It's time to start planning for spring break, graduation and busy summer vacations. I came across this blog on tips and ways to make flying less stressful with the new regulations and longer lines at the airports. Making a list and being organized will make a difference when the big day arrives and you are at the airport. Happy travels from Seattle/Bellevue Jesse
"10 Ways People Mess up at the Airport/10 Mistakes people make at the airport"
The following are 10 mistakes people make at the airport time and time again that they needn’t make. Will you be among them? Or, will you read through these 10 suggestions and avoid them.
1) Not giving yourself enough time
2) Not being TSA ready – Be prepared to go through security. Having too great a quantity of liquids, shoes need to be easy to get on and off, place wallet, lose change, etc. in your carry-on bag.
3) Best tip! Get TSA pre-Check! PreCheck makes your life so much easier! It’s faster. It has much shorter lines than the regular lines (typically). You aren’t required to remove your shoes, laptop and liquids. This makes the lines move much quicker. This means that you reduce the likelihood of leaving something behind as you scramble to get yourself back together again. You will need to fill out their application. There is also an $85 non-refundable fee. Last step is to schedule an appointment to take there in person interview. This can be done at one of the more than 380 enrollment centers. Kind of a drag, I know. But, you’ll thank yourself for the next five years, The Pre-Check really is worth it’s price in saved time and aggravation.
4) Second best, download your airline/airport app! Using your carrier’s app is important not just at the airport, but before you get there, too. Most carriers have apps you can download on your smartphone that will alert you if your flight is delayed or canceled, even before you leave for the airport. Once there, the information on the app is often more up-to-date than the arrival/departure screens in the terminal. More and more airports have developed apps that help travelers navigate the terminals with maps, lists of services, etc. One particularly useful app that we like is FlightSpeak, which covers many many airports and, gives you so much information about what’s going on there! Find it download it, Check it out.
5) Going hand in glove with airline apps is checking in online ahead of time. Have your ticket sent directly to your phone (via text or email link), and if you don’t have any luggage to check, you can skip the counter and head straight to the security line. Another benefit is being able to choose your seat. This can all be done 24 hours before your flight.
6) Not paying attention to gates – They change! I mentioned this earlier in the app section. If you don’t have a smartphone, pay attention to the reader boards.
7) Sending personal information over the airport Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi networks aren’t secure, so whatever you do, don’t type in personal information — passwords, IDs, etc. — or you could return from your trip only to find your Facebook has been hacked and your bank account drained.
8) Play nice. Don’t be rude. it almost never pays to be angry, indignant or whiny, Patience and a smile go a long way when it comes to increasingly harried gate and flight attendants
9) Planning a too-tight connection. This is a hard one to judge. We have had some really close calls. Unless you are fortunate enough to have your connections at gates right next to each other, give yourself plenty of time. Even at smaller airports we try to give ourselves at least 90 minutes just to be safe. I’d much rather have to hang around for a bit than miss the flight and deal with that hassle.
10) Pack snacks. If you’re stuck in a long security line and run out of time to buy food in the departure lounge, or if your plane doesn’t sell anything you actually want to eat, you’re covered.
