Air Travel http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Travel/Air-Travel/index.846 New posts in Air Travel Mile High Club http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Travel/Air-Travel/Mile-High-Club.129707 Here is my response to reports that consumers recently evaluated the airlines industry and gave it grade of “D.”

I wish to point out that the optimum flying experience is often out of the hands of the airline employees. The passengers themselves are to blame for the poor airline reviews. Flying is like going to Disneyland on the warmest and most populated day. You just have to be patient waiting in a three hour line to fly on Dumbo with the rest of humanity.

Here are some things that are not the airline carrier's problem:

  1. You get an “organized, herding” kind of feeling and you have an unexplained deep desire to “moo.”.
  2. The guy next to you has not bathed in a while and the stench makes your eyes water
  3. A huge woman has chosen the middle seat. Her rump expands over to your seat. You are in the window seat and literally seating on the window shade.
  4. The gentleman in the middle seat takes both arm rests and insists on reading his newspaper even if his elbow knocks you in the ribs
  5. The guy behind you keeps yelling the latest news article that he is reading in his magazine. Unfortunately he is hard of hearing and he thinks everyone else is as well. “I SAID LITTLE GREEN MEN HAVE INVADED CALIFORNIA CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT?”
  6. The kid in front of you gets out of his seatbelt turns around, smiles and quickly drools in your face. Isn't he precious?
  7. The lady in front of you just keeps ordering drinks as her kids jump on the seats, scream and argue. “Sit down little Jimmy or I will be forced to order another white wine and I mean it!”
  8. The guy next to you tells you that you look like a famous actress and he would like your phone number. He says this 10 times before you even take-off.
  9. The lady behind you chooses the flight home to tell her husband that she wants a divorce and reveals all the sordid details as to why. “Listen Harry, I know about you and Meredith and Jill and FiFi and Bob and the horse and I want a divorce!”
  10. The couple next to you decides that the honeymoon destination is not the only place to prove their desire for each other. They decide to ask for a blanket and get an early start on the activities. “Oh baby, yes! Yes!”

So as you can see the airlines are not really to blame for the diverse and often lousy flying experiences that we all encounter. Dealing with the public on overbooked, delayed, and overcrowded flights has to be one of the worst jobs in the world.

But what do you mean charging me an extra $25 bucks to check in my luggage? Why don't you charge the idiot tying up the line trying to load his casket in the overhead after bumping every passenger in the face as he makes his way down the aisle?

Isn't flying wonderful?

]]> Mon, 26 May 2008 02:32:15 PST 10 Airports You Might Want to Spend Time in--or Not http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Travel/Air-Travel/10-Airports-You-Might-Want-to-Spend-Time-in--or-Not.125164

  • Entebbe, Uganda

    Dozens of people piled onto the plane when it stopped at Entebbe and they filled every empty seat. Their anxious faces spoke for them, telling stories of fear and horror and weeping, and they were mostly elderly. What sounded like shots rang out from somewhere in the dark and an old man passing along the aisle near me froze, shut his eyes tightly, and held onto the head rest of the seat in front of me. No luggage carts drove out onto the tarmac - no possessions got through the airport that night. When the plane eventually taxied away it felt heavier to me than when it landed bringing a few of us from Dar Es Salaam, more sluggish. At last it gathered momentum as it raced down the runway towards the first traces of dawn, then up into the morning air. That's when the palpable sense of relief poured through the cabin like welcome warm water from a shower in a winter bathroom falling over a shivering body. That was when the weary, worried cargo of Asians knew they were at last clear of Idi Amin and his drunken soldiers.

  • Chileka Airport, Blantyre, Malawi

    It's more of an event, or an entertainment than a purely functional airport; at least it was in the seventies when I last flew out of it. I grew up near it throughout the 60s when about 2 flights a day landed and took off. There was a swimming pool beside the runway with a club house and a bar. That's where we spent Saturdays, and we all ran over to the fence to watch the occasional "plane arrive or leave, and to see who was on it. Thursdays were extra special because that"s when the VC10 arrived with a screech from London. A few hours later it left on the return trip, belching smoke and roaring with all its might to heave itself off the tarmac.
    More intriguing was the mines "plane, an ancient black and green mottled ex-army DC3 that struggled to lift off with its load of men who were innocently heading off to work the mines in South Africa. These ugly, crazy birds lumbered heavily over the otherwise calm, isolated African bush, incongruous but thought to be progressive. It was a relaxed airport back then. Passengers wandered at will across the tarmac to have a look at the "plane they were about to board, friends sometimes boarded with the passengers to see them settled. There were no night flights so it was possible to run an open air cinema after dark, projecting movies onto the whitewashed wall of the club house, with the sound track booming out into the surrounding bush. That's where I saw Malawi's first screening of the Sound of Music.

