13 Secrets About Air Travel All Passengers Should Know
Like most things in life, travel requires experience.
With each trip you embark on, you will start to get more comfortable and familiar with
the means of travel, and it all begins from your planning, until the time you board your
plane at the airport, where your journey all begins.
But did you know that there are some things you don't know about when you take a trip,
specifically when you travel in the air?
Well today, we're going to get you up to speed with some secrets that you as a passenger
should know about.
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Okay, so onto all the secrets about air travel that you may not have known!
Believe it or not, air travel hasn't been around for that long, so we humans are still
pretty new to the idea.
And typically, we make mistakes with the things that we are new at, and just learning or adapting
to.
It’s completely natural and will benefit you the next time you have a go at it.
With travel, it’s inevitable that some mistakes will be made, but it’s all a part of the
learning curve, and with time you will master all of the pieces of travel that make it one
big, teachable adventure.
Each time you begin to plan a new trip, you will learn the tips and tricks of it all,
and what works for you, and what doesn’t.
Although it’s natural to encounter obstacles along the way, it’s important to learn and
be prepared ahead of time for what may come.
From booking to packing, to knowing your surroundings on an aircraft, and why and how things are
the way they are; we look at some secrets from airline employees that we may not have
known about.
1.
When Is It Best To Buy Tickets?
Buying tickets can be a tricky part of the trip planning process.
Time can be the difference in hundreds of dollars.
Whether you choose to book last minute, or several months in advance, there will undoubtedly
be price differences, and they’re always changing.
It’s actually believed that the earlier you book, the cheaper you will get it, though
that may not always be the case.
As for days of the week that are better to buy on; Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays
have proven to be a little cheaper than other days when it comes to booking.
2.
Airline Employees And Their Closest Family Get Reduced Cost Air Tickets.
For many airlines worldwide, employees of the company are offered cheaper, even free,
tickets for themselves, and their immediate family.
In most cases, the employee will only be charged the taxes and duties, leaving the cost of
the flight free of charge.
This is a fantastic benefit of working for an airline, and should definitely be utilized.
3.
The 7 Most Common Reasons Why Luggage Get Lost.
When traveling, worrying about your luggage can be one of the more stressful parts of
your journey.
We all want the things that we packed to stay close to us, and not be tampered with.
Sometimes, it can be out of our own control, unfortunately.
Some of the reasons your luggage may be misplaced or lost include:
Reason #1: It was held for additional checks and not loaded on time
Reason #2: An employee put the luggage on the wrong trolley, and it flew elsewhere
Reason #3: The wrong sticker was placed on your luggage by an employee
Reason #4: Old travel stickers weren’t removed by passengers, which led to confusion
Reason #5: The luggage was caught on the belt or went in the wrong direction, which can
happen during connecting flights Reason #6: The luggage fell off the trolley
on the way to the airplane and went unnoticed Reason #7: The luggage recognition system
failed or a label was lost.
This is why it’s advised to leave your name and contact information on the exterior of
your luggage so it can be claimed.
4.
Locks Don’t Protect Luggage From Being Opened.
This is a common idea that most travelers have; placing a lock on the outside zipper
of your luggage.
Though this may seem secure, and only you really have the keys to unlock it, there are
too many professional thieves who can easily pick it and open it.
Once the locks on the zipper itself are pushed aside, the seam of the zipper can be picked
at and opened with even just a pen, leaving your entire luggage accessible.
The individual can then reseal your zipper back to how it was, and make it appear as
if it was never opened.
Hard-shell suitcases are suggested in this case, as they are much tougher to crack open
if attempted.
5.
Why It’s Really Forbidden To Smoke Onboard.
Smoking on airplanes has long been a thing of the past, with people having their speculations
as to why.
Some may think it is a potential fire hazard, however, smoking was once allowed on airplanes,
and there weren’t any related fires.
The truth is, the smoking prohibition is an economic ban, as the air onboard air is always
being filtered, with resins and smoke leading to equipment wearing out faster.
Either way, the flying experience is a much cleaner and healthier one these days as a
result.
6.
Why Passengers Are Asked To Turn Off Their Cell Phones.
Though we may think that our cell phones can cause critical interference or malfunctions
on the airplane, that isn’t exactly the truth.
It does, however, create static on the radio signal, which can lead to miscommunication
from the pilots, and missing key information for the dispatcher.
Even so, cab crew themselves even ignore this rule at times, so it isn’t exactly as big
of a deal as it has been made out to be.
7.
Aisle And Window Seat Armrests Can Be Raised.
Comfort is a big thing on an airplane.
Often times, we find ourselves crammed next to others, sharing an armrest.
To our luck, we have access to both armrests, and they can both be raised and adjusted.
Push the small button near the base of the armrest, and position it the way you like.
This can certainly rid you of the hassle of sharing one armrest with the passenger next
to you.
8.
The Reason Why There Are Hand Grips At The Door Inside The Plane.
Some of us may have wondered why there are hand grips on the door inside of the plane.
This is intended for flight crew in the event of a panic situation, where individuals can
easily react and knock them down or even out of the plane.
The hand grips will help the employee stay upright and keep their balance at a time like
this.
9.
The Captain And Co-Pilot Are Fed Differently.
The captain and co-pilot eat two separate meals during the flight, due to the risk of
one of them potentially having a reaction or get poisoned, and are therefore unable
to operate the aircraft.
In this case, the pilot will get substituted by the other.
This ensures that they aren’t both phased by any intake that will hinder their performance.
10.
Not All Minor Failures Are Repaired Immediately.
There is an extensive list of things to be checked prior to a flight’s departure.
Naturally, there are minor failures that an aircraft endures, and they aren’t exactly
repaired immediately.
Some of these failures don’t affect the overall safety of the flight and will be tended
to at another time to avoid flight delays.
Don’t get me wrong, you’re still safe!
11.
These Runway Numbers Are Important.
Looking out on the runway before takeoff, you will notice a set of numbers painted on
the road.
These numbers indicate how many degrees the runway is from magnetic north, which enables
the pilot to determine which grade is taken.
12.
Be Polite, And You Won’t Regret It.
On a flight, it can be easy to get frustrated when sitting in one spot for hours.
Luckily, we have services available to us that make the experience an easier one.
Flight attendants are there to tend to the needs of passengers, and it’s important
to treat them with respect and patience and to have an understanding that there are many
other passengers on board who require attention as well.
Flight attendants have admitted that the more respect that is shown, the more they’re
willing to do for passengers.
When you ask for things politely, they will be considered accordingly.
They are there to make things better and easier for us, and we as passengers should treat
them the way they deserve, to ensure an overall great experience for everyone.
13.
The Toilets Never Lock.
Disclaimer: please don't go and do anything stupid with this information.
That being said, according to AIR HELP you can manually open up any of the bathroom doors
on an airplane, just by yourself.
They say that you should: "Simply slip a fingernail underneath the edge of the lavatory sign and
slide the knob to unlock the door."
So there, you now know how to break into an airplane bathroom... just in case.
And that's about it!
What did you think about our video on air travel?
Did you learn some secrets that you didn't know before?
Have you picked up on anything that you might apply to planning your next trip?
Or maybe even next time you're in the air?
Also, maybe you have some secrets that we failed to mention that you'd like to share
with your fellow Bestie viewers!
Let us know in the comments section below everything you learned about air travel, and
maybe one or two secrets we might have forgotten about!