As a retired journalist, I have adopted freelance travel writing as my new career. I love traveling and I find it’s the best way to see new places and educate myself about different cultures and history.
However, traveling can also be a nuisance, inconvenient and monotonous. Like most travelers, I hate long-lineups, especially during security checks. Don’t get me wrong, I recognize it’s importance to air safety and to ensure that those terrible terrorists are not on your flight, but I hate the time it takes to do it. I also find that there is no consistency between different airport security checks; at some airports they want you to remove your shoes, belts and empty your pockets while at others none of these are compulsory.
At Omaha, Nebraska airport in the U.S., I was amused to find a sign saying that if you are 75 or older, you don’t have to take out your shoes. When I jokingly told the security guy that I was getting there, he smiled and let me go. Age certainly has its privileges. I also make sure to wear a tight fitting trouser when traveling because I was embarrassed one time when my pants almost dropped to the floor when I took off my belt and I had to hold my pants on both sides until I received it.
Another thing that I have learnt when traveling is to wear shoes with no shoelaces in order to avoid sitting down and undo the shoelaces. Simple slip-ons or those with Velcro are easy to handle and you save time and inconvenience.
Much to passengers’ dislike, at some airports passengers have to go through security checks twice – once soon after check-in and another before you enter the boarding area.
As a frequent flier, I have learnt to arrive at the airport well ahead of my departure time. I find that that way, I am more relaxed and under no tension. One member of my family finds it amusing that I do so and I am the object of his amusing stories about my airport habits. However, I find that when I arrive early, I have time for a cup of coffee and/or breakfast and a newspaper to read before boarding the flight. No rush, no fuss.
Once on board the aircraft, be leery of inconsiderate passengers seated in front of your seat. On one flight, the guy seated in front decided to lower his chair behind when I had still not finished my dinner. Airlines manufacturers try to make maximum use of the space so there is hardly any room between your seat and the one ahead of you. When some inconsiderate idiot decides to take a nap it makes it inconvenient for the rest of the passengers who are still dining. On this occasion, protests made to him generated no response and I had to put up with such behaviour until we landed.
On a recent trip to the U.S., I was flying with United Airlines and to my surprise, the airline charged $26 for the only bag I checked in unlike Canadian airlines which allow one bag free per passenger. Amazingly, carry-on luggage is allowed free, thus encouraging passengers to have carry-on instead of check-in luggage. No wonder most passengers prefer to have carry-on luggage because it’s cheaper and more convenient.
One embarkation method that I like is that United Airlines, for example, allows passengers to board the plane in blocks of seats, thus avoiding passengers rushing to bard the flights.
If you happen to have a seat in the last few rows or at the end, you will find that by the time you arrive at your seat, all the luggage space in overhead compartments will be full and you probably will end up putting your stuff a few compartment away from your seat, making it difficult to retrieve when leaving the plane.
As soon as the captain switches off the engine, all passengers get up from their seats and rush to open the overhead compartments, get their items and then stand in the aisles, blocking them for a long time before the door opens. What is even more ridiculous is that the line moves slowly to allow passengers seated in rows before you to deplane. I wonder what was the reason for the rush while everyone is courteous to allow passengers in front rows to disembark. But having said that, I have also noticed that there are always some passengers seated in the back seats who are discourteous, lack accepted mannerism and code of conduct; they will not allow you to get up.
Then comes the mad rush to acquire your luggage at the carousal. Everyone wants to line up in front of the carousal as if people at the back have no right to acquire their bags. Everyone wants to line up in front, blocking the view of others who are at the back. At one destination, I was patiently waiting for my luggage at the back. When it finally arrived, I had to rush in front of the carousal to retrieve it before the bag makes a second carousal round. Between the exercise to get the bag, I forgot to take my precious duty free stuff which was behind. Half way into the city, I realized what had transpired and decided that there was no point of me returning to the airport because by that time, someone must have picked it up in readiness for a party later that evening.
Going through immigration at Heathrow Airport in London, one of the busiest airports in the world, is a torture. Flight come and go every minute and there is always a mile long line-up at the immigration area. One has to be prepared to wait for what usually amounts to eternity.
To many readers, the above article, my manual for modern travel, would seem as if I am complaining. Despite all the inconvenience and tight security check-ups, I acknowledge that the authorities have to make sure that there are no slip-ups and passengers are safe when they travel. My only hope is that those rude and inconsiderate passengers would take a lesson from most other passengers in mannerism and courtesy to their fellow travelers.
