web site is http://onebagger.squarespace.com this one is news, reviews and community for light travelers. It has a reader’s forum and everything from traveling clothes, traveling tips and a section on how to become a one bagger. This is another great place to gather all the information needed to become successful in the art of traveling light.

The Right Bag

The next thing you are going to need is the right bag; remember though there is no one bag that can help you become a one bag traveler, if you still insist on bringing a mountain load of stuff with you. Learning the lessons of traveling light, may take a few trips and it will not be for everyone. Back to the bag, check out onebag.com for a complete rundown on choosing your bag. I have chosen the Airboss, developed by the Red Oxx company http://www.redoxx.com with help from Doug Dyment from onebag.com, this is a great bag as it has been developed to fit international carry on standards. It has three compartments two outside and one in the middle, it is so well put together it will last a life time. In fact it has a life time warranty; Red Oxx really stands by its products, check out CEO of Red Oxx Jim Markel talking about the AirBoss.