Justin Burch asked:


So, you’ve made it through security and are ready to get your vacation under way. Unfortunately, you still have a long flight to sit through. Yet, flying doesn’t have to be a miserable experience - even if you are traveling with children. Here are some travel tips to help your whole family enjoy your time in the air.

As “airline food” isn’t exactly a mouthwatering phrase, it is a good idea to pack some food in your carry-on bag. While it may be difficult to pack an entire meal, there are plenty of healthy snacks that can fight your hunger. Start with healthy items like dried fruit and granola. If you are looking for a little more protein, add some jerky to your bag. If you have plenty of healthy options in your bag, you can more easily resist the urge to munch on the less-healthy fare aboard the flight.

Keep in mind that the air inside of airplane cabins is always very dry. As a result, you might experience a thirst that can’t be quenched by the irregular, less than generous drink service. An extra bottle of water or juice in your carry-on bag can go a long ways towards eliminating this discomfort.

If you are one of the many who experience motion sickness, consider taking a pill before boarding the plane. For international flights to the Caribbean or elsewhere, a motion sickness medication may also help you to sleep through much of the flight, allowing you to awake rested and relaxed at your destination.

You have to try your best to relax. Everyone has a different outlet for relaxation, so here is a list of activities to keep your stress at a minimum - whatever your interests may be:

• If you have a laptop computer, you can easily listen to music, watch DVDs or even get some work done. Just make sure you charge your batteries before flying.

• While MP3 players are nice, you don’t need the newest gadget to zone out airplane noise. You can plug noise-canceling headphones into any type of portable music player.

• Books and magazines are great ways to pass the time. If you find the noise irritating, you could even put on noise-canceling headphones without music and eliminate most distractions.

• Simple games like crosswords and sudokus can alleviate stress and exercise your mind.

One of the best tips for air travel with children is to secure seats in the front row of the cabin. In the front row of seats, your family will be granted some extra space and privacy - luxuries that are especially helpful when flying with infants or toddlers. If you have toddlers, you should also find it easier to let your children play, stretch or wander a little at the front of the aircraft.

When flying with children internationally, most travel professionals recommend non-stop flights. Non-stop flights can be helpful as they allow your children to sleep uninterrupted and prevent potentially stressful hours of flight changes. Additionally, your kids will certainly be happy to arrive at your vacation destination as soon as possible. However, there are some benefits to taking breaks between flights. For instance, if you are flying to the Caribbean from the northern U.S., your children might become impatient on such a long flight. With a brief layover in a southern city, you can relieve some of your family’s stress from being cooped up for a whole day. A break between flights will also allow you to pick up snacks and drinks, while your children can stretch and walk around freely for a little while.

You should also make sure that you pack all the things your children might need in a carry-on bag. This includes everything from food and medications to extra clothing and a blanket. Older children will probably be entertained by many of the items on the adult list above, but also consider packing items like stuffed animals and art materials. You should try to avoid toys with small parts - such as board games, building blocks and model kits - and your child’s noisier playthings.

If all else fails, just remind your family that you are all en route to a wonderful Caribbean vacation.



Robin

Ray J. Walberg asked:


The human body is not made to sit still for long periods of time. Proper physical function relies on movement and blood circulation. However on an extended flight, you may feel like you do not have a choice in the matter. You are stuffed into a cramped seat with little opportunity for movement. Hours in this position can lead to stiffness, cramping, and decreased blood flow. It is important to learn how to master the art of long flights without suffering the physical consequences.

To keep your lymph system working at peak levels despite your extended flight, try to engage in movement as much as possible. Keep the fluids flowing through your body by periodically walking down the plane aisle (if the fasten seatbelt light is off). You can perform stretches, even yoga positions, in this narrow space. In your seat itself you can do small exercises that will keep your blood flowing harmoniously through your body. Try pressing your palms together, exerting pressure on them so your arm muscles flex. You can lift your arms over your head. You can flex your abdominal muscles, straightening your back. You can tense your thigh muscles in repetitions. If you take a big book to read on your flight, you can perform bicep curls with it. Do you have carryon luggage? If so, you can stand in the aisle and lift it with your legs, or hold it in front of you at a ninety-degree angle. In addition to increasing blood flow, exercise also helps prevent jet lag. You get the best of both worlds.

When flying for long periods of time, be sure to drink lots of fluids. This will help your body on its circulation task. Water makes everything go more smoothly. Smoking a cigarette will only make your body’s task harder. Nicotine makes it harder for blood to reach your extremities and taxes your whole system. If you are a smoker, try not to smoke in advance of your flight. In addition, avoid caffeine, alcohol, and salty foods. These always complicate your body’s work.

Dress appropriately for your flight. As much as you want to look like a movie star when you arrive at your destination, resist the urge to wear high heels or tight, fancy shoes. Dress comfortably in loose clothes and practical shoes. For especially long flights, don’t be afraid to pack pajamas and slippers. Just make sure that you are not too exposed, as not to discomfort your fellow passengers. Any tight item of clothing will compromise your circulation during the trip. Many people have the habit of crossing their legs when they sit. This position can cut off blood flow to your legs and also lead to misalignment of your back. No matter how uncomfortable your plane seat is, try to avoid crossing your legs. If you follow all these rules, you will arrive in your destination with excellent circulation and will be ready to begin your travels on foot. Long flights do not have to take a severe toll on your body, especially its circulation system.



