Whether you’re a regular flyer, or an occasional business traveller, you’ll benefit from a few hints and tips on how to fly with less hassle. The airport environment can be pressurised, so if you have a few tricks from a seasoned travel planning virtual assistant up your sleeve, you can check in faster, go through security more smoothly and fly with style.
Tip #1 – get yourself organised
Good organisation is the secret to a happy business flight. Whether you’ve booked everything business travel planner g yourself or rely on a, you should have all the information you need to make the first part of your trip straightforward. This might include checking in ahead of time, making sure you have your passport and other documents in a dedicated folder that’s easy to reach, and knowing details of flight numbers and connections.
Tip #2 – pack smart
For most business trips, you don’t need to check in luggage; you can manage with hand luggage. So, well ahead of time, make sure you know what size of cabin bag is allowed by the airline you’re flying with. This is something that varies from one carrier to another, so it’s wise to check. Then pack only what you really need. Think about wearing or carrying bulkier things so that you don’t need to put them in your case. Buy travel-sized toiletries to make sure you can get them through security or consider just buying something when you get there.
Tip #3 – stay hydrated
Flying is a dehydrating business, and that dehydration is often compounded by drinking alcohol at the airport or on the plane. You won’t be able to take a big bottle of water through security, but you can buy water once you are plane-side, or take an empty water bottle that you can fill. Accept complimentary water or juice on the plane – hydration helps you to deter jet-lag and feel fresher when you arrive.
Tip #4 – consider using a business trip planner
You might think that this service is just for travel booking, but an in-house or virtual assistant business travel planner is far more than that. Importantly, once you’re away, they can be the point of contact for sorting out anything that doesn’t go to plan – from delayed flights to cancelled hotel rooms. They can also make sure you have your entire itinerary either printed out or available online so you know exactly which flights, taxis, hotels, meetings and events you have.
Tip #5 – go for comfort, not style
Flying can be a fairly uncomfortable experience, unless you’re lucky enough to be able to fly first class, or you get an upgrade. So it’s important that you do all you can to make yourself comfortable. This might include swapping your contact lenses – prone to drying out once you’re in the air – for your glasses. It might also include packing an extra pair of socks in your hand luggage so you can kick off your shoes and keep your feet warm. If you can sleep on the plane, a neck cushion helps you to sleep more comfortably, and an eye mask can also be useful if you want to sleep whilst everyone else is reading or watching the movie.
Tip #6 – check, check and check again
If you are lucky enough to use the services of a specialist travel management virtual assistant or agent, you will be able to rely on them to provide you with all the information you need far enough in advance that you don’t need to panic at the last minute checking in online or printing off your boarding pass. But however you organise your travel, it’s always worth going through the details and making sure you know exactly what flights you’re taking, what check-in times are required and what special instructions the airline has given you.
Fed up of booking your own flights? Not enough time to make sure you’re getting things right? Why not call us to ask about our travel planning? Virtual assistant travel services take the stress away from business travel, leaving you to focus on the job in hand. Feel free to call us on 0800 994 9016 or use our contact form in the menu above.