Air Travel Tips
Ranked #12,311 in Travel & Places, #303,401 overall
Air Travel Tips -- All Flights & Airports
The advice and websites I am suggesting here are especially for air travelers throughout the United States. Some will be relevant to international flights also.
Checking weather, airports and flights before leaving for the airport is key. Knowing the weather at the departure airport and all destinations will help with forming alternative plans and taking advantage of opportunity windows.
Here I will publish the air-travel troubleshooting cheat-sheet I developed while working as an airport ramp agent.
For more by and about me, visit my Giant Lensography or Lensography 2!
Photo: Jumbo-Jet Take-Off, by ImageAfter.com
Contents at a Glance
Tip...
Check Flights & Airports
- FlightAware - Flight Tracker / Flight Status / Flight Tracking
- Best Flight Tracker: Live Tracking Maps, Flight Status, and Airport Delays for airline flights, private/GA flights, and airports.
- FlightArrivals.com
- FlightArrivals.com: Real time flight arrivals, flight information, flight tracking, flight tracker, flight departures, flight delays, 3D Seat Maps, Route Maps, Statistics, Aircraft and Airport Image Gallery, Flight Status, Flight Maps, General Aviation Flights, Airport Terminal maps, Airline Fleet M
- FlightStats.com
- Track US Flights, Global Flight Status, Airport Delays and other Flight and Airport Information
- Flytecomm.com
- FlyteComm is an information services company that aggregates real-time air and ground data from multiple data providers into a secure, browser based geospatial application service.
- 1.800.Flights
- 1.800.Flights is the one number to call to check the flight status for commercial airlines nationwide, toll free. Call today! 1.800.354.4487
- HelloFlight.com - Flight Tracking and Airport Arrivals
- Interactive Flight Maps and Aircraft Tracking Data
- Flight Delay Information - Air Traffic Control System Command Center
- FAA Home - Flight Delay Information - Air Traffic Control System
Check Weather:
- Weather Underground
- Weather Underground provides weather information for worldwide locations, including current conditions, hourly forecasts, radar and satellite maps. Specialized weather products include severe weather alerts, hurricane tracking, ski and sports weather, marine and aviation weather and user-contributed...
- NOAA's National Weather Service
- Local forecast by region or "City, St" search
- WXnation: Weather Forecast, Radar, and Live Webcam Resource
- Choose from more than 12,000 live weather radar and webcam images, plus get your local forecast, and check current conditions, traffic cams, and airport links in easy to navigate Web pages. WXnation.com is your weather and webcam resource.
Check Airlines:
- Airlinetollfree.info
- The best online directory for airline phone numbers and airlines contact information. Find airline toll free numbers for international and domestic airlines.
- About.com - Airline Phone Numbers
- Reservations, flight information, airline customer service phone numbers
Check Roads:
Before leaving shelter to head to the airport!
- US DOT Federal Highway Administration - National Traffic & Road Closure Info
- National traffic and road closure information clickable map and links: 511 -America's Traveler Information Telephone Number - Construction -
Local and state transit links - Traffic conditions - Regional links for weather/road conditions
Check Security Restrictions & Procedures:
Note the quick links in right column at www.TSA.gov!
- www.TSA.gov
- Transportation Security Administration | U.S. Department of Homeland Security - TSA's regulations, restrictions, and job openings are listed here.
“Newsflash: The electric signs in the airport may not show the latest information!”
Tip: Arrive 2 Hours Early Anyway...
"I had arrived at the airport one hour early so that, in accordance with airline procedures, I could stand around."
-- Dave Barry
While you're standing around, waiting out a flight delay or cancellation, you may grab a rare, fleeting rebooking opportunity!
Tip:
Remember...On most trips, you will be able to buy stuff when you get there. For longer excursions, mail or ship your luggage ahead -- or re-think "necessary" until you've lightened-up to the max.
The airlines enforce weight limits because of high fuel costs, and oddball items can slow your passage through the security checkpoint long enough to cause you to miss your flight.
And NO, they won't hold the plane!
Tip: Carry-On!
According to a few ground handlers I used to work with,
"There are three main types of airline luggage: Misrouted, damaged and destroyed!"
