HOW TO SURVIVE THE HOLIDAY TRAVEL SEASON

It’s that time of the year again when everyone flies home or to an exotic holiday destination to celebrate Christmas and ring in New Year with family, friends, and loved ones. Definitely the happiest and burpiest time of the year … and everyone will agree, also the MOST STRESSFUL. We’ve all been there: the long queues at immigration, the hours-long traffic that all commuters and drivers loathe with a passion, the overbooked flights, the hordes of travellers penetrating every corner of the airport, the stuffed overhead bins, the harassed-looking flight attendants, the overwhelmed check-in counters, Manila’s laglag-bala scam … the madness is through the roof!! Enough to make even the savviest and most frequent flier to be tempted to cancel all flying plans and just stay put to dodge all that stress (I’ve been tempted more than once!).

While I may not be able to magically clear up the immigrations lines nor protect you from the much-publicized bullet scam in the Philippines, here are some tips to help you navigate holiday travel from check-in to landing in the most hassle-free way possible (or at least with a modicum of sanity left at the end of your flight):

Image: TravelAsiaOne

BEFORE A FLIGHT

1. BOOK FLIGHTS WITH FLAGSHIP AIRLINES. First of all, I’m not allergic to low-cost carriers (LCC) on a normal day, but during peak season, I find LCCs to be the worst value ever! Especially for international flights: you need to buy extra baggage allowance, meals, seats, etc. – and then you find out in the airport that they’re overbooked and you’ve been bumped off the flight! If they do, LCCs are usually worthless (I’m looking at you, Cebu Pacific) and have the lousiest customer service responses in the world. At least airlines like Singapore Air and Emirates will ensure that they get you on the next available flight out. LCCs will usually leave you dying alone in the middle of the desert without food or water, and then try to cover the incident up.

2. CONNECT TO AN ALTERNATIVE AIRPORT. Especially true for us probinsyanas who dread going through Manila because of all the delays, air traffic jams, and poor airport conditions – save yourself the hassle by connecting via Iloilo or Cebu instead. Even on a busy day, I’m usually in and out of Cebu immigration in 30 minutes, tops, with enough time to eat a plate of yummy Zubuchon lechon before I’m called to my gate. :) Manila immigration checks usually take forever. And Manila’s waiting lounges are some of the worst: I made the mistake of flying via Manila on December 24th last year and there were no seats – let alone any breathing space left, in the elbow-to-elbow crowd of irate fliers after ALL of Cebu Pacific’s flights were DELAYED and/or CANCELLED.

3. PICK A SEAT STRATEGICALLY. This is highly subjective based on personal preferences, but I normally get a seat at the very back of plane for two reasons: (1) I board first and have dibs on the overhead bins for any carry-on luggage I may have and, (2) I've been on several flights where this was the only row without seat mates. Some LCC’s seats near galleys and toilets don't recline, but big carriers like Emirates’ A380 do (with full seat pitch recline, too!). If you have a tight connecting flight time (which I highly do not recommend, by the way), take the first few rows so you can dash out of the plane once it lands (TIP: you can also tell the FAs about your connection so they can prioritize your disembarkation).

4. PACK AT LEAST WEEK IN ADVANCE. One of the most stressful things about flying is packing and ensuring everything is within the weight limit stipulated in your ticket. Pack, then repack, if needed, early on – it gives you more time to double check that all you need for the holidays are in your luggage.

5. BUY EXTRA BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE IN ADVANCE. This is especially true for LCC fliers. In between that 40-inch TV screen, boxes of Merlion chocolates, and Lacoste shirts, you will DEFINITELY need 10-15KGs more of baggage for your Christmas pasalubongs. I don’t get it when people knowingly over-pack then throw a tantrum, bawl their eyes out, or scream at the poor check-in attendants at the airport when they’re asked to pay extra fees for overweight luggage. You packed it, you pay for it!

6. SEND YOUR GIFTS VIA COURIER 1-2 MONTHS IN ADVANCE. Balikbayan boxes in Singapore are cheap and easy to send: normally SGD 100 (Php 3,300) will allow you to fill the box to your heart’s content without any weight restrictions. Plus, you don’t need to lug around that LCD screen through a jam-packed airport crowd. It pays to have your Christmas shopping done ahead of time and in trickles once the “ber” months kick in.

7. CHECK IN ONLINE. I cannot stress this enough: I really do not understand why people forget to check in before their flight and would rather queue up on-site (unless of course the airline doesn’t allow web check in). Sure, you still need to queue to check in your luggage, but usually, it’s a shorter wait and a breeze than the other option.

