Getting to Grandma’s House

Traveling during the holidays is a family tradition for most of us.  We vision spending quiet time with friends and family, reconnecting with our loved ones, laughing and eating our fill and just having fun.  However, the travel environment often sets us off on the wrong foot with excessive times, stringent restrictions and added stress.  So we have put together a few tips to get you there safely and stress free.

Plan with care.  The most experienced travelers will tell you that the best way to reduce your stress when traveling is to start with a solid plan.  Search early for flights.  Christmas is one of the busiest travel times of the year, so start early when booking flights, especially if you are traveling with children.  If you must change flights during the trip, look for longer connection times if possible.  Where most travelers usually try to avoid longer layovers, this time of year they can be a blessing.  The extra time will add a cushion to your trip to compensate for de-icing of aircraft, runway delays and the longer times to deplane because of full flights and passengers with tons of carryon luggage.

Let the airline know your needs!  If you are traveling with small children or those who will need special assistance, you should notify the air carrier prior to your trip.  When booking your trip, take the time to fill out the special request section or inform the ticketing agent.  This way they can plan to have extra help at the gate to assist you.

Buy the trip insurance.  This lesson we have learned the hard way!  Most airlines and online travel agencies offer trip protection insurance, it is relatively inexpensive way to add an extra layer of protection to your travel.  The need to cancel or change travel dates and times can add huge expenses and load up tons of unnecessary stressors to your trip!  Look and ask for refundable tickets.

Try to avoid the airports known to have weather problems!  Where Chicago and New York are fine places to live and visit, you would hate to end up having your Christmas dinner in the food court!  Even if it will cost you a little more money, look for direct flights to your destination as a major purchasing factor when booking your tickets.  The chances for holiday misadventure are high, so if your flight cancels, the airport shuts down, you miss your connection, your flight is overbooked or your luggage disappears, don’t freak out.  How you react will set the tone for your whole holiday.  Think about and plan for the problems you may encounter ahead of time so you are not overwhelmed if they occur.

If possible plan to ship your presents to your destination.  You will more than likely be paying of 25 to 50 dollars to bring along that extra bag filled with your goodies to share with your loved ones.  So why not eliminate the possibility of lost, delayed or damaged gifts and send it ahead?   If you do pack gifts, avoid wrapping until you get to your destination.  During security checks of your luggage airport staff may need to open those presents a bit early!  Pack an empty bag, use expandable luggage or plan to ship all those presents you receive to your home.

Check into your flight early.  You can check in exactly 24 hours prior to your departure online.  Make a plan to be near a computer the day before your travel at the time of your departure.  This way you will have a better chance of changing seats is necessary or purchasing upgrades if they are available.  Plan to pay for your luggage and print boarding passes prior to arrival at the airport.  This will allow you to check baggage curbside at many airports and avoid the long lines at the ticket counter to check in.

Plan for your security check.  With the enhanced security procedures in place this portion of air travel has certainly received a great deal of press recently. Dress in comfortable clothing and avoid things you will have to remove to pass through security.  This is a good time to not wear your metal studded jeans!  Pick shoes that are easy to slip off, avoid belts, watches and excessive jewelry.  Empty your pockets at home!  Secure your wallet, cell phone and other electronics in your carry on bag. Remember if you are traveling with a laptop computer or portable DVD player for the kids, it will need to be removed and placed in a separate bin to go through the scanner, so put it on top or an easily accessible pocket of your bag.

Plan to make your flight time fun!  Fill your portable music player with holiday tunes or bring along your favorite holiday movie to watch during the flight. Make the flight time a fun family adventure, keep children busy with games and family holiday stories. The most important aspect of holiday travel is to bring along your holiday cheer.  Remember that someone on the other side of your flight is anxious and happy that you are able to spend special time with them.  All the dedicated airport and airline staff are working to make your travels as easy as possible, so don’t forget to smile and wish them happy holidays.  If you see traveling service members don’t be shy to reach out and shake their hand and tell them thank you for their service.

All of the staff at Air Ambulance Network wishes you safe and stress free travels during this holiday season.

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