When I began working as an airport ramp agent, I stopped checking bags. Suitcases are rarely lost. But an airline may have to "expedite" luggage for certain flights due to weight and balance restrictions (often weather-related), which means your bags won't arrive when and where you do, and may even get there via another air-carrier.
Tip:
Travelers who aren't used to how they're carrying stuff frequently misplace, leave behind or lose items!
Tip: Flex!
Flexibility cultivated as a habit will help you stay calm and cool, the better to jump on alternative plans as opportunities arise.
The new rules passed into law in 2010 limiting how long passengers can be kept aboard planes have prompted airlines to cancel more flights amid iffy-situations to avoid huge fines, instead of boarding and awaiting windows of opportunity for take-offs out on the tarmac.
Shopping Tip 1: Laugh!
Carry on a sense of humor & exercise your laugh-muscles while you fly!
Betty In the Sky With a Suitcase: Hilarious Stories of Air Travel by the World's Favorite Flight Attendant
Amazon Price: $5.73 (as of 05/28/2012)
Extend your attention span to cover any flight delays along your way by dipping into these stories of plane-silliness!
Shopping Tip 2: Pillows? Blankets? Oops!
These days you'll need to carry-on your own cushy warmth...
Shopping Tip 3: Headphones?
Airlines pass out cheap headphones, but it's easy to use your own!
AIRLINE AIRPLANE ADAPTER FOR HEADPHONES HEADSET STEREO PLUG 3.5mm 1/8"
Amazon Price: $0.01 (as of 05/28/2012)
This Koss adapter is highly rated!
Extra Tips:
Don't complain about the ticket-counter agent to the gate agent! The ticket-counter personnel often staff the gate, and baggage claim, changing work stations as flights arrive and depart.
Ask for the station manager, if something seems amiss, but...
Only calm-reasonable-civility can work wonders!
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tollfreenumber0
Apr 16, 2012 @ 10:51 pm | delete
- Hosted business phone system is an ideal solution for business now. You don't have to worry about installing any software or hardware. However, can have access to all the features large business have. The best part is the price is very affordable. It starts from about $10/month. With this system you don't need a separate business phone line. You can use your personal cell phone or home phone. You will sound as professional as fortune 500 companies. I have been using toll free numbers from Callture. I believe they provide the Toll Free Numbers at the best price. They even gurantee to beat any lower price by 10%.
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tollfreenumber0
Apr 16, 2012 @ 10:50 pm | delete
- Nowadays Toll Free numbers come packed with a lot of features. You can basically customize your tollfree number to fit your business needs. When you see the features, you will know how your current phone system is not good enough. I have been using toll free numbers from Callture. With this toll free number, I can customize the welcome greeting, route calls to multiple numbers, even program what phone number to call at what time, have a professional voicemail, get my voicemail emailed and the list goes on. It is very easy to set up using wizard. Check out Toll Free Numbers
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tollfreenumber0
Apr 16, 2012 @ 10:48 pm | delete
- I have been using Callture toll free numbers for over 5 years without any problem You may want to give them a try. I personally think that they provide the Toll Free Numbers.They have this on their website "will beat any price by 10%. Over 50 Features. 12 years in Business. Rated ?A? by BBB (Better Business bureau)" .
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http://www.tollfreenumbers4airlines.com
Dec 29, 2011 @ 4:45 am | delete
- This site allows you to call airlines free of charge from anywhere in the world. It is very usefull tool. http://www.tollfreenumbers4airlines.com/. They list information such as luggage weight and dimensions.
Airline Toll Free Numbers
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CruiseReady Jun 21, 2011 @ 5:00 pm | delete
- Great tips - especially the ones about packing light and having a sense of humor.
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About ShamanicShift
Retired airport "ramper"; Transportation & travel enthusiast;
While working behind the scenes of commercial aviation for airlines and ground handers I learned how to troubleshoot air travel. Being prepared before heading to the airport will give you the best chance for happier flying!
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HI! I'M LETTING THESE LENSES FADE, so many no longer reflect my present views. I'm Elizabeth a.k.a. ECP, retired SquidAngel and former Giant100 member... more »
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