Image: Airline Reporter

DAY OF THE FLIGHT

1. CHECK ALL YOUR DOCUMENTS & TRAVEL ESSENTIALS. Passport? Check. Visa? Check. OEC? Check. Cash and cards? Check. Boarding pass? Check!

2. DRESS COMFORTABLY. I cringe whenever I see women wearing 3-inch heels in the airport – if you’re traveling on business, sure, a sensible 1 or 2 inch heel is perfectly acceptable but beyond that, you’re just asking for trouble. Leave the stilettos for those glittery night outs once you land. I’ve witnessed too many ladies painfully teetering in their vicious heels while navigating a crowded airport! Loose the constricting clothing, too, because you want to breathe properly, not collapse due to bandage-like dressing! My flight outfit usually consists of: a non-wrinkly jersey top, jeggings (judge me all you want, but they’re uber-comfy!), ballet flats, and a shawl to help ward off the cold. You can still dress to impress without being uncomfortable: the less fussy, the better!

3. NEVER GO OVERBOARD WITH HANDCARRIED ITEMS. You’ve seen these types: they have 1 sling bag, 1 backpack, 1 rollies, 3 shopping bags, and 1 huge-ass stuffed toy with them. They look harassed and tired from lugging around more than their bodyweight, then blame the airline when they can’t bring everything inside the cabin. I only ever have my trusty Longchamp bag and PacSafe sling bag as cabin luggage. If you have more than two, please see #4, 5, and 6 above.

4. PAY FOR THE AIRPORT LOUNGE. I’ve written a post before on how you can access lounges for free, see here. If you don’t have access, please invest a few dollars to get lounge access during this busy holiday season. Your soul will thank you for it. Free hot buffet, drinks, and chair massages set in a comfortable (and usually, silent) location. You’ll be unfazed by the rest of the airport madness after a couple of hours in this private retreat.

5. PREPARE YOUR ITEMS FOR GATE CHECKS. Sometimes, I really wonder if people are just amnesiac, dumb, or both – especially those who have the audacity to fight with airport staff that WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN’T BRING IN MY 1-LITER EVIAN WATER, DO YOU KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE THIS IS?!!! (Haven’t you heard of 9/11??!!) Or they wait till the very last minute (after standing in queue for 10) to take out their tablets or laptops from their bags, resulting in a longer wait for other passengers behind them. Don’t be one of those annoying fliers.

DURING THE FLIGHT

1. RELAX. I swear by lavender essential oil or moisturizer to help me in this area. I normally reapply the lotion right before boarding so I’m cool as cucumber. I only ever do this during Christmas-season travels because it’s the most stressful period of them all.

2. BRING AN EYEMASK AND HEADPHONES. Noise-cancelling headphones are the best. Either way, you can shut out everyone and everything around you and be in your little, relaxed bubble.

3. READ A BOOK. LISTEN TO WHITE NOISE. The point is to decompress, not overstimulate yourself while on the flight, so stay away from mobile or tablet games (unless they can lull you to sleep). White noise or some chill out music also help me have a better night’s sleep on the plane, especially if I’m taking the red-eye.

4. TAKE LONG DEEP BREATHS. It will help calm down your overexcited self, trust me! :)

UPON LANDING IN YOUR DESTINATION

1. SAVE EXTRA IMMIGRATION FORMS. You’ll thank yourself when you visit again. Some countries don’t require citizens to fill this form up, while others still do – Philippine Immigration can be confusing: not everyone in their staff know if citizens still need to fill this up and usually, they run out of stock (go figure!), and passengers run around like headless chickens trying to coax a solution out of anyone who looks vaguely official. And please, always carry a PEN!

2. PRE-BOOK TAXIS OR CARS. Sure, there are the go-to taxi coupons in most airports, but during the holiday season, the queues can be agonizingly long as well. More so for the normal taxi stands. I’ve learned that some pre-booked transfers are not as expensive as most assume: for example, Asia Travel has airport to city transfers starting from SGD 25 (approx. 800) – same price as couponed taxis. No need to queue!

So there you have it, my tips on how to maintain your sanity over one of the busiest periods for flying. You can also “wing it,” but you can save yourself from so much stress and drama by taking steps to survive holiday travel, especially as some of these issues are self-inflicted (hello, over-packing!J). Proper preparation goes a long way!

P.S. for the laglag-bala scam, I suggest you duct tape any zipper on your luggage, sign on the tape edges, have it wrapped at the airport, then sign all over it. ;-) Hand luggage should have locks to prevent easy access, too – any bag without it should not be used!

HAPPY TRAVELS! x

#TipsTricks #listicles