Over the last fifteen or twenty years I have made hundreds of long haul air journeys. This can be somewhat stressful; much can happen on such journeys to cause an increase in blood pressure. Stress free business travel, indeed, stress free air travel at any time, even for the lucky person whose company flies them in Business class, may be a Shangri-La that we may only approach and look upon from a distance, but, here are my top tips for managing the hassle of long haul air journeys.
1. Travel as light as possible, and if at all practical, take hand luggage only.
The risk of loss, damage or theft of your luggage is reduced, you will be able to leave the airport much more quickly, and the risk of hassle from customs officials is greatly reduced. It could save you half an hour inbound at Heathrow. It’s worth the effort if you can go without a checked bag. In some airports it can even speed up check-in.
If you can’t avoid checked luggage, always carry a bag into the cabin with you, containing at the very least, spare underwear, a clean shirt and toiletries - you will be glad of them if you do lose your luggage. Your luggage may be gone, and you may be drowning your sorrows at the bar, but at least you’ll be wearing clean underwear.
A certain level of temporary luggage loss is inevitable, the more so if you change flights during your journey, and you should assume that it could happen - always put valuable items and essential stuff in your day bag. Avoid locking your checked luggage. Today this is unwise, particularly entering the United States, where officials may take exception to locked bags for security reasons. Also, ensure that nothing of any real value is placed in your checked luggage. Cameras, laptops, vital documents – keep them on your person.
Lastly - when your baggage is checked in, surreptitiously ensure the luggage labels attached to it by the ground crew are the correct ones for your final destination.
2. Never cut it fine. Leave plenty of time.
I have something I call the 20/40 rule. If a twenty minute delay somewhere means I’ll have to rush in the airport, I’m probably leaving too late. If a delay of forty minutes means I’m at risk of missing my flight, I’m certainly leaving it too late. Better to spend time in the airport catching up with emails over coffee, than risk missing your flight. Another important consideration is the time of day and the time of year. Traveling late in December will always be potentially fraught and busy. Likewise around Easter and in July and August. You might want to leave more time for a midday flight out of Heathrow than for a flight at 10p.m, and more time at Christmas than say midweek in October.
If leaving early in the morning (i.e. before you would normally wake up), have everything packed the evening before, ready to go. Never leave packing until the morning of departure, and, if you need a cab, order it in advance. If you’re using your own car, leave enough time for bus transfers from the car park to the terminal. Put your passport in the same place as you put your wallet and treat it with the same respect.
Go through to the “airside” as soon as possible – get the full baggage check and search behind you as soon as you can. You never know how long it might take. Work backwards from the flight departure time to find out when you need to be airside – bearing in mind that a long-haul flight may “close” half an hour before it actually takes off.
3. Try to avoid taking two aircraft when you can go by another route in just one.
A lot of people will go to their local airport, then fly into a hub like Heathrow, Gatwick or Schiphol at Amsterdam, and only then take their long haul flight onwards. My advice would be, can you go straight to your final destination in one flight? If you can, then it’s worth doing so; as far as possible try to avoid taking three flights when two will do, not going on two, when one will make do. The journey you make will be quicker if you follow this advice, there will be a much reduced chance of losing your luggage, you will have to stand in a lot fewer queues and go through fewer checkpoints too.
4. Stay secure
There are thieves and rascals everywhere. Some of them may have epaulettes and peaked caps. Keep your passport, papers and boarding passes on your person at all times and not in your hand luggage – but try not to leave them sticking out of an open and inviting top pocket and then fall asleep. If you lose your passport in some countries, you could be in very serious trouble.
If you’re going to carry large amounts of cash (thousands of dollars or more) split it up around your person - some in your shoe, a little in your wallet, a little in a favourite book. If you carry a “bum bag”, then thread it through a couple of belt buckles - thieves working African airports have been known to relieve European travelers of these bags by slicing through the strap with a razor.
Stay alert – I know of a case where a camera was stolen from a seat on a flight from Sub-Saharan Africa, whilst the owner was stood up fetching something else from the overhead locker. Don’t let your stuff disappear into the X-ray machine until you’re about to go through the scanner yourself, and keep your eyes on the people at the far end, where the scanned luggage comes out.
