Travelling through the airport can either get your holiday off to a smooth start, or it can put you in the worst mood by the time that you sit down on the plane. The factors that affect your mood can be long queues, crying children and delayed flights and although the majority of these may be out of your control, there are certain ‘hacks’ you can use to make your airport experience better, whether you fly from Manchester Airport, Birmingham Airport or Stansted Airport.
Before you get to the airport
Book ‘red-eye’ flights
Any flights which depart after 10pm at night are classed as ‘red-eyes’. Flying at this time means that the airport and in particular, the security and check in queues will be much shorter with less people around.
Stay loyal
Many airlines have frequent flyer clubs, so if you stay loyal to one airline in particular, you will build up points that you can use for upgrading to first class, booking lounges or even on the flights themselves. Virgin Atlantic has a Flying Club programme, and British Airways has an executive club.
Book an airport lounge
Airport lounges are useful if you have a long wait ahead of you. Although they can be costly, you will get food and wifi access included in the price- this can often be expensive at airports. The majority of airport lounges such as Manchester and Gatwick don’t allow children under 12. However, at Heathrow Airport there is a family lounge which is free to enter. The lounge is located in terminal 3 and has play areas for children aged 0-9 , a quiet room, games room and space for nursing mothers. These facilities can be a godsend for keeping children entertained in an otherwise mundane environment.
Wear your heaviest items
You want to take your new heeled shoes away with you, but you’re worried about the weight limit in your suitcase. Perhaps you know that you’ll need your coat when you step off the plane home, but it’s going to be too heavy to pack. The most simple solution is to wear any heavier items. The trick is to ensure that you wear layers you can remove easily at security.
Take plenty of ‘ziplock’ bags
All liquids must be in a see-through bag when you go through security. Most airports will charge you money to use one of their bags, so taking your own avoids this cost. Save time at the gate and avoid having to throw anything away by making sure that you have plenty of the bags. Don’t take any chances, make sure you put any makeup, fragrances, contact lenses solution etc. in the bag
When you arrive at the airport
Snap a picture of your parking spot
If you have to drive to the airport and park in one of the mazes, sorry, multistory car parks, you’re bound to forget where you’ve parked at the end of a relaxing trip. You can avoid this by taking a photo of your car parking space as well as the floor and zone that it is located in. Save yourself time wandering around when all you want to do is get home.
Put personal items in your hand luggage
Once you’ve checked in and you no longer need the likes of your keys and wallet, at least until you get through security, save time by putting it all in your hand luggage. Also take off any other items, such as belts and jackets, that you are required to take off through security. This will help you get through the process a lot quicker.
Turn left
Research has shown that most right-handed people will turn right when presented with an option of which direction to go, purely out of impulse. By turning left at security, it’s pretty likely that you will encounter a shorter queue. Also try and avoid any desks with two members of staff, as it’s likely one of them will be getting trained, which means they’re more likely to stop you.
Use your phone instead of your feet
So, the worst has happened and your flight has been delayed. Instead of rushing to the help desk with everyone else, call the airline. That way, you’re more likely to find out about rescheduled flights or the refund process, and you don’t even have to queue up! Although, if it’s a long delay, you may miss out on food or hotel vouchers if you don’t queue. Holiday Numbers has the phone numbers for most airlines, such as Easyjet, Delta, Flybe, Air France and Jet2.
Follow these simple hacks and save time and stress at the airport. Happy holidays!
