Safety Tips When Traveling by Airplane

Although traveling by airplane is deemed a safe method of transportation, there are additional steps you can take to put your mind at ease so you safely reach your destination. As a passenger, it’s your responsibility to follow all instructions given to you by your airline officials and security. Here are five safety guidelines to follow while preparing for your flight.

1. Listen to Your Flight Attendants

A flight attendant’s primary job is to continuously ensure passenger safety. It is important that you listen to the flight attendant when they tell you to fasten your seatbelt and turn off your electrical devices. If a flight attendant is asking you to do something, it is recommended that you immediately follow his or her instructions and ask questions later.

2. Don’t Pack Hazardous Materials

To ensure the safety of all passengers, hazardous materials are strictly prohibited. There is a long list of items you can’t have in your possession when boarding an aircraft, and that generally have very obvious explanations as to why they are banned. It goes without saying that explosives and other incendiary devices are not permitted on an aircraft, as well as flammable fluids like aerosol and lighter fluid.

All types of matches are banned from the luggage you check. Strike-anywhere matches are completely banned from entering the plane, but you are permitted to have a book of safety matches on your person in the passenger cabin.

Poisons, infectious materials, corrosive materials, illegal drugs, and other dangerous items are not allowed. If you are unsure if an item is safe to have on the flight, you should bring it to the attention of airline and security officials before boarding, even if you’ve already passed through airline security.

3. Choose a Larger Aircraft

Aircraft that seat more than 30 passengers at a time are all designed and certified under the strictest regulations. It has been proven that in the event of an accident, larger aircraft provide a better opportunity for passenger survival. While a serious accident is highly unlikely, it doesn’t hurt to prepare yourself for all eventualities, no matter how small the risk.

4. Pre-flight Briefing

Although it may seem repetitive, it is important to devote all of your attention to your aircraft pre-flight briefing. During the briefing, you will learn about the aircraft emergency exits and their locations, as well as the different safety positions to take in case of an emergency landing.

5. Overhead Storage Bin Safety

If you have loaded your overhead storage bin with very heavy luggage, there is a possible risk of it falling and seriously injuring you or another passenger during turbulence. If you have trouble lifting your luggage to store it in the storage bin, it is recommended that you store it in a different location on the plane. If heavy luggage is being stored over your head, request a new seat or ask to move the luggage.

As long as you follow all of the rules and safety procedures of the airline, air travel is fast, safe and fun. If you have any other questions about air safety, call the airline before the flight or ask the flight crew. They’ll be happy to address any concerns you have about staying safe while you fly.

Here are the 5 travel essentials you absolutely need! (& they’re FREE!)

An open mind

When you commit your life to travel it’s important to remember that you’re giving yourself an opportunity of a lifetime. You’re constantly choosing to put yourself aside and immerse yourself in other countries customs culture and way of living. So with that being said always remember to keep an open mind. Train yourself to move your worries to the side. Put your traditions, expectations and past experiences behind you and allow yourself to appreciate and accept the new moments in front of you. This way you can truly appreciate your experience and allow yourself to try new things that you otherwise wouldn’t (be it a food dish or an activity).

Sense of adventure

If I could give you only one piece of advice, I would say don’t let your fear win. I’ll say that again a little more slowly. Do not let Fear win. Get comfortable with being outside of your comfort zone. It pays to be an optimist here and always see the opportunity in every possibility. Look for ways to suppress your fear or worry long enough to embark on the experience.

Awareness

Always be aware of what’s going on around you. This seems simple enough…common sense right? But common sense is not that common.

• Pay attention to signage around you.
• Take a mental note of the people surrounding you (about every 5 minutes being mindful of conversations, body language etc).
• Do your best to keep phone consumption to a minimum.
• Lose the headphones

  In a nutshell, try not to allow anything to distract you.

Practice listening/focus activities

• ( For example, you should know the difference between the sound of a bus and a car…footsteps of a child vs. an adult, etc. It’ll take time. Don’t be disheartened. Continue practicing)
• Have a basic understanding of where you are.

Obviously, this will vary greatly depending on where you are in the world and your familiarity with the area. However, use some sort of map (like Google maps) to have a good look around the city. Make a note of establishments and their proximities to your home/hotel)

Plan ahead

You don’t have to have a complete minute by minute itinerary in place, however, have a basic schedule, at the very least (knowing open/close times of restaurants, etc.)

Resilience

Bounce back when stuff doesn’t go your way & Do whatever it takes to keep stress levels down!  

What travel essentials are a must for you? Bonus if you can’t “buy” them!

