The rules & tips for Airline Baggage Allowances that will make you next trip hassle free

Ever been left fuming when the cheeky check-in assistant at the airport slaps you with an excess baggage charge? I recently faced the exact situation during my visit to my home town a week back. It is very important to be aware of the aircraft luggage allowances when it comes to flying. Every passenger is allowed to take a certain amount of baggage with them during flying and if the passenger is having an extra weight, he/ she need to pay for that.

Airlines always provide its patrons with assessment on how much baggage one can carry. Every airline is different and so are their baggage allowances. It is always important to keep this thing in mind else you will face the same problem as I did, where I really had to pay a huge amount for my extra baggage of books. It takes nothing more than a little more preparation while packing and planning a trip or vacation.

The Indian revenue department has also specified a list of items along with the size. People planning a trip can go through the list while packing their bags for a hassle free flight to your destination. There are some airlines that use these two concepts in their baggage allowance; the Piece concept and the Weight concept. Certain airline companies operating under the Piece Concept may add additional checked baggage allowance for their elite level fliers.

Unlike the Piece Concept, in which weight limitations are per bag, the Weight Concept permits passengers to merge their bag weight into lesser bags which would otherwise be too weighty to voyage under the Piece Concept. To avoid fees, the passenger has to two choices; either he will toggle his items to the other suitcases to even out the weight of his luggage or the passenger could have his other baggage carry it on.

I have put all the information that one may need in order to plan their trip hassle free. Travel is easier when you know what to expect and plan ahead. So plan well and enjoy your entire trip without disturbance at airport.

Things to remember when you are flying overseas

Air travel is always an exciting experience, more so if it’s the first time that you are boarding a plane. Air travel requires a little planning to ensure a smooth and comfortable flight. Longer the flight more is the planning required for a smooth journey. One should ensure that one’s name spelled on the ticket is same spelled on the passport. Double check the flight timings to avoid any awkward glitches. It is always a smart thing to do to reach the airport a minimum of two hours before the time of departure of your flight keeping in mind that air traffic can vary.

A little thought should go into the luggage you intend to carry and is often advisable to check with the airline about baggage allowance. While packing, keep it basic, don’t overdo it and never ever dismiss the weather of the destination city. Always retrospect on the transportation options from the airport of your destination city and remember to get local currency especially in smaller denominations. Most airports provide the facility of money exchange. In certain cities, finding people to speak English may be a little tricky so it will be extremely street smart to carry along a map of the place. Try not planning anything urgent or taking care of any pressing issues the day you reach your destination for there could be many unexpected twists in terms of flight delays, the distance between the airport and the city could be more than you expected. Smile a lot during your stay and connect with the locals and have a memorable trip.

The Right Way to Lodge a Complaint with an Airline

Soaring through the sky is not always a sky high experience; you could be expecting a cheerful and friendly cabin crew but it should not come as a surprise if you are disappointed. When flights at unearthly hours trouble frequent air travelers, it definitely takes a toll on the cabin crew members. It is not very common that they are impudent and terse, but they do have the skills.

Tardy responses, terse replies and unacceptable services provided by cabin crew members often leave passengers baffled and disappointed. If you ever have such an experience wherein you need to deal with a rude cabin crew member or inadequate flight amenities, and the disappointment is such that you would like to articulate your grievances, then the right way to do so is to register a written complaint against the cabin crew member, you can also get in touch with the ground office of the airlines at the airport, make a call to the helpline number of the airlines or drop in an electronic mail or a snail mail to the airlines.

When you are lodging a complaint just ensure that you mention your flight details, your seat number and be specific about your complaint. You can also send in a photo copy or scanned copy of your itinerary with your written complaint. Ensure that you follow up with the airlines if they do not respond, and may be free tickets, monetary compensation or a mere apology will bring a smile to your place.

Phobia of Flying- Get over and explore the world

If the phobia of flying or air travel is restricting you from exploring the world then you may need to believe the hackneyed phrase that “Airline Travel is safe.”All those scared of air travel need to keep a few things in mind while they are on board and en route to some destination. If the hackneyed phrase is not good enough to alleviate your fears, you can resort to the boon of technology- Internet. Reading about the rare air crashes and the mechanisms of flying, safety measures involved, turbulence- factors and causes causing them may just help to ward off your worry. While on board informing the cabin crew about your fear, listening to your favorite music, reading some interesting or humorous piece of literature, making silly banter with your co passenger may comfort you in your flying experience. Passengers with a fear of flying should avoid a window seat on the plane for the view may not be very appealing to you.

