Bits on Air Travel

Over the years I have had the privilege of travelling by multiple airlines through a multitude of countries and cities. I’ve travelled via code share flight, tights connections, international to a domestic airline and what not. Even then my heart skips a beat if my first flight is late or the baggage doesn’t come till the end. We check and re-check flight schedules all the time. We reach the airport 2-3 hours early. We do everything to make our air travel as comfortable as possible. Here are a few things we have learnt through our journey which could hopefully come in use for some:

Booking tickets

The first thing you do before booking your ticket is go to kayak.com or skyscanner.com. These sites tell you the cheapest and most convenient flights. There are times these sites don’t show you budget airlines. You need to know these for your sector to find out the prices.

After you’ve narrowed down to 2-3 options, go to the official site and book. Even though we have changed our booking just a couple of times, I feel it is best to buy from the official site than a third party portal. You would get faster changes and refunds.

As for the timing the price right, earlier is not always better, but if you're travelling during high tourist season, it will definitely work.

Codeshare flights

A lot of airlines sell their ticket together under an umbrella name (like Star Alliance). Sometimes a flight like Sri Lankan Airlines would be operated by Mihin Lanka, or an Iberia airline would be operated by Air Nostrum. 

First, if you have preference for one airline over another, this could be a cause of concern. Second, the operating airline site might give you a cheaper rate. And third, if you are flying with one airline, say Etihad, and it is connecting you with Turkish Airline, it is possible you need a new boarding pass at Abu Dhabi airport. In such a scenario you need to make sure you have more connecting time than usual because you have an additional work to do.

Connections

As a rule, keep at least 2.5 to 3 hours of layover time. Before booking, google how busy the airport is. There are some airports like London Heathrow and Dubai which have multiple terminals. Getting from one terminal to another and undergoing security check might need more than an hour. You need to keep allowance for delayed first flight. Yes, these are basics of travel but sometimes we overlook the small things and end up panicking.

Also, if your first flight is delayed, the second airline is mostly informed and they would wait for you unless the delay is unusually long. Request people in the security queue and rush to your aircraft. Any washroom duties can wait till you reach your boarding gate!

However, if your flight is delayed and you have taken a separate flight with a different PNR, no one will wait for you. In this case, you can only hope you get a refund and there is a cheap seat for you in the soonest possible flight.

International to Domestic connections

Suppose you are flying from London to San Francisco via Dallas (American Airlines) or Bahrain to Goa via Mumbai (Jet Airways), you might need to collect baggage and pass immigration before taking your domestic flight. You would have your boarding pass but you’ll need to get through customs before taking the internal flight. The good news is that you have a boarding pass and the flight knows you are coming. The bad news is that you have to be smart to keep enough time between the two connections because immigration may sometimes take more than an hour.

Google Alerts

Our smartphones are smart for a reason. Google scans through your itinerary and knows you are flying out. It scans through flight timings and alerts you if your flight is delayed. That happens much before an SMS or Email alert from the airline itself. This is particularly helpful in connections. Use these services.

Credit Card and free lounges

Airports are messy and boring. This is where airport lounges give you luxury. Check which card gives you free access to multiple lounges across the world. If they are free cards, might as well use the privileges!

In-flight entertainment

I am an Android fan for a reason. My phone has movies, music, TV series, books and what not. I can’t fly without these. This way I am not bothered by how long my journey is and whether there are any display screens in the flight. I watch multiple things on the flight and my time passes real fast.

Carry a miniature perfume

Oh well, I travel a sector which has people from all classes. While most people are very well-behaved and clean, there are some who seem to have unwashed clothes and socks. I have a stock of tiny bottles of perfume that I carry in my purse and rub a few drops on my wrist in case of an emergency. Trust me, it is a life saver!

There are loads of other tips, but lets keep them for another day. Air travel is the hardest part of any journey and I really admire the air hostesses who try to keep it all together. Be kind to them, be kind to one another and keep the flight toilet clean!