GO GO GLOBAL GRINGO!: Go Go Global Gringo's Guide To Flying: Airplanes For Newbies (Part 2

This is part two of my guide for flying for newbies. In part one, I explained how to do everything from checking in faster to going through security to preparing yourself for delay-free boarding. After the jump, I explain how to make the flight itself both more comfortable and more enjoyable.

Delta B767 Premium Economy Cabin prior to take off in Brussels, Belgium

Make Your Seat More Comfy

So you've finally found your seat and are sitting down only to realize that it's a bit cramped. Welcome to economy-class travel of the 21st century! Like every other aspect of air travel, legroom varies wildly from airline to airline. As a general rule of thumb, low-cost carriers will have less legroom than full-service carriers (there are exceptions to this, notably Southwest Airlines in the United States and Malindo Air in Malaysia, just to name a couple). In any case, there are ways to make your seat much more comfortable. Here are my main suggestions:

Take all the magazines out of the seat-pocket in front of you. Unless you're absolutely keen on reading the airline's bi-monthly publication or buying overpriced sky mall items, you don't need it taking up precious knee room. Instead, take everything out except the safety card and put it in the overhead bin. You'll gain a couple of inches/centimeters of space making you feel less cramped.
Don't stow bags where your legs are going to be. Airlines will let you keep a bag under the seat in front of you (unless you're in an emergency exit row). While this might seem convenient to have the bag located within arm's reach, you're essentially taking away precious personal space. Instead, keep your bag in the overhead bin; your legs will thank you for it later.

The Seat In Front Of You Is Not Your Handlebar

This is one of the biggest travel mistakes people make and coincidentally, one of the most annoying.

Here's what happens: A passenger decides s/he needs to get up for whatever reason. Reaching for the nearest aid, s/he will grab the seat in front of them for balance, pulling themselves up. The problem is that the seat that s/he is holding isn't immobile causing the person sitting there to be flung backwards then shot forward as the chair recoils.

Solution? Instead of using the seat for balance, use the armrests to lift yourself up. The armrests are solidly in place and provide much sturdier leverage than the seat in front of you. Additionally, you'll get up easier as you maintain a straighter center of gravity. As an added bonus, you won't be annoying the passenger in front of you.

The Seat Belt Should Stay On

When the captain turns the seat belt sign off, most people immediately unfasten their seat belt. The flight crew will come on the intercom and tell passengers that they recommend that they leave it on for safety. This seems like a no-brainer, except most people tend to ignore this advice.

The problem is that when you're flying, you travel 6 to 7 times faster than when you're driving on the interstate. Each bump in the air (aka turbulence) is magnified by the plane's high velocity.

People have died or been severely injured because the plane they were on hit unexpected rough air and went flying skull-first into the overhead bin above them. You don't want to be that person. If your seat belt is really that uncomfortable, just loosen the strap so you're still restrained but aren't constricted.

It's Cold Up There (And You're Not On the Beach Yet)

This is another rookie blunder that all too many people make. I get it; you're either going on vacation to some place warm or your coming from a sun-soaked destination. Logically you think that you'll be way too hot in long clothes going to and from the airport. The problem is that the temperature on the ground isn't anywhere near the one in the air.

Planes cruise at high altitude. Think Mount Everest and then add another 7,000 feet/2,100 meters. At these heights, the air temperature is well below freezing. Many times, it drops so low that the temperature in both Fahrenheit and Celsius is the same number (that's -40° if you were wondering). Even though aircraft are extremely well insulated, it still doesn't prevent the frigid air from cooling off the plane.

For the passenger, this means that those shorts and flipflops leave plenty of skin to be exposed to abnormally cool air. Mix that in with the body being mostly stationary while sitting (thus preventing the blood from pumping faster) and you're going to feel frosty.

Dress for the climate. Wear long pants, shoes and socks for your flight. If you really can't stand to wear long clothing on the ground, bring a change of clothes with you in your carry-on and change either in the airport or on the plane. You might be able to suck it up for a short 45 minute flight, but spending 8 hours crossing the Atlantic in shorts and a t-shirt is asking for misery.

Don't Rush To Get Up (Unless You Like Standing Around With A Bunch Of Strangers).

Once the plane lands and finally parks at the gate, passengers are quick to stand up and begin grabbing their bags, hoping that it will somehow help them exit sooner. The problem is that you simply can't just get off your flight like you'd exit your car.

When the plane arrives at the gate, there is a multitude of activity going on outside. On the ground, staff are busy applying parking brakes, refueling the aircraft for the next flight, getting checked bags and cargo out from below the passenger deck and perhaps most importantly: connecting the stairs/air bridge. Until that air bridge is connected, or the stairs are wheeled up to the doors, no one is going anywhere short of jumping out an emergency exit (pro-tip: don't do this).

Why stand around in a cramped aisle when you can wait in your (relatively more) comfortable seat? If you're truly in a rush to get off the plane and on to a connecting flight, it's better that you arrange that with gate staff before you board.

One time I had a short connection and needed to check into another airline once I got to the next airport. I told the gate staff my dilemma and they were able to take my checked bag from under the plane and put it in an empty business class seat. This saved me 15 critical minutes as I didn't have to go and collect my bag at the baggage claim and could go straight to the check-in counter.

Enjoy The Trip!

This is my last piece of advice: enjoy the fact that you're flying! Each time I get in a plane, I'm always amazed that we as humans are able to defy gravity and soar through the skies. And despite the fact that planes sometimes crash (and with catastrophic results), tens of thousands of planes take off each day with nary an accident. It's one of the safest ways to travel, not to mention the fastest. So sit back, relax, and relish in the thought that you're moving 500 miles an hour, all without having to get out of your seat.