Notes from a Weary Warrior

Between business travel and leisure trips I find myself on a plane at least once a month if not more so I'm always on the lookout for ways to make traveling easier and more comfortable without having to carry a lot of extra accoutrements. The recent Times Topic in The New York Times (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/a/air_travel/index.html) touches on how far the current state of air travel has fallen from the bygone days when people actually dressed up to board a plane. I used to cringe at the sight of frumpy sweat-suit wearing pillow carriers boarding a three-hour domestic flight looking as if they were on the all night red-eye but now that most airlines have done away with pillows and the quality of flights is growing more and more akin to that of a bus trip, who can blame them for wanting to provide a modicum of comfort? Here are a few of my favorite hard-won tips for making the dreary world of present-day air travel more tolerable:

- Never check your bags. Though obviously I'm not the only one who has passed on this advice, I am hesitant to repeat it for fear that even more people will carry on luggage and make it even harder to fit my regulation size rollerboard suitcase in the ever-shrinking overhead compartments, but this really is a must-do. I know some of you may be reticent to deal with the 3.0 ounce containers and plastic Ziploc bag but trust me, it’s less hassle than losing your luggage, even if the loss is only temporary.

- As tempting as it may be to wear a pajama-like outfit on a plane, I recommend dressing smart-casual or business casual on flights for one simple reason: it tends to be much easier to resolve issues with ticketing agents if you look like you are on a business trip.

- I pack a pair of clean socks in the outer pocket of my carry-on because I like something a little more durable than my thin trouser socks to come between my bare feet and the grungy floor of the security aisle.

- Business card-sized bags of pretzels or peanuts (if your airline even still provides gratis snacks) are neither savory nor satisfying so I bring my own snack or travel with smaller bills so I can buy something to eat on board. It can be difficult to purchase onboard food via credit card and flight attendants don’t always have change.

- A light sweater or wrap and ear plugs, for obvious reasons.

- Make ‘em throw in the whole can for God’s sake. The cups are much smaller than they used to be (are you kidding me with that graduated bottom??) and you don’t automatically get the whole beverage can but in-flight beverage service has not gone away. Typically flight attendants do not leave you with the rest of the can once they’ve poured your drink but if you ask for it they will.

- I have last minute flight or gate changes texted to my cell phone via a free service provided by airlines. These can be especially helpful when running late--you don't even have to stop and stare at the monitors!

- There are a few airlines giving out complementary headphones but most are now requiring payment for the cheap disposable headphones they hand out for in-flight entertainment. For environmental reasons and for quality reasons, I always make sure I bring my own headphones.

Sarah