Checking in online and printing a boarding pass at home are two ways of easing the flying process. But how else can you reduce the hassle and time spent at the airport? Here are 10 simple but surprisingly little used ways.
Before leaving home
1) Register for fast track immigration and security clearance programmes such as IRIS, the Iris recognition immigration system from the UK Border Agency.
2) Clearly label your bag with your work address, mobile phone number and email address – this will really help if it gets lost. Security specialists advise not putting your home address on your bag so not to advertise your absence – nobody wants a visit from the likes of the Wet Bandits. (A business card works well here).
3) Don’t get burned by a flight cancellation. Sign-up for a Tripit account and get notifications on your flight’s status sent to your smartphone and/or iPad.
At Security
4) Where possible, avoid security lines containing conspicuously less experienced travellers – i.e. children, senior citizens, large organised groups. They always take longer to complete the process. If possible, before joining a queue identify one that’s being managed by an ultra-efficient official who’s speeding people through.
Up In The Air: Bingham’s Guide to Travel….. by rubberrepublic
5) Stuff loose belongings – i.e. your wallet, keys, watch, phone, iPod, belt – into your carry on luggage before reaching the scanner.
6) Send your shoes though the scanner before your bag (and other trays if needed) – it’s easiest to put them back on before putting the rest of yourself together, and gives you the chance to quickly grab everything and recombobulate in a quieter area.
7) Take an empty water bottle through security then refill airside at a drinking water fountain.
At the gate
8) If you like to work on your laptop at the airport and on the flight, have a small plug splitter in your carry-on. The small number of plugs in departures are always in high demand – this way you can share one that’s already occupied, or be sure not to be interrupted by another passenger looking for power.
Ater disembarking the plane
9) Avoid the first toilet. The ones further along in the arrivals terminal and baggage area will be much less busy (and cleaner).
When travelling between terminals
10) Shadow flight crews as you pass through the terminal (waiting for transfer trains, elevators and the like). They know how to navigate through the airport in the quickest and most convenient manner.
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