“15 Flying Tips That’ll Keep You Sane This Summer”

Wow, some of these would have maybe been helpful on my study abroad trips (like checking for more space in the back of the plane). i’ll have to keep them in mind next time! DB**

“15 Flying Tips That’ll Keep You Sane This Summer”

by Betty via “Yahoo”

1. Think about your outfit for your airplane trip. Not how you look but how you will feel! People get on airplanes dressed in ripped shorts, flip-flops, and a tank top and then complain that they are freezing?!? Whenever I fly, I always have a scarf or jacket I can put on if I’m cold or use as a pillow.

Guess who’s going to be shivering during her flight (Photo: Thinkstock)

2. If you’re traveling with a pet you might want to ask your vet about a light medication for your animal. We call it “doggy dope.” It will lessen the stress on your furry friend and you both will arrive at your destination a little less harried!

(Photo: Getty Images)

3. I know it may sound basic but wear socks or shoes when entering the airplane bathroom. You’d be shocked at the number of passengers who go into the bathroom in bare feet. Men don’t have the best aim even when they’re on the ground; you can be sure that in a small space and with rough air, the bathroom floor is not exactly germ-free!

It looks clean but you don’t know where this floor has been (Photo: Getty Images)

4. Airline tickets used to be booked by professionals. Today consumers do it themselves online, with price being the only factor they consider. Big mistake! When booking online, you need to consider another important factor: the time you have between connecting flights. If you only have 45 minutes or less to connect to another flight, you’re basically flirting with a very stressful running-through-the-airport situation.

Give yourself plenty of time to make connections (Photo: Getty Images)

5. My favorite packing trick is to bring clothes that are old or you’re not crazy about and then just leave them behind during your trip. Your closet gets cleaned out and you have more room in your suitcase for purchases. And as an added bonus, if you’re traveling to a developing country, you can give those items away! Now you’re thinking: “Lovely… you’re giving dirty old clothes away?!” That doesn’t have to be the case. Lots of times you buy something and it just doesn’t fit perfectly or it’s not your color. So it sits unworn in your closet. Why not just pack it, wear it, and give it away to someone who can use it? I once gave this green velvet shirt from the Gap to a woman in Morocco. She was so happy you’d have thought I’d given her gold!

Traveling’s a great opportunity to clean out your closet (Photo: Thinkstock)

6. Flight attendants are cheap dates. Say a passenger brings chocolate for the flight crew. That costs the passenger, what, maybe just a couple of bucks? And yet we’re thanking that passenger as profusely as that Moroccan woman I gave my shirt to. Next thing you know, that passenger gets a free headset or a free drink. It’s actually funny because it can be something so small and yet we bend over backwards with “thank yous.” It’s just nice to be thought of!