  • Delhi, India

    Someone calling herself Mrs Gupta was sitting near us on the plane, and I noticed her pushing her way forward to position herself just beside us as we waited to make our way down the aisle when we landed at Delhi. She was still wearing the orchid everyone was given when we had boarded the Royal Thai plane in Paris (as was Richard) and it looked rather faded (as was Richard).
    The second last piece of advice Richard's father had given him before the trip (his first time abroad) was “keep your zip up son”. This was so excruciatingly embarrassing that the poor man had to follow through swiftly with the more welcome last piece of advice: “Don't ever carry luggage or even letters for anyone across a border or through customs. You never know what might be in it“.
    Richard of course said “Yes” to Mrs Gupta when she fluttered her eye lashes at him and asked him to carry a bag through customs. Her explanation was that it just contained some cheap glass table-ware that she had picked up at a second hand market in Paris, but that the Indian customs officials would probably impose a heavy tax on it since they would assume it to be of some greater value. He said yes, and I began to wonder how long it would be before that other piece of advice his father gave him would be forgotten.
    We got through customs and immigration in no time, but poor Mrs Gupta took TWO HOURS being an Indian national and not a tourist. TWO HOURS we waited to give her that cheap collection of glasses and bowls. At last she emerged looking fraught and hassled from the customs hall. Richard dived over to her, thrusting the bag of glasses and bowls in her direction, but before she could grab it he fell over his own luggage and down went Mrs Gupta's bag with the most splendid smash, sending shards of glass in every direction.

  • Kasungu, Malawi

    It wasn't an airport in 1967, it was an airstrip, and I don't know if it ever developped into anything else. A stretch of green grass, with a few long brown lines on it that were skid marks from the tyres of the few light aircraft that stopped there. There was a 6 seater "plane that landed there once a week on its way up to the north to deliver or collect mail, but no buildings. I was very young and sitting beside the pilot. The view was amazing, Hundreds of feet below Africa lay unspoilt, dotted with villages and patterned with lines of travelling Wildebeeste and Zebra. A little boy"s delight, but there was no toilet. The "plane was only ever in the air for an hour at the most, dipping down momentarily to pick up whatever and there was usually a tree or a clump of bushes the the pilot pulled up beside so that took care of the toilet. At Kasungu though the arrangements were different one day: we couldn"t land. The grass strip which the only place flat enough to land, had been colonised by a herd of elephants. The ambled and lumbered all over the place, not in much of a hurry to move on. That day there were no passengers wanting to get on, and the only person there was a man on a bicycle waiting toi collect a small parcel. He was powerless to move the elephants. The pilot tried a few runs towards the herd kamikaze style, but to no effect: they didn't even look upo. We circled for 15 minutes hoping, but to no avail. We headed on to the next “airport” miles to the north at Mzuzu.

  • Luton, London

    Curious new practice I've noticed flying through London on the way elsewhere (I never stop in London) is the one where men bring bunches of flowers when they are meeting ladies. I first noticed it when I got off an early morning flight from Belfast and I felt a bit embarrassed for the one young man I saw carrying a bouquet. He didn't look embarrassed though, and held the flowers proudly instead of down low behind his back as I would. Maybe he's just a hopeless romantic, one in a million, I thought. Or is it a sign of a guilty conscience? Whatever had he been up to while his lady friend was away? But then I noticed another and then another man, each with a bunch of flowers proudly displayed. Then some more joined the waiting crowd, and before long there were about 20 young men carrying flowers and waiting for people to arrive. It took a while, but then it all became quite clear: they were East Europeans, and that seems to be the way they do things in Poland.

