HOW TO FLY IN AN AIRPLANE
LinkedIn is about professionalism, so I’m going to keep things right on topic: learning how to properly take an airplane trip is a key component of being a professional.
When it comes to traveling, an astonishing number of people are amateurs.
Here are 8 ways to go pro:
FLY COACH
I mean, not if you can help it of course. But what people don’t realize is that most of the first-class experience isn’t even the flight — it’s the experience AROUND flying. Below are ways to make that experience a pleasure.
SMILE
Almost anything you want, you can have, if you smile and say “good morning” before you ask it.
DRESS WELL
I’m not talking about bringing back the glamorous old days of wearing a suit on a plane.
Can’t be comfortable unless your body’s wrapped in fleece and your feet are nestled in foam? That’s OK — at least go monochrome, and smell nice.
You don’t look like a schlub because you’re in sweats, you look like a schlub because you’re wearing 7 different colors and patterns, you can't find your ID, and your socks are dirty.
CHECK YOUR BAG
For reasons I’ll outline below, gliding to your destination hands-free is elegance personified, and the ultimate stress reducer.
Decent airlines lose checked bags less than 1% of the time. You can afford that risk.
Check your bag. Live free. Be happy.
SKIP THE OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT
If you require the overhead compartment, you’ve packed too much.
What do you need on the plane with you? A laptop. That fits in an elegant laptop bag, which fits under the seat in front of you.
Why go to this trouble? Because almost every annoying thing about flying is the result of our collective obsession with the overhead compartment:
- Why is everyone trying to board before their group is called? They want early access to the overhead compartment.
- Why do people line up for an hour just for the privilege of sitting on the plane even longer? Fear of losing their space in the overhead compartment.
- What causes an extra 15 minute delay before takeoff? Flight attendants reshuffling overstuffed overhead compartments.
- What comes unlatched during turbulence and rains hard-shell suitcases on your head? The overhead compartment.
Skip all that.
When you’re flying first class, by all means, board when they call you. But when you’re flying coach, you want to be the last person to walk on the plane.
Flying first class is not a flex. Sauntering from the lounge to the gate, 10 minutes before takeoff, baggage free… that’s a flex.
CALCULATE TIME
Bolting upright the moment the plane lands, moving into the aisle, and shoving your way in front of 1.5 other passengers actually does not help you make it to your connection on time.
Standing up against the baggage carousel while looking for your bag (and blocking everyone else’s view of their own bags) saves you a similar amount of time (zero).
CALCULATE MONEY
When you land at JFK, you have to take a bus, to a shuttle, to a “shared ride area”, where 400 other miserable people are waiting for an Uber.
Or, you can just pay $30 more for an Uber Black, and get picked up curbside. You just bought yourself an hour. You might not be rich, but if you’re reading articles about professional travel on LinkedIn, you make more than $30 an hour.
2 more math-based hacks:
A certain platinum credit card gets you access to a certain lounge. Yes there’s an annual fee. What are your peace of mind, additional productivity, enjoyment, stress reduction, and a decent meal worth?
Lastly: when you arrive at the airport, Uber your ass right up to the curb and tip the skycap $20 to check your bag directly. Walk by the “bag drop” line without so much as a glance.
You’ve just saved 45 minutes. Spend that time in the lounge.
Handyman
2wI love this post for the insight into other travel experiences and offer my own counterpoint - I dislike checking bags and for work trips I just travel with a small backpack that *can* fit under the seat, should I not get overhead space, which is maybe once. When I land, I march right on by the conveyor belt and straight to the (usually) front of the taxi/Lyft line. That being said, I do sometimes check a bag and will be keeping all of this knowledge in my back pocket! Bonus knowledge regarding lost/delayed luggage - it's not on us travelers to be able to afford the rare inconvenience, it's on the airlines: https://www.transportation.gov/lost-delayed-or-damaged-baggage
Luxury Automotive Brands - Sales, Operations, & Marketing Leader
2wI am in 100% agreement on checking bags, credit card perks like lounge access, and making the whole journey a relaxing one instead of an unnecessary struggle. I've found that a good set of over-the-ear, noise canceling headphones is a game changer. Imagine being able to hear the dialogue of your selected movie more clearly while also minimizing the drone of the plane and the din of the other passengers! Tuning out the rest of the cabin makes time go by more quickly and puts less strain on your senses. Lastly, a little more math... when returning home (via LAX) I've found that the cost for Uber, inclusive of surcharges and tips, is often approaching the flat rate I get from my local car service. For a small premium of around $35 I have a driver waiting for me when I arrive at the baggage claim who then carries my bags to a black car or SUV where a bottle of water is waiting for me in the back seat. No messing about with an app or trying to spot a ride in the cluster of traffic.
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Co-founder at Lafayette American
2wBag checking is the airline industry's worst-marketed product. You're telling me that for a small fee (or free) you're going to valet my bag on and off the plane? AND I get to be unburdened by things I will not be using for my flight? And yet people still fight over the indignity of lifting their belongings over their head and shoving them into the overhead compartment...