What are your air travel micro-hacks?

[offshore171]

'm always amazed at how rock solid ice cream can be when served (multiple airlines do it and not just in whY).

It's as if they are chilling it in liquid nitrogen.

 

[SYD]

It's as if they are chilling it in liquid nitrogen.

or stuck it out on a wing before serving!

 

[justinbrett]

What does the shaving kit add over just taking the lags bag out? Or is it that you'd need to take the kit out anyway, so you are only are handling the one item?

I wouldn’t put the plastic bag directly in my luggage in case of leaks, and bring constantly going in and out of my bag for a long trip with multiple stops (my style of travel) the bag ends up getting torn or zipper failing (I switched to just using regular glad bags because I had so many zippers fail on me).

I used to use an old BA J amenity kit, the kind that was a cloth bag with a drawstring - but would always remove the plastic bag for security. I just find the shaving kit works better as the plastic becomes just a liner and you can use things straight from the kit - and if need be you can remove the whole thing to put through the scanners.

It’s working for me.

 

[mandja]

One I just remembered - always carry a spare pair of reading glasses with you when travelling (If you need them).

I do need glasses to fill out forms etc. I found out the hard way - scratching around an unfamiliar location/shops looking for an emergency pair of magnifiers and paying well over the odds.

Ive only recently started needing reading glasses. My tip is to take multple pairs. You will always need them . Have at least one in checked luggage. At least one in carryon, and at least one on your person.

 

[Lady Sam]

I find that those air vents are overrated as they simply blow the same temperature air as what’s in the cabin already. So if an airline (JAL, I am looking at you!) heats up their cabin like crazy, the air vents won’t help. A USB fan however, now that’s an idea maybe? Never occurred to me to me tbh.

True to my word, just returned from my travels with the USB powered fan and it worked a treat for me. The handle folds into a little stand and you can plug it into the USB port to keep it going for long periods. Made a huge difference to my comfort level. I won’t be travelling long haul without it in future.

 

[Berlin]

Gotta check this out. I’m always struggling in overheated cabins.

 

[MrGalaxy]

Bring an extra soft drink from the lounge to the plane

 

[Flyfrequently]

Bring an extra soft drink from the lounge to the plane

And just to have it confiscated at many airports' secondary screening, looking at you VLI, DPS, SIN, DXB for starters!
But a very warm welcome to you @MrGalaxy

 

[FS2025]

If reserving seats on a plane and you're travelling in a couple, you can reserve the window and aisle seat (but not the middle one). Normally airlines will fill up the middle seats last, so chances are if the flight isn't full you will end up with 3 seats between the 2 of you. If someone does get allocated to the middle seat you can just tell them there's been a mistake while booking and offer them the windows or the aisle seat so the two of you can still sit together. Have done this quite a lot with my wife and we end up with a free seat between us 50% of the time

 

[luxury-lizard]

@FS2025 - this practice seems to annoy lots of people (not myself) - what Mr LL and I do when travelling Y is book 2 adjacent isle seats in the back - you still have a chance one or both of you will end up with a free middle seat as these seats (middle and at the back) are the least desirable.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If reserving seats on a plane and you're travelling in a couple, you can reserve the window and aisle seat (but not the middle one). Normally airlines will fill up the middle seats last, so chances are if the flight isn't full you will end up with 3 seats between the 2 of you. If someone does get allocated to the middle seat you can just tell them there's been a mistake while booking and offer them the windows or the aisle seat so the two of you can still sit together. Have done this quite a lot with my wife and we end up with a free seat between us 50% of the time

lol… did this with a friend when we did china on the cheap (Xiamen Air, $560 return to Shanghai from Melbourne). We booked the two aisles in the centre block of three on a 787. Second last row.

Just before doors close along comes the passenger for the middle seat. We were apologetic, explained our aisle seats were the only seats available… we had tried to sit together but couldn’t etc etc.

She turned, quick as a flash, and said ‘I checked in just before check-in closed and got given the middle, so the seat must always have been free!’

She took the aisle, but had figured us out, so wasn’t remotely thankful (which was totally fair! )

I think two aisle seats across from each other on the aisle is the safest bet as per lux-liz.

 

[SeaWolf]

If you've got an early morning departure and you've got breakfast included at your hotel, you can sometimes ask them to give you a takeaway breakfast box. It's usually just fruit, a sandwich, a pastry and a juice box, but enough to tide you over until you can get a proper breakfast. Did that at Banyan Tree Bangkok this morning as I was leaving at 6am.

 

[FS2025]

lol… did this with a friend when we did china on the cheap (Xiamen Air, $560 return to Shanghai from Melbourne). We booked the two aisles in the centre block of three on a 787. Second last row.

Just before doors close along comes the passenger for the middle seat. We were apologetic, explained our aisle seats were the only seats available… we had tried to sit together but couldn’t etc etc.

She turned, quick as a flash, and said ‘I checked in just before check-in closed and got given the middle, so the seat must always have been free!’

She took the aisle, but had figured us out, so wasn’t remotely thankful (which was totally fair! )

I think two aisle seats across from each other on the aisle is the safest bet as per lux-liz.

Hahaha that's golden. It's always hilarious playing that waiting game to see if someone will be put in the middle. And then the relief when everyone's sat down and the pilot says those magic words - "Cabin crew, arm doors for departure". Then it's party time!