LIFESTYLE & TRAVELBUDGETING

Travel Chaos

When we think of traveling, we think of relaxation, getting away from stress, and fun. However, if you have done any traveling in the past year, you may have encountered delays, frustration, and anger. This can lead to a stressful vacation. Here are some tips to help avoid the stress. This may not make the inconveniences go away; however, we have tips on how to prepare for the “what ifs!”

Planning

Most trips involve planning. We plan the activities, the schedule, the food we’ll eat, and the money we’ll spend. But now more than ever we need to plan for the unexpected. There’s not clear picture of what to plan for, so preparing for the “what ifs” is the best way to avoid travel stress.

Try these tips:

• Always make sure you have emergency funds set aside in the event your flight is canceled. This will help you avoid putting unexpected expenses on a credit card if you need to book at hotel.
• If possible, buy travel insurance. If you get sick or experience another unforeseen circumstance that prevents you from traveling, it’s nice to know you won't be throwing money away.
• Pack your essentials — including an outfit — in your carry-on bag. If you can fit all your items in your carry-on, even better! Just be sure to pack at least one change of clothes in case your flight gets delayed or even canceled.
• Always book through the airline when possible. This helps the airline work with flight changes more easily. When booking through a third party, if your flight is canceled, you have to try to make arrangements with that company instead. This can be more work — and more of a hassle if you need to seek a refund.
• Be nice! Yes, it can be extremely frustrating when things aren’t going your way. But it’s also frustrating to the airline staff as well. Try to keep a sense of adventure when things go astray!

Experiences

Traveling is fun, but make sure you have fun when things are not going your way on your trip. I recently experienced some travel chaos with flight delays. As soon as it was time to board, I noticed that my flight was delayed. Then it was delayed again, and again! Before I knew it, it was pushed to the next day. I walked to the counter and asked if there were any flights into a different city close to home. There was one, but I had to wait three hours before I could get on that flight. I decided to explore the airport and find a nice place to have a snack and people watch. It made the time go by so fast and it calmed my nerves from not knowing what was going to happen.

A family member of mine had a recent flight delayed for 48 hours! He decided to take advantage of the city he was in — which he had never been to before — and he did some exploring. I know this doesn’t always work out this way for everyone in every situation, but if you’re prepared for anything, you have a better chance to enjoy everything!

Sources:

• https://www.today.com/news/news/what-to-do-if-flight-canceled-delayed-rcna35649,
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/airline-flights-delayed-canceled-travel-tips/