Finally taking a trip -- on a plane (help!)

Yes, folks, you heard it here first. I am actually getting on a plane of my own free will for the first time since 9/11. I am going to Las Vegas (from Philadelphia) with my brother and sister for a long weekend. I am a bit unsettled about it, but my doctor has given me a prescription for some nice big Valium. Yippee!

We will be checking luggage. I know about having to take one's shoes off and about the three-ounce limit for carry-on fluids. I get lots of headaches, so I know about carrying all my prescriptions in their original containers. What else does a Born-Again Air Travel Virgin need know about flying the somewhat frosty skies in the new millennium?

I want to be Prepared to Survive Domestic Air Travel.

-- Craig

I too am an infrequent flier, not due to a fear of flying, although my wife is a fly-on-valium type, but due to our lifestyle. We did fly about a year and a half ago, my only "tools" were the clothes on my back, hiking shoes (which had to come off of course) with paracord laces, a toenail clipper with the tip of the little file broken off (to clip off the cable ties on the zippers of our checked luggage), a Surefire flashlight, and the metal decision already made to fight any potential hijackers to the death, should an attempt be made. A whole planeload of people being hijacked by a couple of guys with little bitty blades, or just about any other weapon, makes no sense to me. I am a die fighting kind of guy.

Next time we fly (in late '08 if things go according to plan), we will carry empty water bottles thru the security checkpoint, then fill them on the other side, and, depending on what the security regs are then, a bunch of store bought muchies (it's gonna be a long flight), and our personal meds. Plus of course enough drugs to keep my wife in la-la land the entire flight. Maybe a pocket book, in case the movie sucks.

Since our infrequent ventures into the wild blue yonder are all commercial, over land (or the upcoming one over a lot of the deep blue sea), I just don't see the need for a load of survival goodies in my pocket. If we should go down, we will either be dead, or a lot of people will know about it, and be on the way before the flames stop...

Be safe !!! Its been since 96 for me. Still have a bad feeling about flying.

I don't worry about the flying part, it's getting past the TSA zombies that bothers me.

Inventory everything in your checked luggage. The airport employees tend to care a little more when you tell them that you can list and price everything that they lost.

Double-check your carry-on luggage. Being stopped for an “I didn’t know it was there” situation isn’t fun.

Well, I wouldnt let 9/11 instill fear in someone to fly. I would think that even the terrorist planners look at it like "Well, we did that trick, they are well aware of it, what are they NOT protecting". A genuine phobia to fly is different though. I have a phobia about burning to death. I think if I were caught in a burning building, I may well panic. But, as the situation hasnt presented itself, I may never know. And, although you can take Valium, or other meds, to fly, I would suspect one taking drugs to relax in a burning building would most likely be found in the rubble & aftermath.
I am flying in April, and look forward to it. I like the anonyminity of an airport. Flying is kind of boring; bring a book and/or MP3. And, enjoy it!

I fly quite a bit, both domestic and international, including the longest non-stop commercial flight in the world. Here's the best survival advice I can think to give a person in your situation:

Get to the departure airport at least an hour earlier than you need to. NightHiker pointed this out, and it will make a huge difference in your travel experience. Observe what others in line for security are doing and mimic them for the most part.

Eddie Murphy made a movie called "Holy Man". In it, he helped a guy deal with his fear of flying. Surprisingly, it is quite an effective technique, and the philosophy behind it is sound. A fear of flying, for whatever reason, is quite unrational, and I liken it to quitting smoking. When you are ready to accept control over your life, then you will be able to deal with what you cannot control a whole lot easier. Until then, you remain at the mercy of others, and under their control. Fear is part of life; something we can learn to control just like an addiction.

You control the decision of whether you will fly or not. Having made that decision, you also control how you will react to the event. What you cannot control is the outcome. Perspective is everything, and to fear flying anywhere more than you fear being shot or runover crossing the street or turning a corner is just unrealistic. Accepting the limits of our existence, and making the most of what we have while we are here is all any of us can expect from one day to the next. Realize this, and your life will be a lot more satisfying. Live in fear, and you are only wasting opportunities.

I use to fly quite a bit back when I was working(retired now) most of my flight have taken me over forests and land masses here in the U.S.A. My First leg was a commercial Flight to an area where I would take a puddel Jumper to my final destination. My Survival Kit was carried in a old small computer case, It looks like a large book cover. I have it packed in my check-in baggage, and have nothing in my carry on to get the TSA people excited. My thery is if I am still alive,I can dig thru the baggage and find mine and get my gear, If Not who cares?

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w13/alclarkson/hpim0189.jpg (my travel bag open)

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w13/alclarkson/hpim0202.jpg (my travel bag closed)

I just got back from my 4th trip THIS MONTH (Miami, Chicago 2x, Dallas), so perhaps I can give you some perspective.

First of all, checking bags is just a huge no-no, but you seem to have made your decision, so I can't change that.

I'd NEVER take any drug that would make me less likely to be able to function fully in the event of a plane evacuation, or, more realistically, to be a little unclear on directions about gate changes.

