5 Things You Should Never, Ever Count on While Flying

 

Another article on the joys of
flying:

5 Things You
Should Never, Ever Count on While Flying

By RICK SEANEY, CEO of FareCompare | Good Morning
America 

You
know what you can count on when you fly today? Reliable transportation that is
usually the quickest way to get from Point A to Point B.

That's
the good news. There are several things one should not count on.

5
Things You Should Never, Ever Count on While Flying

Feel
free to tell me what I've missed.

1.
On-time flights

In
general, airlines are getting better at landing when they say they will. But do
not count on it! Weather is always a factor. Take the statistics from February of
last year showing only about 80 percent of all U.S. flights were on time.
Unfortunately, in February of this year, only 70 percent were. And in January,
only 67 percent of flights were on time.

And
don't get smug now that spring has sprung; thunder and lightning can delay more
planes than snow and ice.

Tip
No. 1: Avoid tight connections. If your plane is supposed to arrive in New York
at noon so you can board a 1 p.m. flight to London, that's way too tight. Give
yourself several hours or fly in the night before.

Tip
No. 2: Always confirm flight times, but be careful. Just because a flight is
supposed to be delayed a few hours doesn't mean it will be. If the weather
clears or a mechanical problem is fixed quickly, the plane will take off
whether you're on it or not.

2.
Faster security

Maybe
it usually only takes you 10 minutes to clear security but that may not be the
case this summer. Airports will be crowded with once-a-year leisure travelers
who don't know all the rules and may slow everyone down.

Tip:
If you're a member of PreCheck, with its aster security experience, good for
you, but this program comes with no guarantees. From time to
time, you could be demoted to the slow line in the interest of “random”
security measures.

3.
Special assistance

If
you have a young child traveling solo or maybe a wheelchair-bound grandparent,
make sure to do your homework when it comes to providing them with all the
assistance they might need. Learn your airline's rules for unaccompanied
minors, have the child's necessary paperwork in order and confirm all details.
If elderly folks have any medical issues, call the TSA Cares helpline at
1-855-787-2227 to avoid the possibility of unpleasant surprises at security.

Luckily,
problems are extremely rare, but not unknown: Children have been sent to the
wrong cities and a grandmother was left on a plane alone when her wheelchair
attendant failed to show.

Tip:
Make sure everyone has a cellphone (and knows how to use it), complete with
pre-programmed numbers. Then confirm all details of the trip. Then confirm again.

4.
Comfort

On
today's flights, you get what you pay for (as Spirit passengers know better than anyone). If you
want a bigger seat, you'll pay for it, or try for an upgrade with miles. If you
want food, be prepared to spend some money (credit cards only). If you want
more attention from the flight attendant, get an upgrade to business class.

Tip:
Bring all the comforts of home such as a lunch, a small pillow and blanket.
Electronic devices are nice, too.

5.
Sense of humor

I
hope you saw the video of that Southwest
flight attendant providing laugh-out-loud commentary during the usually dull
safety-briefing, but don't be fooled: Humor is in short supply. Most airline
and airport passengers are just too busy with service and safety tasks. Your
flight attendant will not be amused by efforts to flirt with her or the
constant ding of the call button.

Tip: Do not make jokes about bombs on a plane, at security
or on Twitter. The airlines have zero sense of humor on this topic and zero
tolerance. Just ask the teen who allegedly tweeted a bomb threat to
American Airlines recently. She can tell you all about her arrest.

At
Excelsior Limousine you can always depend on on-time arrival, safety, special
assistance, comfort and a sense of humor from our chauffeurs in our luxury town
cars and SUVs.