Next time you travel by air, try using these time-saving techniques Consumer Watch
So we’ve decided to take the risk and fly to that much-needed vacation spot — you know, the one where the four walls at which you’ve been staring for months transforms into blue skies, beautiful beaches, tropical drinks and exotic foods. Let’s take a looksee at some time-saving techniques from Good Housekeeping and yours truly to make your trip even more enjoyable.
› Goodbye, icky shoes. When packing, place your shoes in a pair of socks to protect clothing. These same socks or, perhaps, the addition of another pair should last the duration of your trip. Yuck, you say; what about the trip home with dirty socks amongst clean or reasonably so attire? I’ve not yet stayed in a condo, hotel or the like that doesn’t offer free shower caps. Pack those dirty-sole shoes in the caps to keep them from touching anything else in the suitcase. Obviously, a plastic bag does the trick, too; after all, you may as well find some good use for those bags that hold vacay purchase goodies.
› Keep toiletry bags unscathed. For beard and leg razors, use a binder clip to cover the blade. Not only does this ploy keep the bag(s) in better shape but, also, better maintains the blade quality.
› Take a pic of your luggage. Many a time my suitcase hasn’t arrived when I did. Frankly, in a frazzled state, I’ve found it difficult to describe it to an agent; however, if he or she can see a visual, the airline should find it much more easily. Along this same line, also a good idea is to snap a photo of the top layer inside your luggage. Be sure, though, to have a highly descriptive
article right on top, such as a bright red hat with yellow trim; again, this extra image can do the trick when listing inside items at the airline service desk.
› Use (color-coded) packing cubes, available from many sources, including Amazon (isn’t everything?). Not only is everything in its place per suitcase, but when popping these into drawers upon arrival (or even keeping in your luggage), you’ve already unpacked.
› Visit seatguru.com. Enter your flight info for this free service to help out with prime seating. Not only does the site show an annotated map of the plane but also lists “secret” information, such as which seats are right next to the lavatory or which window-side seats have no windows.
Speaking of seating, Sky-rocking baggage fees have pushed more airline customers to opt out of checking their suitcases and, instead, crowd the overhead compartment of planes with carry-on luggage. To have a better shot at your luggage making it on the plane and not in the gate-check pile, choose a window seat — but probably not windowless — in the back of the plane where you’re more likely to find a spot in the overhead bin.
For parents with infants and small kids, divvy up before boarding a plane. One parent can take an older child, stroller, seat, and carry-ons first. Certainly, the stroller can be left on the jetway to be picked up there again upon arrival. Some advisors suggest the other parent hang on to the baby/toddler and diaper bag but wait to proceed until everyone else is settled. This way, disruptions and stress to everyone — including kiddos — will be at minimum, leading to a much more pleasant flight for all.