Meeting planners are the most prepared people on the planet. That said, vacation travel may not be as routine as business travel. No matter the travel at hand, there may still be some information to note, despite our being a bit skittish about inquiring about them. So, here we go!
- Schedules and Routines: Bodies like schedules and routines; when taken away from it all, schedule and routines tend to get a bit out of whack. Help things along by starting a few days before travel – take some probiotics and/or eat live-culture yogurt. During travel, don’t sit for long stretches of time, get up and stretch and walk about the cabin a few times during the flight. While at the destination – get rest, get moving, drink water and eat fruit which is good for you wherever you are.
- Best Fly Time to Go: Wouldn’t it be nice to know the most opportune times to use the plane’s restroom, especially when traveling with children. Our friends the flight attendants are happy to help, they share here a couple of time frames that are best bets for a time to go with no line forming outside; as soon as the pilot turns off the seatbelt sign and also right before drink service begins.
- Medicinal Moment: Some medications should be avoided while traveling on the airplane. Avoid taking any hormone-based meds as they can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). For those at increased risk of DVT, ask the doctor if an aspirin, an anti-platelet, is in order. Some people wish to ensure sleep on the plane by taking sleeping pills or antihistamines. Neither are a good idea as they may cause depressed breathing, or even have the opposite effect, and cause hyperactivity. For those anxious about flying, anti-anxiety medication may not be the answer. Not only may it increase breathing and heart rates but can also create increased anxiety on future flights.
- Water – it’s not just for Oceans: It’s very important to stay hydrated when you fly – in an article from GQ we are informed that our bodies lose roughly one cup of water for every hour you’re in the sky—because of the dry air—you need to stay hydrated. Dehydration is hard on your body. So, get some water in the airport and ask for water when the beverage cart comes around. If you need help with increasing your water intake, these tips from flight attendants will help.
- Know This: Frequent flyers have a tendency to zone out during pre-flight safety information session. That said, please take the time to read the following quick rundown of information shared by a pilot. In the highly unlikely case of a crash, this information provides the best chance for survival:
- Remove all sharp objects from your person.
- Remove any item that has the potential of becoming caught on something: this includes eye glasses or footwear like high heels, also loose materials like ties and scarves.
- Make note of the nearest exit and any obstacles to that exit.
- Count the number of rows between your seat and the exit.
- Listen to the flight attendants’ instructions and do as they say! They are trained to know what to do!
- In the case that a life vest becomes necessary, remember to wait until fully exiting the plane before inflating.
- After exiting the craft, move as far away from it as is possible.
- And All That Other Stuff: Think through your trip well before the flight takes off. Everyone has personal needs that should be carefully considered and planned for.
You deserve a break, meetings planner! Make that break worth mentioning!