  • Turin, Italy

    I waited. The baggage carousel began to turn and bags began to tumble out onto the rubber mats that swivelled their way round to the other side to disappear behind the plastic flaps to pick up some more bags. Passengers pushed their way to the front to be the first to grab their possessions and I pushed harder than anyone so was best positioned to get out and get away before the rest. The bags kept tumbling, the throng of passengers lessened and the bags began to thin out. Last of all came the awkward shaped items: skis, a cello, prams. I was left on my own after a while, the hall filled with the tired grinding of the empty carousel and then that stopped too. Even the customs man with his sniffer dog turned to go but saw me and obviously thought I was waiting for him to go so that I could slip by, contraband undetected. He stayed on, watching me. I detest those dogs sniffing about me. I'm afraid of dogs at the best of times and I'd rather be searched for drugs any other way but this. But just then dogs were the least of my worries. I had no baggage. I had no baggage. I tried saying it in different ways but it never sounded any less bad, I still had no baggage. Not Turin's fault I must say, the fault of the handlers in London. It took 11 days to find it!!

  • Moscow, USSR

    I didn't know that it was the eve of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; I suppose only the Soviets knew that. Still that was the night I arrived in Moscow from Copenhagen en route for Karachi. I wasn't staying though, just passing through, with 4 hours to kill between flights. There were armed soldiers everywhere but I could see no sign of any civilian travellers and began to wonder if I was in the right place. I searched for a toilet. I hadn't dared try to use the toilet on the journey from Denmark because I was intimidated by the stewardesses who glared suspiciously at every passenger who left their seat. I tried a door which had a steady stream of soldiers going in and out looking like they were going in and out to a toilet and I got that part right, but the view inside was too disconcerting. Along three walls of the enormous bathroom was a continuous, tightly packed row of pairs of naked, white knees belonging to soldiers, trousers at their ankles, rifles by their sides, the air full of light-hearted chat. Toilet paper was being passed from man to man and no-one took any notice of me while I surveyed the scene and decided to wait till I boarded my connecting flight.

  • Paris, France

    Queuing for a cheap flight in terminal 3 in Paris evokes stories I've read about the transportation of Jews, homosexuals and Gypsies to death camps. It's not just Paris of course; it's all airports that have built extra terminals to hive off low-cost passengers from the rest of civilised society. What facilities there are, even for babies who scream continuously, are meagre. Old people, baby-carrying mothers flying with no help, the sick, the bewildered, the lost, the scared, all made to wait in endless queues with no explanation, nowhere to sit, no even a rail or a wall to lean on, not even some cold water to drink.

  • Quebec, Canada

    There was nothing obvious I could do with my hands; nowhere to put them. I used the right one to rub the back of my neck for a while and stuck the left one under my right armpit, then I just folded my arms and watched the two men getting on with their job. They were efficient and courteous and above all methodical, and their pleasant attitude took the oddness and humiliation out of the situation. They were ordinary young men doing what they were paid to do with no real interest in me personally, and they made the entire process seem as routine as a visit to the library, which I appreciate to this day. They chatted between themselves about cars and stuff, leaving me out of the conversation even though I was standing only a few feet in front of them on the other side of the table behind a thick yellow line marked on the floor. I wanted to join in but it would have seemed intrusive, inappropriate. But why not?
    After all I was young too, 27, no more than a year or two younger than them I guessed. I knew about cars and football and the other things they were talking about and they seemed to be the kind of men I might have started a casual conversation with if we happened to be sitting in a bar on our own. I suppose the main difference between them and me was our clothes: they were wearing all their clothes while I had just taken all mine off and placed them on their table and now they were examining every seam and pocket. The other important difference was that they had seen behind my ears, inside mouth, between my toes, and up my back side, whereas all I had seem of them was their hands and faces. I was being strip searched. They found nothing.