Air travel is probably as safe as using a toaster in the kitchen and definitely safer than travelling by a car. One should learn about this fact that the fear of flying can keep you away from a lot of frolic and fun and so a conscious effort should be made to learn and control one’s fear of flying and inhibition while travelling by air if alleviating it completely is not possible.

Time to breathe easy for air travelers

Most air travelers breathed a sigh of relief with the announcement of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in regard of some restrictions being abolished about ‘carry ons’ in domestic and international flights which were imposed in August. There has been a change not only in the United States of America but a change has also been introduced in the United Kingdom about what can be carried on board as a carry on. Medicines and baby food or milk are no longer the only liquids that are permitted on the flight. However, TSA has been specific about the quantity that is to be allowed on board and it is to be three ounces. The news has been delightful for most travelers whose luggage comprises only of carryon items.

If we try to whisk through the products that are now permitted in your carry it would include shampoos, liquid soap, and fragrances that are to be placed in a quart-size, clear plastic zip top bag. Medicines, saline solutions and baby food don’t need to be placed in clear bags. Liquid items bought on the concourse are also permitted on the flight. Electronic items including PDAs, laptops, mp3s and cell phones need to be screened separately. Now, that the regulations are less stringent the question remains which destination is your next flight to.

Now Change Service Provider without Changing Your Phone Number

Don’t want to get parted with your phone number even when you are sick of the services provided by your mobile company? You need not worry as telecommunication have launched new application called “Mobile number portability”. With the help of this application, you can change your phone company without getting rid of your present number.

Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said "We're very happy that we are going to launch it nationally It's a great step forward for the consumer. It enhances his choice". The whole procedure of Mobile Number portability requires some simple steps to follow. If u wish to get rid of your present mobile company, then send a text to 1900 from your phone, your present company will reply with a unique porting code. That code would be used for filling form for the company you want to shift to. Within 48 hours, that company will take over all your cell services and charges just Rs 19 for the same.

There are certain things that you need to keep in mind before choosing another company. In case, you are not satisfied by the services of new company you have recently changed you will have to use their services for at least 50 days before shifting to another mobile company. Remember not to change your mobile services while you are out of station or else you might have to bare heavy expenses on roaming.

According to Director General of Cellular Operators Association of India, Mr Rajan Mathews, “You can use number portability for any post-paid as well as prepaid number. In case of a post-paid number, there shouldn't be any dues. For a prepaid number, carry forward of any balance to the new service provider is not permitted”.

Mobile Number portability is already launched in few part of India. In Haryana, it was launched on November 25. With the major widespread of MNP, there is possibility of a bright future in the telecom department.

Jet Lag- How to cope with it?

Jet lag is the most frequent complain of air travelers. Caused by long distance trans-meridian travel on a plane and the disruption of one’s body’s natural pattern, it is a problem that is rampant among travelers and often a cause of worry for most of them. Though the symptoms are subjective depending upon the distance from one’s own time zone, the most common are fatigue, constipation, mild depression, irregular sleep patterns etc.

The most effective way of dealing with jet lag is ample rest, a healthy diet and adequate exercise. One should try and get plenty of sleep before boarding the plane, drink plenty of water and avoid alcoholic drinks and caffeine during the course of the flight. One should also try and exercise their legs a little and keep relax their muscles as much as possible during the flight. When one arrives at their destination, one should try and adapt to the local time- eat and sleep accordingly. Exposure to sunlight is also handy in warding off jet lag.

Some Exercise Tips While You Soar Through the Sky

With addition of modern aircraft and the rapid increase in the number of air travelers, most airlines have extra long haul services now. Such long traveling hours are not healthy for blood circulation and pose the threat of DVT or deep vein thrombosis. In-flight magazines often warn passengers of the risks and provide sound tips to keep circulation trouble at bay.

One of healthiest things to do is to increase the intake of fluids and try to consume less of alcohol or alcoholic beverages during long flights. A conscious attempt should also be made to move one’s the toes up and down, stretch your legs as far out as possible, and pointing the toes, and rocking left and right in the chair, clenching and unclenching the muscles. Stretching the arms and wiggling fingers, while rotating the wrist, will aid in maintaining healthy circulation. An occasional stroll to the washroom or the lavatory is the perfect exercise as you through the clouds to keep circulation problems at bay.