Air Trip Reminders – Get To Your Plane On Time
It shouldn’t be a shocking statement to say that arriving on time is important when traveling. So why do we need to discuss this? Because so many people don’t! If you want to make sure you are never stressed out by being late, there are some things you should do.
One of the biggest problems is many people schedule their flight with just enough time to arrive at their destination on time. This rarely works out in the end. Scheduling an early flight that gets you there ahead of time is the stress-free alternative.
Why? Having that time to kill on the other end is always more enjoyable than stressing because you are going to be late when there is an unexpected delay.
Have you ever sat through a long dealy in the airport? With fewer flights, it’ll be harder to get on the next plane out if this happens to you. Most people know to expect problems when it is winter with all the snow and ice, but many forget about the vicious thunderstorms that can cause problems in the summer. They delay flights every summer. You can check on-time performance records of flights you’re considering, but this won’t help with weather problems.
When you venture out of your home country, remember you will have to go through custom lines and there may delays while transferring in airports or waiting out intense weather, such as monsoons. A Plumeria Flower cost me several hours last year when it was scrutinized by customs. I was not prepared for that time waster.
One general rule of thumb for avoiding delays is to select the first flight of the day. Flights later in the day can get knocked back like dominos if one earlier flight has a delay.
When possible, select the city with the sunniest weather to schedule transfers. You wont’ be able to avoid major hubs in many cases, but if you can move around some airports known for delays, do so. Hubs always have more delays than other airports. This is just how hubs are naturally.
Some other reasons for delays include weather (think Chicago-ORD) or alignment of runways (think San Francisco-SFO).
Prepare for reality… This gets back to the “get there early” idea. It is a good idea to go a day or more in advance. If you need to catch a connection, give yourself a two hour layover in between. Those layovers are no fun, but missing a connection because the first flight was delayed is even less fun. Now what?
When you are stuck with a tight connection, do not leave home without knowing your secondary plan if something goes wrong. Booking a new connection is always easier if you know your options.
Make sure to start your trip off right by getting the airport on time at the beginning of your trip. Don’t make this basic mistake. On my last vacation, an All Inclusive Couples Resorts Hawaii trip, I made this travel blunder. In most cases, you won’t be able to check in for a flight within thirty minutes of departure time. Your plans will be ruined if you run in twenty minutes to departure and learn you cannot check your bags. Even if you have thirty or forty minutes to spare, you could get caught in security and still not make it. Forget fast security checks; just assume you are going to hit delays there.
So to get there on time, get to the airport early… for an early morning flight… Avoid tight connections, and get there a day ahead. You can get over your jet lag, get a good night’s sleep, and be ready for the start of your trip.
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