I live in Hawaii and travel frequently to Thailand and other Asian countries. I can choose from five different airlines all departing within 2 hours of each other. The difference is &ndash 4 of them arrive at around midnight and one arrives at 4 PM. Trust me &ndash arriving in Bangkok at [...]
For domestic flights, ensure that you check in 2 hours before your flight time. For international flights you should check in 3 hours early. For either type of flights, make sure that you have all your documentation readily available. You will need your ticket, proper identification, and for international flights, your passport [...]
Relatively few bags are damaged or lost. However, your chances of encountering this experience can be reduced even further if you follow the advice set out below.
Packing
Avoid putting the following in checked baggage:
- Valuables (cash, jewelry). Don't rely on suitcase locks; they are easily defeated.
- Critical items (medicine, keys, passport, tour vouchers, business papers).
- Irreplaceable [...]
One or two weeks before I travel overseas, I make a packing list and check items off as they go in my suitcase. In addition to the packing list, I also have my electronics list.
With all of the gadgets and gizmos, wires and cables, I need a list to make sure that I have [...]
* Notify your family and local law enforcement agency of your departure and return dates but don't otherwise publicize your travel or vacation plans. Leave contact numbers with appropriate mission personnel.
* Arrange to have a friend or colleague pick up your newspapers, mail, or other deliveries daily.
* Secure your home. Close and lock all windows [...]
Once again, terrorists have determined how we travel. No longer can I bring a bottle of water with me on the airplane. The threat of a bomb created from liquids has changed how and what I pack, it has also changed how I pack it.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is charged with the [...]
Here are some tips to get through the security checkpoint at the airport. Follow these and you will get through security and to your plane on time.
* Arrive on time. Arrival time recommendations vary by airline and day of travel, so check with your carrier. A boarding pass and valid government photo ID are [...]
Here is a step-by-step tip sheet on how to get to Pattaya.
1. Save your money all year for your vacation. Not counting airfare, budget for $150 US dollars per day.
2. Apply for and get your passport. Get a visa also if you are staying long term
3. Book your flight and hotel. You can do this online [...]
Packing
You can pack to avoid problems. Some items should never be put into a bag you plan to check into the cargo compartment:
* Small valuables: cash, credit cards, jewelry, cameras.
* Critical items: medicine, keys, passport, tour vouchers, business papers.
* Irreplaceable items: manuscript, heirlooms.
* Fragile items: eyeglasses, glass containers, liquids.
Things like this should be carried on [...]
Between the time you check your luggage in and the time you claim it at your destination, it may have passed through a maze of conveyor belts and baggage carts; once airborne, baggage may tumble around the cargo compartment if the plane hits rough air.
In all fairness to the airlines, however, relatively few bags are [...]