On most airlines, you're only allowed ONE carry-on and a "personal item" (like a purse). Even then, on my trip back from Miami, I was last on the plane (flying standby), and I had to check my carry-on, so that's why I wear a Scott e-Vest loaded with my toiletries, a book to read, various electronics (cell phone, ham radio), + spare batteries for electronic devices. When they force me to check my carry-on, I pull the laptop and tuck it into the seat-back pocke.

The worst thing about air travel is that it's almost NEVER ON TIME. I fly out of Newark and O'Hare a lot, the two worst airports in American for on-time departures.

Finally, be patient and kind to the people working in the airport - yes, even the TSA people. It's not a fun job.

Now why do you poo poo checking bags? I've not experienced any real problems as yet checking any of mine. It does help if you have baggage with an integral TSA lock on them, such as my Samonsite hard side, but has your experience really been that bad? I've flown probably 50 or so times in the last two years, domestic and international, and have yet to have a real problem with checked baggage.

"Inventory everything in your checked luggage. The airport employees tend to care a little more when you tell them that you can list and price everything that they lost."

Sorry, but that makes little sense to me. Usually the person putting your checked luggage on the belt is the ticket agent. He/she isn't going to see or touch the luggage outside of your view. Why start the trip insulting someone.

Anyone who is going to steal anything from your luggage is probably not particularly concerned that you'll be able to later inventory it and notice that it is missing.

I agree with you in regard to later making a claim. But not as theft prevention.

One thing I've been doing lately (particularly with regard to PSK and FAK's) is to bundle stuff into gal. size ziplock bags or foodsaver bags and put a tamper-evident seal through a hole punched in the bag mouth. My premise is that neat looking stuff that's easily slipped into a pocket is most at risk, so I put it in a bundle that slows down the process and makes it more likely that the person pilfering will be seen by those around him/her.

Here's Marty's 5 Reasons You Should Avoid Checking Bags:

1. It adds at least 45 minutes your trip, often more. While check-in can be quick (curbside) you always end up having to walk far to the baggage claim and stand there waiting and waiting and waiting. By the time your bag crashes into the other bags on the conveyor, I'm at the hotel ordering dinner.

2. Bags get lost. I arrived in Cyprus, 3AM, for an 8AM meeting. My bags did not arrive until 3 days later.

3. Stuff gets stolen from your bags. Three times I have had knives stolen from my bags.

4. Bags get damaged. I've had bags come out looking like they were run over by a bulldozer and then shot a few times.

5. Do you really need all that stuff anyway? My family did a Disney trip - all 4 of us - for a week with only carry-on bags. They DO have laundry services pretty much everywhere you go, so why carry so much stuff?

That's a great idea, in general. Add 15 seconds to the time it takes to yank something from your bag and it might be passed.

Yes, you’re absolutely right. That advice was meant as something you do before you even go to the airport. Best to take checked-luggage inventory best you can, and then put that inventory into your carry-on bag. This is really only for making claims later.

The only real effective means of loss prevention is to:

1. Don’t check any luggage, as Martin has pointed out.
2. Make sure the tag that’s put on your luggage has the correct three-letter code for your destination (i.e., if you’re supposed to end up in Los Angeles, make sure your bag-tags say “LAX”).
3. Your idea of sticking things in tamper seal bags (great idea!).

Those are valid points, but need be qualified to some degree.

1. After a good long flight I need a bit of a stroll to stretch these long legs back out again. There've been a number of times my bags were on the carousel within 5 to 10 minutes of my getting there. Still, it would be nice to be able to just walk out of the airport right away, which I've also done by not having checked baggage with me.

2. I guess I've been lucky so far in that I've lost nothing in the airports that wasn't confiscated as contraband at the gate (oops, my bad). It happens, but it I don't accept that it is so often that is is a significant risk.

3. I've not had anything of significance stolen from my luggage yet.

4. That's why I spend the money to get the best I can find. So far nothing's been broken.

5. Quantity to transport is situational. If it is a week or less trip I am making, then checked baggage really is optional. Usually my trips are a bit longer, more involved, and I find it necessary to pack more than I can carry on.

It's been suggested here, and with good merits I believe, that shipping to your destination is a practical alternative. I do like that idea. It does reduce the risks mentioned above, and can make travel a lot easier. If I did encounter problems with checked baggage where I felt it to be too risky, this is something I would do. In fact, I've shipped baggage more than once already. As a rule, I do not put anything of significant value in my checked baggage, including my knives, camera, money, jewelry, etc. If I need a knife at my destination, I will post it or order or purchase a new one when I get there.

Wear clothing of natural fabrics (they won't melt) and shoes you can run in.

When I drove limo in Vegas, I picked up many, many people from the airport. It was amazing how many people came from Michigan and eastward who had their luggage go to Hawaii. Since most packages to Vegas only involve 3 or 4 days, and it takes at least 3 days to get your luggage, I could understand their frustration.

