Things you need to know Before Travelling by Air

Air Travel can be a real hassle if you don’t plan it right from the beginning. My personal experiences tell me if you are not in any kind of rush, better order the ticket at least 3 months prior to the travel date. Afterwards, you may relax until the day of departure.

Many people purchase e-ticket on-line, expedia.com, priceline.com, cheapflights.com just to name a few. Or directly go to the airline’s website, such as continental.com. For me, finding a trustworthy travel agency is essential. A good travel agent helps you save hundreds dollars. Travel agency normally orders a large amount of tickets from the airline, therefore, is able to get a better discount rate and pass it down to the customer. The price may vary among agencies. The best thing to do is to shop around. Once you find the lucky winner, keep the agency’s info on file. Chances are the next time you want to fly that agency may still be your best bet.

Nowadays, many travel agencies prefer cash (money order or bank check) over credit card and they are willing to cut the price by about a hundred dollars. The reason being too many bad credits floating around, the agencies don’t mind a small sacrifice as long as the cash flow stays positive. And for us, the travelers, it’s another way to save some hard earned dollars.

With the high gasoline price, airlines are changing policies more frequent these days. A years ago (2010), an average international traveler had the advantage of check-in 2 Luggage under 50 lbs. for free. This year, the 2^nd luggage may cost you $35-70 depend on the destination. Also beware the things you put in the Carry-on. A friend of mine had her Olay cream and Hazelnut spread taken away by the Airport Security. Any kind of liquid, cream, bottles and canned food/snacks should be put into the baggage. The requirement for Carry-On is strict since everyone (government/airline) wants a piece of your money. To avoid any unnecessary aggravation better study the airline’s policies carefully.

1. Don’t eat too much. Overeating may cause your heart to work extra hard, on the other hand, eat too little or nothing may cause your blood sugar level to drop, dizziness, vomiting are some of the possible symptoms, which make the plane sickness worse.
2. Don’t eat food that is high in fat and protein for they are not easy to digest. Normally, they need 4-5 hours to pass through your system, and it takes even longer in the high air. Eat something light before you travel, not a big course of meal that may not agree with you later on.
3. Don’t consume things that can generate lots of gas in your stomach, such as beer, soft drink, radish etc. The pressure in the high air is 2-4 times greater than on the land.

Last but not the least – arrive at the airport 3 hours before the takeoff time. You never know what will happen the last minute. Prepare yourself and enjoy the trip.