How to make travel a little easier this holiday season
Recent history indicates that this holiday travel season will be challenging, as evidenced by chaos seen over this year’s holiday and summer weekends.
More than 2,800 Spirit Airlines flights were canceled this summer, and over separate October weekends, American Airlines canceled hundreds of flights while Southwest canceled more than 1,800. All those events were attributed in part to staffing shortages.
While you might feel understandably surly over a situation that causes you to miss a trip or forces you to pay for a last-minute hotel, sour attitudes probably won’t fix things.
Here are five tips to help you be a five-star traveler this holiday season.
Make others’ work more efficient
You’ve heard the incessant announcements at the boarding gate, pleading with people to check their roller bags on full flights.
The earlier you check your bag, the earlier it’s loaded. Many airline credit cards offer free checked bags, and it’s also a perk often offered to airline elite status members. So you might want to think about checking your bag at the counter before you even get through security. Or, if you know you’ll be last to board anyway, gate-check it early.
When it comes to cleaning your hotel room, consider if you really need it — or if you can make your own bed. If you use services like housekeeping, tip generously.
The leisure and hospitality industry lost 8.2 million jobs in March and April 2020 — an employment decline of 49 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While travel-related jobs are returning (the air transportation sector added 9,200 jobs in October and the accommodations sector added 23,200 jobs), be cognizant that employees may be new, and companies may still be short-staffed.
Use tech to speed things up
Use mobile check-in to display your airline boarding pass on your phone, no printing necessary. You can also expedite your security wait time with apps like Clear, which use biometric data and allow you to skip to the front of the line. Some hotels can send virtual keys via mobile check-in, so you can skip the front desk altogether.
Respect COVID safety policies
A June letter to Attorney
General Merrick Garland from 10 major pilot and flight attendant unions cited a “substantial increase in and growing escalation of passengers’ unruly and disruptive behavior onboard aircraft, particularly toward crewmembers.”
About 73 percent of 2021’s unruly passenger reports have been mask-related, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Even if you disagree with policies, respect the employees who have to follow them. And understand that COVID-19 safety rules vary by location.
One city might be tougher than another, so don’t be surprised if your road trip lunch break is mask-free but you’re required to don masks during dinner.
Be considerate of others
Given the rate of unruly passenger reports, it’s perhaps no coincidence that some airlines have suspended in-flight alcoholic beverage service.
Even if you’re having a tipple in the terminal before takeoff, drink and act appropriately.
Anywhere you go, have respect for others’ personal space — especially during a pandemic — and remember that a little kindness goes a long way in the service industry.
Go ahead and complain (to the right person)
It’s OK to complain when things are truly bad. Most travel companies offer online customer service forms, and many use social media to field complaints. Just remember that the customer service employee may not have the power to immediately fix the situation.