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Well being in the air: follow these top comfort tips to make sure you stay happy on board during your flight

Keep moving

It isn’t good for our blood circulation to stay seated for an extended period of time. It’s important not to forget to change your seating position regularly. Also, try to avoid crossing your legs move around the cabin gives you a chance to check the view.

Keep hydrated

Drink plenty of water during your flight is important to keep hydrated.

Extra large room

Opting for these seats means you’ll have extra large room seats to ensure you have a comfortable flight with plenty of room. (Especially convenient if you have a child sitting in lap)

Moisturize

Flying will make your skin very dry so keep your skin pampered and protected from the dry air on boy by regularly applying moisturizer and lip balm.

Loose fit

It’s wise to wear loose fitting comfortable clothes and appropriate shoes. I know so don’t forget to dress appropriately for the country and city in which you’ll be arriving. although maybe tempting to travel wearing the gear from the country you’re leaving it may definitely cause an inconvenience when your body is in prepared to deal with the shock of drastic temperature changes.

Take care of your ears

Settle cabin pressure changes can be painful so if you experience problems during the fight suck on a lollipop or candy. If that isn’t enough then you can also pinch your nostrils and gently blow through your nose equalize the pressure. Now, be aware This is a very uncomfortable situation and did I say almost unbearable. However, it really does work.

Although summer’s almost over, there’s still time to take a vacation.

Although family vacations can be a little frustrating at times (or most of the time, lets be serious) they’re the source of many (all?) comical and pleasant memories.

Whether you plan to go to the beach, the mountains, or even the big city, you can take a memorable family vacation that’s low-stress and fun for everyone.

Keep these tips in mind to reduce stress on your next family vacation:

Plan ahead. Planning is the most important part of any vacation.

Take into account the individual needs of your kids and arm yourself with whatever is necessary to take care of them while on vacation.

• For example, if your four-year-old takes naps, don’t forget to bring along the stuffed animal they sleep with at home as their “comfort” item. (or insert special unique item for your little one) For your teen, ensure they have their favorite hand-held electronic device to pass the travel time (or book!).

Set up a flexible schedule for each vacation day. 

When you have a day-to-day plan, kids can look forward to things they want to do. Plan a special kid activity for each day.

• Work in an hour or so of swimming in the hotel’s pool each day or going to play miniature golf. Exercise keeps stress levels low and expends excess energy, especially for kids (& pets too!) Think of playtime as a de-compression time for kids.

• To see some sights, consider taking a bus tour. Everyone sits down, which relieves aching feet from walking, while still exploring the new surroundings. (& bonus points if it’s the city’s native transport system! #savemoney #enjoyjustthesame)
• With kids, visiting just one museum per day may be your best bet. If it rains on a day you planned to go to the water park, switch to another day’s plans to see a movie or do another indoor activity.
• Also, every third or fourth day, plan an easy day where you sleep late, hang out at the hotel, or take short walks around the area. Plan in low-stress days.

Expect the unexpected. 

It’s a positive experience for kids to learn that, sometimes, even the best planning is affected by weather, mistakes made by the hotel, and other events out of your control. Talk to your kids in advance about these unplanned possibilities & stay as upbeat as possible. 

Delegate responsibilities to each child. 

Maybe your twelve-year-old can be assigned to keep the eight-year-old occupied while at the airport. Or your teen can be in charge of watching over Mom and Dad’s luggage when they go to the restroom or magazine shop before take-off. Before traveling, brainstorm with your kids about how to solve potential challenges. Ask ten-year-old Naomi what she can do to ensure her fourteen-year-old sister, Mia, gets along well with her. Talk to Mia about what she might do to make Naomi happy.

• Tell your kids that you’re counting on them to make the trip as enjoyable as possible. Make it clear that the success of this vacation will be a team effort.

Change seating arrangements during travel. 

Whether you’re flying, taking a train, or traveling by car, switch up the seating every half-day or so. Sit in the back seat with your five-year-old daughter while your eleven-year-old son sits in the front with Dad until lunch.

• Then, change seats after lunch. Consistent seat-changing can freshen up conversations and ease tensions between the kids.

Take surprise items. 

For each child, pack new, unseen items to thrill and distract them from the monotony of travel. Trinkets like sticker books for younger kids, word puzzles for eight- to twelve-year-olds, and magazines for teens help the time pass.

• A book about a child’s favorite subjects or even a new game for their hand-held device can be a godsend when stress starts to trickle in.

Apply these strategies on your next family vacation.

Everyone will be happier and your trip will be virtually stress-free.

Start planning a family get-away now.