Rise and shine, it’s 4 a.m. I’m taking a business trip the day after a long holiday weekend, and the anxiety has already set in. In order to eliminate any potential headache on the first part of my journey at the world’s busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, I applied national travel expert and author Karen Kahn’s 12 organization tips, so should you.
What to Bring With You:
Your choice of gear can make all the difference in having a relaxing getaway in the sky.
1) Carry a comfortable neck pillow to use as either a low back or neck support. Label it with your name and cell phone number, just in case you mislay it.
2) Carry soft foam earplugs to eliminate the distraction of noisy seatmates.
3) When flying, wear slip-on shoes (for easy security removal) that have room for your feet to swell in-flight.
4) Carry an empty water bottle, which you can fill inside of security and save the cost of buying expensive airport bottled water.
5) Take snacks (dried fruit, protein bars, jerky) in individual plastic bags. Any excess should be carried in the original unopened packaging if travelling to a foreign country where sealed packages for personal use are usually allowed.
6) Take reading material you can discard along the way to lighten your load. Magazines and must-read paperwork that you do not have to return home are good candidates for travel reading.
Security:
Don’t be afraid of the security line — plan ahead!
7) Plan your travel togs to exclude any large metal buckles, bracelets, necklaces or pins to keep metal detector gymnastics to a minimum
8) Place your bags on the X-ray conveyor belt in the order you want to reattach (stack) them. That’s suitcase first, then briefcase, then computer inside the security bin, then shoes and jacket/purse in the last bin.
Don’t Forget:
Before you leave your house, know where all of your important paperwork is. Stay organized and you will minimize your worries.
9) When you make your reservation; keep a list of alternative flights, just in case your flight is late or is cancelled.
10) When flying internationally or when you have more than one connecting flight, be sure you have on-going boarding passes for the second leg of your journey. Know your connecting gate and recheck the monitors at your intermediate stop to be sure the gate has not changed.
11) Always check for your passport, wallet, tickets, purse, and identification before you move from any long-seated location (boarding area, airplane, seat, car, bus, etc.).
Once You’re in the Air:
12) After takeoff, remove your carry-on bag from under the seat in front of you and place it behind your legs. Now you can stretch out and relax.
Sweet dreams. Looking forward to a smooth landing at LaGuardia and Fela! on Broadway. –yvette caslin
