It’s that time of the year again. Finally, many would say. A few wouldn’t even notice, their whole lives are vacations and holidays anyways. Some fly to business trips all the time and are familiar with airport tips and tricks. However, travelling is great! It has a positive impact on life as it broadens one’s horizons, makes you understand the world and yourself better. It enriches life and boosts self-confidence and self-esteem. But organizing a trip sometimes can be a burden and quite stressful.
Here are 5 tips on how to avoid that stress and never get late for your flight!
1. Take more days off
While planning a vacation or any other trip that includes travelling by plane, plan two more days off. Airports are always crowded and checks-in last long, so it is better to arrive a couple of hours earlier. Don’t go to work on this day. Make sure to finish everything the day before, as it is very stressful to leave everything in a hurry.
You might forget something, and it is possible to miss the flight too. Plane tickets are usually expensive, and being late is quite risky as airlines don’t give a damn about waiting for the passengers. So, on the day of your flight be free to dedicate your time to your trip only, even if the plane takes off in the evening. Pack the day before, get enough of sleep, and plan to take the shortest route to the airport.
2. Don’t over-pack
It is practical to make a list of all the things you want to take with you. Just don’t make it too long. The trip might be a special occasion, but you really don’t have to pack all those clothes that you keep for some special occasion. Because you won’t wear them. Deep down you know you won’t. Accept it and pack only what is necessary and what you wear often.
A couple of items for the day and for the night time, underwear and the most comfortable shoes. Besides the suitcase, it is good to have a handbag with yourself at the plane with the most important stuff right at your hand, including:
- Passport and the airplane ticket,
- The ID card and other documents,
- Money, in cash and/or cards,
- A phone with a power bank for longer flights,
- Medication if you take some,
- A book or a magazine.
These things are a priority, you can buy everything else. Another important tip: see if there are some regulations regarding the number and weight of the baggage that is included in the price of the ticket. Not only that it’s not practical, overpacking can be expensive too.
3. Avoid public transportation
We don’t say that public means of transportation are bad, just that they can complicate things a little. Imagine dragging a suitcase, a backpack and a handbag all the way to the station and pulling it inside where there isn’t enough room for people let alone for your luggage. And having to change several buses with all that stuff is a nightmare.
On the other side, it can happen that there are no lines late or early enough for you to arrive at the airport on time. Also, trains, buses, and subways could break down, get stuck in the traffic, or have a construction. Unfortunately, traffic accidents are not that rare too. Even if the public transportation system works smoothly in your place, they make stops too often in order to pick up and drop off the passengers, so your transfer to the airport might take forever.
4. Get to the airport faster
We have seen the reasons why public transportation should be avoided when going to the airport. If you think that going with your own car is somewhat better, we must disappoint you – you are wrong. Yes, you will get to the airport faster, but the parking space at the airport will cost you a mini fortune and instead to enjoy your journey you will worry about your car all the time. Taxi is very expensive as well. So, how to get to the airport fast without spending too much money on transportation? Hire a private chauffeured service. They are very fast, reliable, comfortable and, contrary to the popular belief, affordable. Punctuality is the highest value of every limo service that holds to its quality and reputation. Good manners are the other trait. So you’ll have the door open for you and the help with your luggage.
Limo chauffeurs are experts in safe driving, they know all the routes to your destination and are familiar with the traffic congestions and how to avoid them. Give your trust to the limo service and enjoy the comfortable ride and arrive at the airport with spare time to pass all the checks, enjoy a cup of coffee and a magazine and start your vacation or business trip relaxed.
5. The perks of online check-in
What is the first thing you do when you get to the airport? You take a picture and check-in on all social media profiles you have, right? But!, before you let the world know where you are travelling to, check-in to the airport online and save yourself from long queues. You can do so between 23 hours up to 1 hour before the flight via smartphone, tablet or a computer. This type of boarding pass replaces the paper one. It is valid for the baggage counter, at access control, at the boarding gates and in the duty-free shops. Go to www.swiss.com or download the SWISS app, follow the steps and choose on which device you want to receive the boarding pass in a form of link via text message or e-mail or in the SWISS app. Swiss airports that support online check-in are in Geneva, Sion, Zurich, and Lugano. If you miss to print out your boarding pass, you can pick up one either at the check-in machine or at the check-in desk right at the airport.
Some advantages of this kind of check-in are:
- It is accessible 23 hours before departure,
- You can select your seat online,
- Up to 9 people can check-in at the same time,
- You can print the baggage tag at home and shorten the waiting time at the baggage check-in,
- You go straight to the gate with your baggage,
- It is convenient and secure.
Let’s summarize. To escape being late for the flight, pack the day before, check-in online before you leave the house, loll in the leather limo seat and blast off stress-free with some good reading and mimosa in your hand.
