Today I will shed light on an important topic for anyone who travels frequently: how to deal with unexpected travel issues.
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Whatever Happens, Stay Neutral
The more you travel, the greater your chances are to experience travel delays, lost luggage, and missed flights among other things. While this can be frustrating, by keeping a neutral mindset and being prepared, you will be just fine.
Over the past ten years of frequent travel, I have had flights and trains canceled, delayed, missed connections, and lost luggage. Starting off with a neutral mindset is something I find important in everyday life but especially when it comes to travel.
In the book Getting to Neutral, Trevor Moawad talks about overcoming negativity. He explains the idea that you don’t have to be positive every day but you can at least avoid negativity. I find this concept incredibly important when traveling. Some things are out of your control! Whether your luggage was lost in transit or your flight was canceled due to a national FAA computer outage.
Accepting this and having a backup plan will ensure your entire trip isn’t ruined.
One way to avoid lost luggage is packing carry-on only! I wrote an entire post about this topic. If you have recently experienced lost luggage, maybe now is the time to try carry-on only!
How to Prepare
By preparing well for your next trip, even if something goes wrong, you will be just fine!
- Arrive early, you don’t have to get to the airport or train station ten hours early however, I would leave time in case there are delays at check-in or security. Airlines recommend getting to the airport two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights.
- Consider purchasing TSA pre-check if you travel often. TSA Pre-check, Clear, and Global Entry are well worth the fees. These programs fast-track you through security. This allows you to avoid things like taking your shoes off and removing laptops and liquids from your bags.
- Dress comfortably for travel or at least pack something comfy in your carry-on. Being able to change in the case of missing or lost luggage can be a game-changer.
- Ensure you have a fully charged phone as well as a backup battery and phone charger
- Pack carry-on approved snacks and a refillable water bottle for your travel day. Even if you have just a quick flight, delays of even just a few hours might impact your ability to have a decent, low-cost meal.
- Embrace canceled flights! If your flight is canceled, you have the right to overnight compensation on behalf of the airline. When headed from Philadelphia to Paris, my flight was canceled I was reimbursed for the hotel room and meals! I made the most of this unfortunate event and explored Philly! This also happened during another delayed flight from Madrid back to the US and we ended up with a bonus night in Madrid. I will never complain about that!
- Bring some sort of entertainment to keep kids (or yourself) occupied. Whether it is a book, a movie, music, or otherwise, having something to help pass the time is super helpful. Stuck on the tarmac? Be aware that not every airline offers free wifi and some do not offer wifi at all! Plan ahead by downloading movies, tv shows, podcasts, or other entertainment to your device ahead of time. During a long airport stop in Nashville, I was able to listen to live music at one of the many bars, talk about entertainment!
Always Have a Backup Plan
You’ve booked your trip and travel insurance. Now you are en route to the next city on your European vacation and the country’s entire rail system is now on strike. What would you do?
This exact situation has happened to me! I took a deep breath, accepted the situation, and began looking for alternative transportation. Luckily, I was able to book a flight instead so that I would be able to successfully continue my journey. I then dealt with reimbursement for my train ticket on the backend.
By having a backup plan and the funds necessary to change course if needed, I avoided a potentially disruptive end to my vacation. While you don’t have to be wealthy to have a backup plan, I would recommend having an emergency fund of sorts when traveling.
Tips for Getting Comfortable in an Airport
There are just some times when it doesn’t make sense to get a hotel room when dealing with a travel delay. On a recent trip from Louisville to Denver my flight was delayed three hours and I, unfortunately, missed my connection.
Luckily, the airline worked its magic and got me on the first flight out the following day. The tricky part was the fact that because my flight was at 5:40 am and security lines didn’t open until 5 am, it was recommended I didn’t leave the terminal.
So, I accepted the situation and got comfortable to try and get some work and a bit of sleep in. While it definitely wasn’t the most comfortable of arrangments, I had an area all to myself with a small table and couch. It could have absolutely been worse.
Most airports will have sleep pods such as Minute Suites that you can rent for a reasonable fee however, this wasn’t available during this instance. Since I was wearing appropriate travel clothing, getting comfortable and staying warm in the cold airport was a breeze.
Know Who to Contact
If you are faced with having to deal with unexpected travel issues, will you know who to contact for assistance? While you are in the long lines at the travel counter, consider using social media to get a faster response. We experienced this firsthand during a cancellation with a major airline. Think about it, airlines don’t want a bad rep so they have teams dedicated to responding to this type of correspondence.
Don’t throw your manners out of the window! I understand you may be frustrated but know that the agent you are speaking to is here to help. Try your hardest to be polite, and remember the agents are trying to help.
Remember that you have the right to compensation for canceled flights even if you booked a non-refundable ticket. For delays, rules may differ from airline to airline. Use the tips listed above to be prepared for anything but know who to contact and when delays or cancellations happen.
Meditation and Calming Techniques
I know, if you aren’t used to meditating or using other calming techniques, the thought may come across as silly. Just know that meditation has scientifically proven health benefits. Adding these practices to your arsenal may turn an unfortunate travel situation into a much more manageable one.
Simply gazing out of the window from 10,000 feet can be incredibly calming after a busy travel day.
If you are not familiar with meditation, take out your phone and headphones and listen to a guided meditation. There are plenty of options from Youtube to the Peloton app.
Once you are tuned into your guided meditation, try and make yourself comfortable. While I realize that sitting on a crowded bench at an airport may not be the most conducive location for meditation, you can make it work, I promise!
Traveling with others? Ask them to watch your things so that you can tune in and close your eyes for a few moments. If you are a solo traveler, you may consider leaving your eyes open during your meditation. You can also simply try softening your gaze to tune out the distractions around you.
Another idea for making yourself more comfortable during long delays is by paying for access to the airline’s lounge. These areas are typically less crowded and even offer comfortable seating and a tasty meal.
In Closing
Some things are out of your control and travel delays unfortunately are no exceptions. Rather than get upset about any of the things discussed here, get your mind right and be prepared and you will be just fine! If you loved this post, we created part 2 available now ๐
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