I am looking forward to seeing my family for Thanksgiving next week, but I am not particularly looking forward to flying to see them. It’s not that I am scared of flying, per se. I just tend to have bad luck at airports. I’ve had my suitcase routed to India instead of Houston; I’ve been charged $589 to rebook a ticket because a long line was going to cause me to miss my flight; I’ve spent nights in airport hotels because of missed connections.
With experiences like these, stories about people like Naomi Campbell freaking out at airport officials don’t surprise me. I have learned to laugh when something goes wrong at the airport, though I can’t say it’s come easily. Along the way, I have learned to anticipate problems in order to minimize the stress of flying.
Next time you fly, try these tricks for keeping your cool at the airport:
— Don’t go to the airport on an empty stomach: One of the worst things about spending time in an airport is eating airportfood. Because airport food tends to be overpriced and fattening, you’re likely to get more angry about having to pay for it while you wait for a delayed flight. Even worse, you might have to wait in a long line to order. So eat a full meal before going to the airport, and bring some snacks for the plane. After all, you never know how long you’ll sit on the tarmac. Just remember to leave the liquids at home; otherwise, you’ll have to hand them over to security before you enjoy them.
— Arrive early: With many of the airlines downsizing over the last year, lines are likely to be longer than usual this year. So plan to leave for the airport 30 minutes before you really need to leave to give yourself some extra breathing room. (And don’t assume that a bad economy is deterring people from flying this season. A new survey shows that just as many people plan to travel this Thanksgiving as last year.)