Finally, never agree under any circumstances to look after the luggage of a stranger no matter how plausible or worthy they seem – apparently harassed single mothers with ill-fed looking babies in their arms, for example. If your bags are of a popular sort ensure they are yours and do not belong to somebody else.
5. Be polite; remain anonymous
Take a tip from those who have served in the armed forces as enlisted men – “stay at the back and avoid eye contact”. Never be flippant if you are asked questions or given any trouble at checkpoints. Mentioning that your overfull bag “might explode” when you open it, or that your shoes might be “toxic” can – will - have unfortunate results. Never raise your voice to an official, keep control of your temper, and never insult or patronize officials or their country, even unintentionally. Avoid causing “loss of face” for public employees, policemen, military personnel or uniformed officials: avoid putting them in any kind in a position where they might “lose face” or look foolish in public. Never correct them or draw attention to their errors if it all avoidable.
Overall, in trying to pass immigration checkpoints, customs desks, barriers of people intent on examining your shoes and your belt buckle, even armed soldiers, remember the three C's - be calm, courteous and confident at all times. Do not appear frightened. Do not succumb to giving away money. Do not admit to having any money. We finish where we began - avoid unnecessary eye contact with officials, and try to avoid being the first or last person in the queue or the first or last person through a checkpoint – in all ways avoid drawing attention to yourself.
6. Lastly be prepared
If it’s appropriate and possible, have the currency of your destination country on your person before you arrive there. Have all appropriate information and numbers stored in your phone. Carry a small bottle of water with you. Carry a tie and a white short-sleeved cotton shirt. It doesn’t weigh much and it is always impressive to be able to appear smartly dressed in a matter of minutes.
To recap then, there are simple keys to reducing the difficulties and hassle of journeying by air:
• Travel light
• Leave plenty of time
• Avoid changing planes too often.
• Stay secure and remain alert.
• Keep your temper; remain courteous; be patient.
• Avoid drawing attention to yourself
• Prepare yourself for any eventuality.
Follow these rules and you’ll be some of the way to coping with whatever twenty-first century aviation can throw at you.
1. Travel as light as possible, and if at all practical, take hand luggage only.
The risk of loss, damage or theft of your luggage is reduced, you will be able to leave the airport much more quickly, and the risk of hassle from customs officials is greatly reduced. It could save you half an hour inbound at Heathrow. It’s worth the effort if you can go without a checked bag. In some airports it can even speed up check-in.
If you can’t avoid checked luggage, always carry a bag into the cabin with you, containing at the very least, spare underwear, a clean shirt and toiletries - you will be glad of them if you do lose your luggage. Your luggage may be gone, and you may be drowning your sorrows at the bar, but at least you’ll be wearing clean underwear.
A certain level of temporary luggage loss is inevitable, the more so if you change flights during your journey, and you should assume that it could happen - always put valuable items and essential stuff in your day bag. Avoid locking your checked luggage. Today this is unwise, particularly entering the United States, where officials may take exception to locked bags for security reasons. Also, ensure that nothing of any real value is placed in your checked luggage. Cameras, laptops, vital documents – keep them on your person.
Lastly - when your baggage is checked in, surreptitiously ensure the luggage labels attached to it by the ground crew are the correct ones for your final destination.
2. Never cut it fine. Leave plenty of time.
I have something I call the 20/40 rule. If a twenty minute delay somewhere means I’ll have to rush in the airport, I’m probably leaving too late. If a delay of forty minutes means I’m at risk of missing my flight, I’m certainly leaving it too late. Better to spend time in the airport catching up with emails over coffee, than risk missing your flight. Another important consideration is the time of day and the time of year. Traveling late in December will always be potentially fraught and busy. Likewise around Easter and in July and August. You might want to leave more time for a midday flight out of Heathrow than for a flight at 10p.m, and more time at Christmas than say midweek in October.
