Recently the New York Times asked several airline experts, from a flight attendant and book author to a pilot to several industry publication writers, for advice on how to make flights “less annoying.”
While the team of experts had some sage advice to follow, one has to wonder why the study was on making flights “less annoying” and not, say, “more pleasant” or “more enjoyable.” Perhaps the premise is that flights cannot be pleasant or enjoyable in the first place!
Nonetheless, many of the tips are worth heeding. Commercial pilot and author Patrick Smith says that the removal of redundant and ineffective airport security would ease the stress level of many travelers. Flights should also be consolidated in general, says Smith, to account for less flight delays.
Flight attendant and author of two books on air travel, Elliott Hester, points out that the average coach seat is only two inches wider than the average woman’s waistline today, making for incredibly tight seating arrangements. Hester says the key to a better flight is getting more leg room and wider seats when flying coach.
Aviation journalist Benét J. Wilson says that she doubts “there’s really much the airlines can do to make air travel less miserable.” Much of this, she says, can be attributed to the “survival mode” that airlines have had to adopt following the economic crisis in America. Comfort has taken a backseat to simply surviving and making any profit. That said, she says that by using her own ingenuity–such as bringing along snacks and entertainment and using airlines that cover basic requirements and don’t require baggage fees–she can personally improve the quality of her own flights.
How do you choose a flight? What tips and tricks do you use in securing the best air travel possible?
Tags: airline advice, flight preparation, flight tips, flying advice, travel preparations