Flight attendant reveals 6 top tips for an easy fight
Spending anywhere from three to 22 hours in a small aerodynamic cube and putting your life in someone else hands is no doubt going to be stressful. Even for those who genuinely enjoy the romance of flying, there are still plenty of nuisances that can easily be avoided with a little inside information.
Here are six tips from not only a seasoned flyer, but a flight attendant.
1. Board the aircraft last
Not only does this mean you spend less time waiting for take-off in the stuffy cabin, it also means that you are more likely to score a free seat next to you. Anyone who has requested this in the past knows that flight attendants need to wait until all passengers have boarded to move people around, so if you are the last passenger on, you can assume any seats are yours for the taking. (Still best to ask though!)
2. Don’t sit near the bulkhead
While there’s no escaping (or blaming) the shrill of an upset child, you can lower your odds of sitting directly next to a screaing bub by choosing a seat that’s located far from the partitions on board. This is because the “bulkhead” seats are the only places where a baby’s bassinet can be secured.
3. Sit near the back
The closer to the snacks, water and general flight attendant area you are, the more likely you are to get their attention. Why? Staff like to avoid responding to call bells from the front of the plane because answering one means potentially flaunting whatever item the passenger has requested to everyone else along the way. This is problematic as there aren’t enough spare pillows, blankets and phone charges to go around to everyone.
4. Avoid the window seat
Even if you’re a star gazer, surely you’ve notice that the windows seat can be quite cold. To prevent being chilly, uncomfortable, and desperately purchasing a blanket from the airline that you’ll never use again, don’t select a seat that’ll ake you colder for the entire flight.
5. Pack your carry on carefully
Avoid wasting money on last-minute items from the airport that have shamelessly inflated prices. Buy your sleep mask at a dollar store, bring your phone charger from home, carry a scarf so you can avoid purchasing an overpriced blanket, and pack yourself your own snack.
6. Join the frequent flyer program
This will increase your chances of getting an upgrade. When a flight is booked in economy, but still has seats available in business class, most major airlines will look to their passenger information list for solo travellers. The upgrades go to those who are enrolled in their frequent flyer program.
This means that even passengers who don’t have many points can still be eligible, as long as they’ve put their name in the hat.
Do you have any insider tips for air travel? Let us know in the comments below.
Written by Annie Kingston. This article originally appeared on Oyster.com, an expert hotel review website that comprehensively visits, photographs, reviews and rates hotels around the world.
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