If leaving early in the morning (i.e. before you would normally wake up), have everything packed the evening before, ready to go. Never leave packing until the morning of departure, and, if you need a cab, order it in advance. If you’re using your own car, leave enough time for bus transfers from the car park to the terminal. Put your passport in the same place as you put your wallet and treat it with the same respect.
Go through to the “airside” as soon as possible – get the full baggage check and search behind you as soon as you can. You never know how long it might take. Work backwards from the flight departure time to find out when you need to be airside – bearing in mind that a long-haul flight may “close” half an hour before it actually takes off.
3. Try to avoid taking two aircraft when you can go by another route in just one.
A lot of people will go to their local airport, then fly into a hub like Heathrow, Gatwick or Schiphol at Amsterdam, and only then take their long haul flight onwards. My advice would be, can you go straight to your final destination in one flight? If you can, then it’s worth doing so; as far as possible try to avoid taking three flights when two will do, not going on two, when one will make do. The journey you make will be quicker if you follow this advice, there will be a much reduced chance of losing your luggage, you will have to stand in a lot fewer queues and go through fewer checkpoints too.
4. Stay secure
There are thieves and rascals everywhere. Some of them may have epaulettes and peaked caps. Keep your passport, papers and boarding passes on your person at all times and not in your hand luggage – but try not to leave them sticking out of an open and inviting top pocket and then fall asleep. If you lose your passport in some countries, you could be in very serious trouble.
If you’re going to carry large amounts of cash (thousands of dollars or more) split it up around your person - some in your shoe, a little in your wallet, a little in a favourite book. If you carry a “bum bag”, then thread it through a couple of belt buckles - thieves working African airports have been known to relieve European travelers of these bags by slicing through the strap with a razor.
Stay alert – I know of a case where a camera was stolen from a seat on a flight from Sub-Saharan Africa, whilst the owner was stood up fetching something else from the overhead locker. Don’t let your stuff disappear into the X-ray machine until you’re about to go through the scanner yourself, and keep your eyes on the people at the far end, where the scanned luggage comes out.
Finally, never agree under any circumstances to look after the luggage of a stranger no matter how plausible or worthy they seem – apparently harassed single mothers with ill-fed looking babies in their arms, for example. If your bags are of a popular sort ensure they are yours and do not belong to somebody else.
5. Be polite; remain anonymous
Take a tip from those who have served in the armed forces as enlisted men – “stay at the back and avoid eye contact”. Never be flippant if you are asked questions or given any trouble at checkpoints. Mentioning that your overfull bag “might explode” when you open it, or that your shoes might be “toxic” can – will - have unfortunate results. Never raise your voice to an official, keep control of your temper, and never insult or patronize officials or their country, even unintentionally. Avoid causing “loss of face” for public employees, policemen, military personnel or uniformed officials: avoid putting them in any kind in a position where they might “lose face” or look foolish in public. Never correct them or draw attention to their errors if it all avoidable.
Overall, in trying to pass immigration checkpoints, customs desks, barriers of people intent on examining your shoes and your belt buckle, even armed soldiers, remember the three C's - be calm, courteous and confident at all times. Do not appear frightened. Do not succumb to giving away money. Do not admit to having any money. We finish where we began - avoid unnecessary eye contact with officials, and try to avoid being the first or last person in the queue or the first or last person through a checkpoint – in all ways avoid drawing attention to yourself.
6. Lastly be prepared
If it’s appropriate and possible, have the currency of your destination country on your person before you arrive there. Have all appropriate information and numbers stored in your phone. Carry a small bottle of water with you. Carry a tie and a white short-sleeved cotton shirt. It doesn’t weigh much and it is always impressive to be able to appear smartly dressed in a matter of minutes.
To recap then, there are simple keys to reducing the difficulties and hassle of journeying by air:
• Travel light
• Leave plenty of time
• Avoid changing planes too often.
• Stay secure and remain alert.
• Keep your temper; remain courteous; be patient.
• Avoid drawing attention to yourself
• Prepare yourself for any eventuality.
Follow these rules and you’ll be some of the way to coping with whatever twenty-first century aviation can throw at you.
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