WILLA

Dorothy Yamich asked:


The fear of flying is called Aviophobia, and millions of air travelers and potential flyers worldwide suffer from it, to a greater or lesser extent.  It can be triggered by a number of concerns such as the fear of heights, the fear of falling, the fear of takeoff and landing, the fear of crashing, the fear of flying over water, the feeling of loss of control causing panic attacks, air turbulence, stormy weather, hijackers or terrorists, motion sickness, claustrophobia, as well as other phobias. 

If your fear of flying is very severe, you should enroll in an intensive treatment program.  However, if your fear of flying is not severe, there are some things you can do that may help remedy the problem.

Sit in a seat over the wings, preferably not a window seat, so you can’t look down at the ground.  When you sit over the airplane wings you will experience a much smoother ride.

If you can, leave your seatbelt on as much as possible so if air turbulence does occur you won’t get jarred or bounced about as much.

If you can, avoid eating or drinking any food or beverage that contains sugar, caffeine, or alcohol.

It will help a lot if you try to stay positive and always think only positive thoughts.

If you can fly at off-peak times, you will probably feel less stressed as there are fewer airplane passengers to contend with.

Many airline passengers also suffer from the fear of heights and claustrophobia, in addition to the fear of flying, which can easily compound the problem.

For more valuable information and advice on how vacationers as well as business air travelers can overcome their fear of flying, visit FlyingWithoutFear.com.



Jess

Lee Dobbins asked:


Everyone loves a family vacation but traveling with children can be challenging, especially if air travel is involved in getting to your vacation destination. Lugging all the extra “stuff” that children need can be a drag and even on short flights any child is bound to get bored so you will need to think up ways to entertain and relax them. As with anything else, it’s best to be organized and prepared in order to make your flight a pleasant one.

A decision to undertake air travel with children should not be made without an understanding of the challenges involved in such an undertaking. Making a trip with children in tow can lead a parent to confront many unforeseen problems. Before, you make those vacation plans, it’s a good idea to sit down and assess just what might be needed for such an undertaking.

Even if things go smoothly, air travel with children means dealing with added extra paraphernalia. The parent has to carry all of their gear, while constantly keeping an eye on a group of very small, and usually very active, travelers. Even if things go smoothly, the challenges thrown at the traveling parent with child can be almost overwhelming.

If things do not go smoothly, then air travel with children can generate an even greater number of challenges. Parents are likely to be very distracted because they must keep an eye on their children around hundreds of unknown strangers. It is so easy for a young child to venture off in such a busy environment. Fortunately, air travel with children gives the parent access to many interesting experiences. If parents can, they should allow any children to enjoy those happenings and to forget their complaints. If you travel with more than one adult in tow, you can often get through traveling with children with no apparent problems at all.

In addition, the sooner you start traveling with your children, the sooner you can expect them to behave well when traveling. If you wait until the children are over the age of 5, you might have your hands full. However, when parents start taking their children on air crafts or other trips when they are small infants or toddlers, they will understand the process and behave well throughout their lives. The more they are exposed to the circumstances, the better they will act for the parents and the more parents will enjoy their traveling experience.

Taking your children on a plane doesn’t have to be something you dread. You just need to be prepared and try to look at things from your child’s perspective - this might give you some insight as to how to make the flight more fun for them as well as for yourself.



Marcus

Vaibhav Aggarwal asked:


Business air travel broadly refers to charter airlines that operate aircraft on a charter basis. Business air travel is not a part of commercial air travel and is treated as a separate entity by the FRA, which even has a separate part to handle Chartered flights. In essence, chartered flights are outside normal schedules, by a hiring arrangement with a particular customer. Most scheduled airline companies also operate charter flights but are not considered or classified as charter airlines.

In context of Business air travel, charter flights have acquired a more specific role with the sole function being to transport executives, sports teams, and anyone whose schedule does not coincide with the schedule in which commercial aircrafts operate.

Air charter travel started becoming popular in the late 1990s, when chartered aircrafts moved into mainstream corporate aviation for a number of factors:

The popularity of very light jets and executive jets popularized the concept of business air travel. These small jets operate with lower inventory and downtime, which add up to bring down the cost of flight substantially. Cessna, Eclipse, Adam Aircraft, and Embraer are the forerunners in executive jet manufacturing. These jets are small, and are retrofitted to operate like an office.

Communication: The 9/11 incident has forced the FAA to impose a number of restrictions on commercial airline travel. For example, use of laptop computers and telephones are completely banned on commercial aircrafts. However, charter flights are regulated by a different part of the FRA, where rules are not so stringent. This flexibility is an added bonus to the corporate world, who now have got the liberty to stay in constant contact even when on the air.

Flexibility: Most commercial airlines operate of preset routes and revenue earning destinations. Hence anyone who has to reach a destination that is not revenue earning would have a tough time arranging for breaks journey. Air charter aircrafts has solved these problems.

Business air travel is expected to increase ten fold over the next two decades and private charter companies are preparing well for the bang. As more and more companies are entering this arena, rates are becoming more competitive and affordable.



RENEE