Lake Norman Navigator

Thanksgiving weekend went well for most travelers, but the holiday season still has a long way to go. What can you do to make the rest of your holiday trips a success?

Air travel
Just as you practice defensive driving to compensate for the other fellow’s mistake, you should practice “defensive flying” in case the airline has difficulty, according to AAA. Among the suggestions:
Before you leave home, go to your airline’s Web site and sign up for e-mail alerts. Print out your boarding pass as early as possible to get a better seat. For real-time information on flight delays around the country from the FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center, go to http://www.fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp. If you were heading for New York’s LaGuardia Airport at midday Monday, for instance, you would have learned that planes departing for LaGuardia were being delayed an average of three hours because of weather and low clouds. Check with your airline to find out the impact on your own flight.

Be prepared for a flight delay. Bring books, music or video games to entertain yourself. Your carry-on bag is the place for essentials such as prescriptions, credit cards, glasses, travel itinerary, toiletries and chargers for electronics you plan to use. Bring food you can carry on and eat on the plane, if you are stuck on the tarmac. A change of clothes is also an essential in case of delays or lost luggage.

Program your cell phone with the numbers for your airline, hotel, car rental company and travel agent. If you miss a flight because of delays, you can call the airline directly instead of waiting in line at the ticket counter.

Ask about amenities if you’re delayed. Your airline isn’t required to offer anything extra when delays or cancellations are caused by bad weather, but staff on the ground may be able to provide food and hotel vouchers, snack boxes and phone cards if you ask. When delays are caused by mechanical problems or other circumstances within the airline’s control, the airline may be required to provide such amenities.

If you want to report a problem to the Department of Transportation’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division, call (202) 366-2220 to record a complaint; go online at http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov or write to Aviation Consumer Protection Division, C-75; U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW; Washington DC 20590.

At ChristineColumbus.com, the experts advise allowing “huge amounts of extra time” to get through traffic to the airport and through lines at the airport. On peak travel days, add 45 minutes to the suggested arrival time. If you miss a flight during peak holiday times, you may miss your trip because, with airlines about 90 percent booked this winter, you may not be able to get a seat on another flight for several days.

If your airport commute is longer than two hours, think about spending the night at a hotel near the airport. Several Marriott and Holiday Inn hotels near Washington Dulles International Airport offer park and fly packages that allow you to take a shuttle to the airport and leave your car at the hotel while you’re gone.

Follow the rules set by the Transportation Security Administration for luggage. For carry-ons, remember 3-1-1 for liquids and gels: Use 3-ounce containers that will fit in a 1-quart plastic bag, one bag per person. For checked luggage, use TSA-approved locks so that inspectors can open your luggage if needed without cutting off the lock.

On the road
Before you go, check your vehicle’s tire pressure (including the spare), fluid levels and hose connections to avoid problems.

Take frequent stops to avoid driving while drowsy. Some highway rest stops offer free coffee on peak travel days.

Traveling shoes
Start your travels on the right foot with the right shoes. Ron Truselo at onlineshoes.com offers these tips:

Take only three pairs of shoes. The first should be a versatile style such as flats or loafers that can look good with jeans or be dressed up for dinner. The second pair should be athletic shoes. The third depends on your plans — possibly snow boots, dressy shoes or slippers.

Pack shoes with socks in the toes to keep them from getting crushed. Use chamois bags to protect the finish and keep dirt off your clothes. Put shoes around the perimeter of the bag, with soles to the outside to prevent scratches.

To get through airport security lines easily, wear shoes that slip on and off such as clogs or loafers. Wear socks so you don’t have to stand in bare feet.

For driving, you want a shoe that will stay on your foot to prevent foot fatigue from holding a shoe in place with your toes. Athletic shoes are one possibility. Also consider moccasins with sloped heel treads to rest your foot comfortably on the floor and accelerator.

Tips for a safer journey
In case of emergency, bring your doctors’ contact information and health history.

If you regularly take prescription medications, remember to bring a copy of the prescription along with enough medications to last several days longer than your scheduled trip. Unexpected travel delays are a common occurrence during the winter months.

Be sure to store medications in their original containers that are child-proof and out of the reach of children. Children are often attracted to the brightly colored pills and might mistake them for candy.
n Make sure you understand the rules for carrying medications onto planes.

Talk to your doctor about your risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), which occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein deep inside a muscle in your body. Long periods of sitting can cause DVT. During long flights, it’s important to exercise your leg muscles by periodically moving through the cabin.
Source: ARA

Be sure to ask about escape routes when staying at hotels and relatives’ houses as candles, lights, and decorations cause major fire hazards during the holiday season. Take the time to identify stairwells, exits and other safety equipment such as fire escape ladders.