Basically everyone and their mother have plans to travel this festive season, making airports a daunting place to be at.
Thankfully FlySafair has come up with a few travel hacks that are bound to make your travel experience a lot easier these holidays.
From pre-booking your seats to wearing sensible shoes, here are 13 must-know travel hacks.
Get your boarding pass on the airline’s app
Waiting in line to print your boarding pass should be a thing of the past. No more rifling through papers or digging through pockets, simply pull out your phone, scan, and you’re off.
Check-in online
Check-in open 24 hours before departure, so even if you have baggage, checking in online is a great way to save time and secure your seats. If you’re travelling light with only hand luggage you can even skip the check-in desk entirely.
Prebook your seats
If you are tall, travelling as a family, or like to avoid awkward conversations with strangers, pre-book your seats online. There is an extra fee that comes with pre-booking, but it will secure that you are seated next to who you want.
Pre-book at the front
If disembarking is a priority when you arrive at your destination, then you should pre-book your front seat.
Although in most cases both the front and back doors will be opened, there are times when the back doors will remain closed.
This is usually due to bad weather, so if the forecast is looking grim or you’re not willing to take the chance, booking seats at the front will mean a swifter exit 100% of the time.
Be on time
The early bird doesn’t just catch the worm, it also catches its flight. While we manage cabin luggage limits very carefully, there is always a race for the overhead bins.
There is a strict first-come-first-stow policy so if you would like to secure the best spot for your luggage make sure you’re at the front of the boarding line with all your documents at the ready when the gates open.
Use the seat in front of you
The storage space in front of you can be used to store anything. So if the overhead bins are full this space is perfect to make sure nobody puts their heavy bag on top of your fragile items like laptops.
Pre-purchase your snacks
Nothing says holiday like munching on your favourite snack at 30 thousand feet. Save yourself the hassle of trying to find your cash or card and make sure you get the goodies you want by pre-ordering on the airline’s website.
Keep your carry bags to a minimum
Travelling during this time is already a challenge, so try to keep your carry-on bags to a minimum. Simplify your travel with a checked bag and limit your carry-on to just the essentials.
Sensible shoes
Those six-inch heels you bought specially for this trip are stunning, but walking from security to your gate might leave you sobbing.
Airports require a lot of walking, often up and down stairs. Be kind to your feet by opting for sensible shoes and save your heels for your destination.
Something warm, something cool
Weather is a crazy thing, and unfortunately, not something we can control. Remember that even though it might be freezing cold when you leave one place, by the time you reach your destination you might need to peel off a few layers. Always make sure you plan for both realities, no matter what the season.
Keep your ID on hand
Sadly, your travel buddy’s assurance that you are who you say you are is not enough. Having some form of ID is crucial when flying, in fact, it’s the law.
Make sure you always keep your ID in an easily accessible place all the way through the airport. You can use your driver’s license, ID book or card, passport, or even a birth certificate, either way proper identification is a must.
Wrap your bag
Sadly, theft in airports is not uncommon. Wrapping your bag might seem like a hassle and expense, but it is by far the best way to protect the contents of your cases from any sticky fingers, especially if you are travelling with gifts or expensive items.
Wrap your Christmas presents later
Airport luggage is handled in bulk, and wrapping paper is not very strong. Often, delicately wrapped presents end up getting torn in the loading and unloading process and may end up looking messy.
If you are travelling with presents rather travel with them still unwrapped and wrap them at your destination.
Read the latest issue of IOL Travel digital magazine here.