“He who would learn
to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance;
one cannot fly into flying.”
-
Friedrich Nietzsche
German philologist,
philosopher, cultural critic, poet and composer.
(1844 – 1900)
As a frequent traveler, some of these things I have observed
and learned, may assist you in traveling successfully and tactfully in airports
and on planes, too:
1)
Ensure you arrive early enough to get parked or
inside, through security and to your gate.
2)
Be ready with TSA Pre-check or to take things
out and off when asked. Being a rebel at
the security line is not the time for it!
And please be mindful that the workers are people, and put your cellular
phone away while engaging with others.
3)
When you are at the gate, be mindful of
conversations on your phone so that others do not have to hear you, or worse
yet, move away from you. Turn off sounds on your phone in regards to texts and
emails, as nobody wants to hear beeps and ticks during their wait time.
4)
Know how the airline boards. Ask the gate attendant if you are unclear.
And, resist being on the phone when boarding, as you may miss announcements, or
minimally be rude to the gate agent and others around you.
5)
When you board, ensure you have only two bags,
and that you can manage them…meaning one you can lift over your head.
6)
Once aboard, resist eating stinky things – we
are trapped together on this plane!
7)
Keep videos/games to yourself by using
headphones before you start the “noise”.
8)
Remember, the person in the middle seats gets
the armrests.
9)
Be kind and considerate to the passengers and
crew.
10)
Exit like you do at a wedding, row by row, not
“who can get to the door first”!
With these courtesies and considerations in mind, the flight,
or flights may be as long or short as they have been in the past, and hopefully
in the future, the experience will be a little less turbulent from your
perspective!
