Travel Tips from award winning The Women’s Travel Group. Get there early. There is no reason NOT to arrive early. One generally sits around watching the clock or doing last second chores which should have been done yesterday.
Avoid items that might set off TSA alarms. Even gold jewelry or a watch can activate the alarm. Remove all metal at home, secure in a zipped area of carry on. Removing jewelry in front of strangers feels chancey. Seeing them slide away in the bin, terrifying. Do the scary work at home.
Go directly to your gate. At the gate, mark your territory: where are the bathrooms? the fast food trip-treats? the kiddie crying corners? the sleepover dates on seats or floors? If on our Scotland trip, look for money exchange; airport exchanges are robbery but if you need cash…. In a UK or Irish airport, you might see ATM’s, use those.
Have in hand: junk food treats, refilled water bottle, reading material, phone charger, documents, medicine and valuables. Lock your carry on. Securely attach valuables, medicine, electronics to your body. Airports are cold, bring a scarf or other. Wearing sandals, bring socks.
Scan the horizon. Locate an electrical outlet for your phone; sit near it. Airports have USB ports; in London for our Scotland trip, there are USB ports. Here is the gutsy part. If others loaded seats with stuff, ask them to remove it. Two things happen: 1- They remove the junk. 2- They claim they are saving the seat. The result is up to you. Politely, “I’m sure you do not mind. I am going to sit here until your friend arrives”. 50% of the time, no one arrives. 50% of the time another seat becomes available and you move. 100% of the time it is hard to request the seat, do it. Airports are not private space.
Sit with a view of the monitor which announces upgrades, flight updates, boarding groups etc. I was recently upgraded; did not hear the announcement, did not look at the monitor. Staff gave my upgrade away! This is especially true if where you do not speak the language as on our Sicily trip.
If you need to leave the seat, place luggage adjacent to it, ask a neighbor or two to watch your bag. Non English speakers understand the airport sign language.
How to you identify a trustworthy watcher? Everyone in the departure lounge has been identified, searched, and is currently being filmed. Nonetheless, look for a family, someone in uniform, a senior traveler. Your suitcase is locked. Valuables etc. electronic devices are on your body. Still do not leave a neck pillow or reading material visible. These are tempting.
Finally, things to carry: a non drippy sandwich, a bundle of toilet paper, eyeglass chamois, saline, lip moisturizer, magazine pages to toss once read, 2 pens, a bit of paper, 1-2 chargers. The larger chaegers are grounded; less likely to harm devices if overseas. The smaller do not always work on airplane outlets. Same with wall outlets! All being used? look around, ask if you can recharge if the other phone is near 100%.
You will learn to love airports! Well maybe that is going too far. We still have space on several European trips: Scotland and Ireland, Sicily and Malta and France for Thanksgiving. Enjoy our Facebook page. Call us 646 309 5607. #thewomenstravelgroup.
