Travel ease in 21st Century

April 03,2017

Traveling on an airline has certainly changed over the years. There are many factors that contribute to a good flight. Flying can be fun for some and stressful for others. So whether you are young or old your attire and attitude and can affect that long flight.

So much has been in the news recently with behavior from unruly passengers and frankly all passengers suffer as a result. Even what people wear on an airplane has caused passengers to get booted off the plane. Gone are the days where people dress for a flight. On the flip side wearing pj bottoms, slippers and beach attire is probably going to cause some attention. Yes, you want to be comfortable, but with the airliner being a breeding ground for germs you want to make sure your feet and legs are covered up! Getting from point a to point b is sometimes not as simple as it used to be in years past. So many factors including delays, plane problems, regulations, passenger issues and overcrowded flights have left passengers weary, tired and irritated. How can our attire and attitude help with a long flight? Being positive, comfortable and avoiding some of the no, no’s for airline travel can certainly affect a long flight. Those bad habits on a plane that we have all seen shared on social media include being rude, having too much to drink, not wearing shoes or socks and grooming right at your seat in front of other passengers!  Here are some points to remember:

• Yes, wear comfortable clothing and shoes but due to germs and bacteria stay covered. So many times you see people barefoot on the plane! What if they have a cut on their foot and bacteria from the seat and isle can seep in. Yuck! Plus, no one wants to be that next barefoot photo on social media (or that passenger clipping their toenails) If you must take off your shoes bring an extra pair of slipper socks and change back into your comfortable shoes before you exit the plane. Slip on sneakers are the best to wear while traveling as they are easy on and off. Save your grooming and make-up application for the bathroom or when you arrive at your destination.
• Dress appropriately – yes you are heading to the beach on your destination but wait to wear your swimsuit and cover up until you arrive to your destination. Again seats are a breeding ground for bacteria so wear comfortable pants to keep you covered and bring a sweater or a shawl to keep you warm -it’s yours and you know no one else has used it. As they say in business and life appearance is everything.

You booked the flight, you know how long it is so prepare – you can try to factor in the variables like delays and unruly passengers but when it comes down to airline travel the crew as well as passengers just want to arrive to their destination safely and without any problems so keep a positive attitude, bring lots of reading materials or games to keep you occupied and yes maybe even smile at the flight attendant and passenger next to you! Being polite goes a long way.