One couple shipped their two cats in an 'airline-approved' carrier. The jerks unloading the plane tossed the crate about 10 feet toward the conveyor belt, it bounced off, crashed about 25 feet to the ground, split open, and the cats ran off in panic. The reward signs were posted for a couple of weeks, but I don't think they found them. What do you think they do with luggage just carrying clothes?

Sue

Thanks for the tips, Martin. Sounds delightful. Not. I have my Valium ready. Grin.

Why zonk myself? Can't stand air travel, but it is the only realistic way to get anywhere. I've never traveled with my siblings before. This is a first. We've gone through changes.

We went to London on our honeymoon. Six hours of monotony. And terrifying turbulence. Nearly went out of my mind.

Then I found out I could ask my doctor for DRUGS. Didn't know that. Didn't know others had problems flying, too.

Oh, and my siblings don't really believe too much in preparedness. Whatever happens, happens. Shrugging of shoulders. No one else I meet in the real world seems to, either.

Outside of this forum, preparedness seems to equate to post-apocalyptic I-don't-know-what.

It may be rubbing off. I'm carrying less and less myself these days.

I am packing my little beaten up Swiss Executive. If they want to steal it, I'll buy another.

Here are some lost luggage stats, from 2005.

Here and here are similar stats for the first part of last year.

Airlines are not doing the greatest job in the world...

Everyone else has covered the basics, pre-flight.

I'd like to strongly suggest taking something to do, something to eat and something to drink. You're going to be on the plane for a while (and if something happens, maybe a LOT longer than you'd think... 9+ hours sitting in view of the terminal, waiting to take off? It happens).

If you don't take something to drink, you'll pretty much get only what they have, when they choose to give it to you. Take stuff to eat too. It's easy to find trail mix, power bars, fruit bars, hard candy, cookies, honey roasted nuts, etc. in nearly any airport store. I load up on at least a couple of different kinds (salty, sweet) for variety. Grab a couple of bottles of water while you're there. Cabin air becomes very dry.

I always take a sub-notebook as a movie player. It's a great way to pass the time on the flight. You can buy small dvd players with builtin screens if you don't have a laptop. And / or take a book or a couple of magazines. An MP3 player with the kind of earplugs that block outside noise are great too. Airplanes are noisy. You do NOT want to be stuck on a plane with nothing to do.

Weird, I guess, but flying sucks the most for me BEFORE takeoff. I find the whole process of getting to the airport, getting through security and getting seated much worse than the actual flight. Once the engines press me back into my seat, I actually start to relax. :-)

As a pilot,
here are a couple of suggestions.
Once you get through security, put your shoes back on
buy a bottle of water and just carry it in your "carry on"
go to the bathroom just prior to boarding the aircraft, especially if your nervous
If you get hungry pack some snacks, airlines are getting much tighter on what they have to offer so if you have a faorite food bring it.
Good luck and relax, enjoy the ride I would
Doc

Just putting in my suggestions.. Everyone has pointed out the key items. I fly over 100K miles a year every year for quite some time. Shoot, my 2 year old logged 60K last year!

There's no reason to fear flying. I personally avoid checking in baggage unless I really need to (mainly if I fly international, I need to check) <- most countries are still "suits", and my trips are usually a minimum of 2 weeks). The reason why I avoid checked baggage is the risk of it getting lost (happened twice to me out of maybe 5 times traveling domestically <=maybe just bad luck). And 2, some airports like JFK take a very very very long time to pick up.

Slip on shoes - check

I actually remove all my metal stuff while waiting in the security line.. Everything goes in the jacket pockets or my bag. Empty all my pockets, watch, cell phone, etc -> into the jacket. (exception is your boarding pass and ID (drivers license or passport). The only thing I have on me at that point would be my clothes, glasses, and wedding band. Oh, please, don't be one of those people with the shirts with the metal buttons or whatnot. Cotton or wool are your friends, minimize the accessories.. Don't be Mr. T.

through the xray:
#1 - The rollerboard (the carry on suitcase)
#2 - Bin - Jacket and shoes
#3 - Bin - Laptop Computer
#4 - Laptop bag

I wait on the "RED" side of the metal detector until my laptop bag goes into the xray. I then walk through the detector to the "GREEN" side, oh, make sure you have your boarding pass ready to present. The reason I have the order above is that my laptop bag is usually scrutinized the most, and by having in that order, prevents someone from picking up my laptop while I go through the metal detector. Oh, I also make sure the person in front of me has cleared the detector cleanly, before putting items 3 and 4 on the conveyor.

You should be set with that. In regards to following what other people are doing, I would take that advice with caution - there are people, like you, who don't fly often. Copying them may not be beneficial. If I didn't fly often, I would probably copy the business traveller who is extremely antsy due to the slow line. <- Maybe that would be me..

To Benjamin, so what is the longest non-stop commercial flight in the world? I've done 16 hour direct flights. Can't imagine anything longer than that direct. With connections, I have traveled 24 hours.

A tactic I've used with lots of success. Agree strongly!




The longest commercial flight is 18.5 hours from Newark to Singapore. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2004-02-03-sia-flight_x.htm