For seasoned frequent flyers, the modern-day airline and airport experience is one that takes place almost on autopilot. After all, once passengers are used to the routines that come with navigating the various processes that come with taking a flight, they become almost like second nature. However, for all the frequent flyers present in a given airport at any time of day, there will also be first-time travelers.

To those who haven’t flown before, or even those who have but are less well-practiced in doing so, the various routines and procedures that come as part and parcel of modern flying can make for a rather stressful experience. At the same time, even those who fly more often may still find certain aspects of the experience to be stressful. Either way, this stress can be eased with certain tips and tricks.

1

Small airports can be very relaxing

Size doesn’t always matter

Aviation is an industry where, to many people, size matters, with large aircraft like the Airbus
A380, the Boeing
747, and (previously) the Antonov An-225 often being the ones that draw the most attention. Similarly, large airports that handle thousands of flights and millions of passengers a year are always the ones that make the headlines, although their busy nature can certainly cause stress.

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With this in mind, flying to and from smaller airports can be a good way of alleviating this stress, as they generally offer a much calmer experience. Of course, this isn’t always possible, but, using the UK capital city as an example, London City Airport
(LCY) and London Southend (SEN) are excellent alternatives on certain routes. As well as being quieter inside, their smaller size also allows for easier access to and from the relevant public transport links, making your journey nicer.

2

Regional aircraft are nicer onboard than you might expect

Being guaranteed a window or aisle seat is always a bonus

Remaining on the subject of less being more in aviation, another useful tip to consider is the fact that regional aircraft are often surprisingly comfortable onboard. While their small size may trick some passengers into thinking that their cabins are cramped, I have often found the opposite to be true on my travels, and, therefore, always keep my eye out for itineraries including Embraer
E-Jets when booking.

Aside from their surprisingly spacious cabins, regional aircraft also offer a less stressful experience onboard thanks to their seating configurations. For planes with a four-abreast 2-2 layout, passengers know they’ll never have to sit in a middle seat, with this setup also reducing the need for aisle seat passengers to frequently get up to let their neighbors pass. Better still are planes with a 2-1 configuration, where solo seats offer travelers the ultimate experience in privacy and relaxation.

3

Check your bags in the night before

Beating the early morning rush

We’ve all been there. Booking an early flight to save a few dollars always seems like a great idea at the time, but, when the day comes around, the alarm clock going off while it’s still dark makes us wonder if we’d have been better off paying more to fly later. Bleary-eyed and desperate for a tactical coffee, we drag ourselves to the airport at the crack of dawn, only to be faced with long bag-drop queues.

easyJet Bag Drop Prague

Photo: Sorbis | Shutterstock

Naturally, the stress of these long queues, which are often worse during the morning rush, does little to relax our tired minds and bodies, but it doesn’t always have to be this way. Indeed, some carriers offer passengers flying early in the morning to drop their bags off the night before their flight, allowing for a stress-free airport experience the following morning. Of course, this only really works for those who live nearby or are staying at an airport hotel, but, when possible, it is still a treat.

4

Bags can also be dropped at city-center locations

Another great alternative to queueing at the airport

In a similar vein, passengers can also save time at the airport and alleviate potential stress by checking their bags in at certain city center locations, depending on the carrier operating their flight. This can often be a more convenient alternative to going to the airport to check your bags in the night before an early morning flight, as passengers are more likely to be in the city center than out at the airport.

These offers are far from ubiquitous, but certain airlines do have such solutions if you know where to look. A notable example is UAE flag carrier Emirates
, which offers a service known as Emirates City Check-in and Travel Store. According to the airline’s website, passengers can drop their bags at ICD Brookfield Place in the Dubai International Financial Centre between four and 24 hours before departure. Emirates also offers a similar service at the Ajman Central Bus Terminal.

5

Rail transfers can be integrated into flight bookings

Protected connections put passengers’ minds at ease

The debate as to whether it is better to drive to the airport or take public transport is one that has been a hot topic for many a year, and one that won’t go away any time soon. In some markets, a major drawback of taking public transport is the fact that passengers have to build a degree of contingency time in order to ensure that they make their flight, which, if disruption occurs, can be a stressful experience.

However, in other markets, airlines team up with train operating companies to offer through bookings that include a protected connection between passengers’ trains and flights, which, as well as sometimes working out cheaper, takes the stress out of such journeys. A notable example is German flag carrier Lufthansa
, whose hub at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is well integrated with the high-speed rail network.

6

Study your seat maps

Especially useful on long-haul flights

Picking the right seat can play an important role in a passenger’s comfort levels on a flight. On short-haul services, this is generally less of a factor, with uniform layouts and less time spent in the air meaning that passengers are willing to compromise on comfort by not paying to preselect a seat and rolling the dice on random allocation. However, for long-haul flights, it can make or break a trip.

With this in mind, websites such as aeroLOPA can be a passenger’s best friend, as they feature useful nuggets of information regarding seats to avoid, such as those with no recline or window view. However, they are also useful in illustrating prime seats that other passengers may be less aware of. Most notably, certain widebodies with 3-4-3 layouts narrow to 2-4-2 at the rear, and, while having a third passenger in your row isn’t stressful as such, their absence makes flying nicer for couples.

7

Bring your own entertainment

Useful redundancy for IFE faults

Continuing on the long-haul theme, one of the main joys of taking intercontinental flights (at least from my perspective as someone who rarely gets to do so) is the abundance of inflight entertainment options provided by airlines in the modern day. With a huge range of movies and TV shows at your fingertips (as well as the obligatory moving map), modern IFE is almost perfect. Unless it doesn’t work…

Thai Airways IFE Screens

Photo: supakitswn | Shutterstock

Given the fairly universal nature of personal screens on long-haul planes, passengers might not think to bring their own entertainment as this is already provided to them. However, in the event that, for whatever reason, it doesn’t work, the prospect of having to (as present-day social media influencers call it) ‘raw dog’ an intercontinental flight can be a stressful one. With this in mind, it can be advisable to bring a book or two and download films and TV shows to your device beforehand.

8

Inform airlines of any dietary requirements

Many carriers offer special meals to cater to such needs

For passengers with dietary requirements, modern-day flying can be a stressful experience. Indeed, for those with allergies, the importance of staying out of contact with any food that might cause a reaction is very high. Meanwhile, passengers who follow certain diets due to personal or religious reasons may worry that they won’t be catered for by default. For instance, while most airlines cater very well to vegetarians, many of their default offerings on this front aren’t suitable for vegans.

Batik Air Business Class Lunch

Photo: Nasrun10 | Shutterstock

Luckily, many carriers give passengers with special dietary requirements the option to pre-order special meals in advance of their flight. This ensures that they will be suitably fed, while avoiding food waste by loading too many special meals out of precaution. This is a quick and easy way for those with strict diets to take the stress out of flying, as it means they will be properly catered for with meals that, as well as being nutritionally correct, are often served first as an added perk.

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