Airline Travel 101
Ever since I can remember my Dad has been a pilot (military and commercial) and as a result, our entire family has logged quite a few flight hours. Airline travel doesn’t have to be miserable – here are some tips on how to make it enjoyable, as well as the questions (and answers!) my Dad gets asked all the time.
- Turbulence. Turbulence is unstable air (think of choppy water after a boat passes through) and there are three levels of it – mild, moderate and severe. In severe turbulence people that are not wearing seat belts get bounced off the ceiling of the airplane. In moderate turbulence you can not walk down the aisle without falling down. Most customers will never experience moderate turbulence, but commercial planes can and will withstand severe turbulence from time to time. After all: no modern commercial jet has ever disintegrated or come apart due to turbulence. Pinky swear.
- Seatbelts. Many people are annoyed that they have to wear their seatbelts while they are seated, but consider this: the majority of injuries on planes are to flight attendants and happen during turbulence. Why? Because the flight attendant who is not belted down gets bounced (off the ceiling or a seat) and lands on something other than the floor. Our local pilot says: wear your seat belts for your own safety and that of your neighbor.
- Lap babies versus car seats. If at all possible, you should pay for a seat for your baby, bring their car seat (or FAA approved restraint) with you and keep them in it for take-off, landing and any periods of turbulence. It isn’t an easy idea to swallow (financially or for your ear drums if you baby isn’t the biggest fan of his or her seat) but our local pilot asks you to try this experiment: Hold a thirty pound bag of sand in you lap while traveling at 15 MPH in you car (use the back seat). Have the driver slam on the brakes and see if you can hold on to the bag of sand - no human can do it. Now imagine what would happen to the bag of sand…or your baby… if the airplane stopped suddenly from 30 MPH while you were taxiing. Buckle up- and be sure to request the lower priced child-fare for their ticket.
- Plan ahead for the kids. a few new coloring books, packs of crayons or stickers and small toys could mean the difference between a comfortable flight to Grandma’s and the most miserable three hours of your life. If your child has a peanut allergy, calling the airline days in advance means you can get a clean, nut-free plane (they will keep it nut-free the entire day) but telling them upon arrival at the gate won’t do you much good. Be sure to ask your flight attendant for lids & straws for kiddie cocktails, most airlines have some just for little ones.
- Can TSA see your underwear in your suitcase? Nope. The only things that can be seen with clarity are items that show up with radar. Loading a suitcase with electronics will cause them to visually inspect the suitcase but clothes are essentially invisible, unless of course you have some metal in your undies.
- Where are the safest seats on the plane? No such thing! There used to be an old wives tail about the back of the plane being the safest because the black box was in the back. In reality, there are several black boxes scattered throughout the plane. There is typically at least one in the front, one in the back, and one in the wheel well.
- Why do I have to wait to turn my electronics on until a certain altitude? The FAA allows phones (in airplane or game mode) & electronics to be turned on above 10,000 feet to prevent electronic interference, especially during the take off and landing phase. That altitude was determined because flight attendants are supposed to be seated below 10,000 feet so the FAA decided that was a good altitude to impose the electronics limit. Do phones really cause electronic interference? The FAA says that until you can prove that they don’t, then the rule will stand. That said, imagine what would happen in during a passenger emergency evacuation on the ground if everyone had their music cranking into their earbuds!
- Dress appropriately. Consider an airport or airplane that is over or under air conditioned - layers are essential so you can get yourself comfortable. Don’t forget to check out the climate of where you are going (a handful of people always get off a Las Vegas to Chicago flight in February wearing shorts and sandals….) and don’t forget to take safety into mind. Real shoes (not flip flops) are important if you have to evacuate the plane in case of emergency and wearing real fabrics (cotton, bamboo, linen) instead of plastic based synthetics could save your life in the event of an in cabin fire because the synthetics melt to your skin at high heat.
- And finally… the top three airport dining choices across the nation (scientifically determined by….us): Legal Seafood at Washington National, PinkBerry at the Los Angeles airport and Maxis (sandwiches) at San Jose/San Francisco/Reno airports. Bon appetite!
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Daisy, Health Editor. Daisy is a lawyer married to a lawyer (insert lawyer jokes here) living in a small condo in a big city. She breaks up the legal-speak by blogging about life in Chicago, which is filled with cooking, sailing, distance cycling, urban escapades and the antics of their neurotic beagle, Rhett Butler. In the summer she enjoys patio dining with cocktails and in the winter wonders what she was thinking when she moved here. 
Great tips! As someone who works in aviation I think these are great clarifications/ suggestions.
Thanks so much!
Awesome tips! Thanks!!
Glad you liked them Allison!
They are great tips. My basic problem with flying is my first husband was an A&P fixed wing mechanic, both military and civilian. I’ve spent more time sitting in hangers listening to airplanes being worked on then I can count, so when I fly I’m always ‘hearing’ things that probably aren’t really there. Noises that would normally red X a plane until the part came in to fix it.
My other problems include being claustrophobic, terrified of heights, and I get violently motion sick. So normally, if I can avoid flying? yeah, I avoid it. lol
Haha, if I were you I would probably avoid it too.
Great tips!
Thank you!!
Interesting about the peanuts. i guess calling ahead makes sense. What are some other tips for flying with babies. Anyone out there have the secret key?
Not me- maybe one day!
Some good advice I have heard as well, have your infant sucking on a bottle during take off and landing (or just sucking on a nook) it helps keep the pressure from building up in their ears. On most flights that is when children cry, they don’t know how to pop their ears.
What is this “child fare” you speak of? Do airlines really still do that? Or is someone going to laugh at me when I call to ask?
Yes Audrey they do- same as senior fares!
Senior fares? Really?
I clearly know so little of the world.
Haha I PROMISE.
this is a website for curvy women and you’re not gonna mention seat belt extenders and the horrors of not fitting into a seat?
Marina, I AM SO THERE WITH YOU. Not gonna lie, the second I get in my seat, I break out in cold sweats. In my head, I already have a plan, if I can’t fit, I’m going to pretend I am pregnant. That is how afraid I am!
This is such a great topic, and we did touch on it when Greis wrote an amazing article about not fitting in ride/plane seats, the comments are so great…
http://www.curvygirlguide.com/self/too-big-to-ride/
For this article, Daisy was speaking with a pilot, and in general, the whole seat size issue is different by airline and handled by the flight attendants and customer service.
However, this is a great topic, and we already have a writer on it to explore this issue that SO MANY of us face, and we’ll offer great solutions, options, and support!
Thanks so much!
I ADORED flying up until I was about 21 and now I’m Nervous Nellie. I was nodding along with you thinking “See, this is why I should not be nervous,” until the part where you talked about synethetic fabrics melting onto my skin. That could happen anywhere, not just on a plane, but it’s not exactly a pretty picture. My dad is the exact opposite of your dad. He’s an aeronautical software engineer, and instead of being comforting, “This is normal,” he white knuckles it the whole time telling you horror stories of everything that could go wrong with the plane. SO MUCH FUN to fly with my dad!*
*this explains a lot
Hahahahaha. NICE.
These are priceless tips! Traveling can be such a chore, but being well education about procedures can make all the difference!
Thank you Muffy. Of course traveling is always better when you are heading off for vacation, not heading to some boring business trip!
it’s possible i’m the only person in the world who LOVES flying. i have a ton of miles and never stress about it.
sadly, the legal seafood at DCA is gone now. :( sam & harry’s has now replaced it.
This is somber news. SO SAD.