  • Zurich, Switzerland

    I woke and saw lights rushing past the window. We had landed and I had missed the dreaded bump. Snow was everywhere, and as soon as the plane stopped everyone left their seats with their clothes sticking to their legs and backs. Damascus had been fairly warm in the late evening and we knew that Zurich would be cold - so the pilot kept reminding us at various points along the way. Some of us queued along the length of the aisle while the less fortunate people who had been too fussy about fixing themselves up and straightening their clothes were left standing stooped over at their seats, afraid of bumping their heads on the overhead luggage lockers.
    Time passed and then some more time. The stooped passengers sat back down again and those standing began to wish they hadn't been so hasty about leaving their seats which were now lost to them. An icy draught raced up the cabin when the door opened and everyone got excited. The seated people stood again, still stooped, but expectant. Then the door was closed again and we settled down on seats or arm rests and wondered. The stewards were friendly, moved among us and chatted, not knowing themselves what the hold up was. The stewardesses were uncommunicative, as frosty as the air that had blown briefly inside. An hour passed. An hour and a half. The stewards continued to chat and talked about religion, family, music, history and defused the mounting tension. Rumours traveled up and down the cabin. Airport workers were on strike; the airport was frozen solid and the steps couldn't be moved to the plane till they had thawed; there was thick ice on the tarmac and it was unsafe to walk on; there had been a terrorist attack in the airport. After two hours we were asked to return to our seats. We heard the sound of engines coming to life again. The stewards at the back were in fits of laughter but the stewardesses remained stony-faced and tired. The rumours had been no more than speculation. The truth was that this was Geneva, not Zurich.
    • ]]>     Fri, 16 May 2008 07:08:20 PST     How to Sleep on a Plane and Other Long Haul Travel Tips http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Travel/Air-Travel/How-to-Sleep-on-a-Plane-and-Other-Long-Haul-Travel-Tips.97661 Sometimes it feels like I have lived half my life in the sky. Funny as a kid, I always thought there was magic above the clouds. Turns out, it's just recycled air and bad food. There are however, a few tips to make the journey more enjoyable (or at least less uncomfortable):

    1. Before Booking Your Ticket



      If you are flying economy (as most of us poor worker bees do) you want to first visit Seat Guru. This terrific website allows you to type in your airline and get a list of the best and worst seats in there entire fleet of planes. You have to decide if being too close to the bathroom is worth the trade off of having extra legroom.

    2. Booking Your Ticket

      The second tip is when you book your ticket. Most tickets are bought online now and you always have the option of choosing your own seat. Now if you are travelling alone always look for group of seats where an aisle or window are already taken. You then take the other aisle or window seat, leaving the middle free. These middle seats fill up last so you have a greater chance of having a free seat. And I don't need to tell experienced economy travellers how valuable a free middle seat is. Now if you are travelling as a couple, choose both the window and the aisle leaving the middle open. If the seat gets taken, no one will mind changing from the middle seat so you can sit together and if it is not taken, it's a much more pleasant flight.

    3. Booking Your Meal



      When you book your ticket you can also choose from a variety of meals (low fat, vegetarian, kosher, etc). I quite often will order one of these meals because you get served first (more sleep time) and often they are fresher.

    4. Before You Leave for the Airport

      A lot of people will tell you to check in online. They say it's quicker and you don't have to get to the airport as early. It might be quicker if you have no luggage but if you have bags to check, that line is often just as long as the check in line.

      Also, if you check in you have the opportunity to ask for an upgrade. Don't be a jerk about it, dress well and ask nicely. I always say “if the flight is booked and you need to bump someone to business I'd be willing to change seats”. They usually smile at you and tell you they will see what they can do. Quite often you won't know until boarding, when they take your boarding pass and issue you a new one (in business!!!).

      I would say I have gotten an upgrade about 10% of the time just by being nice and polite. Also if you are pregnant, tell them. I flew 4 times during my second trimester and got an upgrade on every flight.

    5. At the Airport

      Arrive early and bring a book. I try really hard not to work when I travel on long haul flights. I find if I relax at the airport beforehand I am much more likely to sleep on the flight.

    6. Boarding



      As soon as they call your plane boarding, use the restroom. This reduces the amount of airplane washroom trips. And then just relax until the line is finished. Why rush to get on the plane and sit in those cramped seats before you have to. Stay in the boarding lounge and watch the line. I always get up when I see about 6 people left to go through. I have never understood the rush to get on the plane first. I wonder if those people think they will get there sooner.

    7. On the Plane

      Before you even sit down get out everything you want for the flight and put it within your grasp. Book and bottle of water can go in the pocket in front of you. Laptop (if you HAVE to work) can go under the seat in front of you.

    8. Dinner Service

      Hopefully you pre-ordered your special meal and you will eat first. This is perfect if the middle seat is free. You can finish your meal; put the tray in the middle seat and watch a movie and drift off to sleep. My big secret here is to take a Nyquil tablet with my dinner (not when I am pregnant though!). Its amazing how much more likely I am to sleep. I don't take sleeping pills at all but that Nyquil puts me out and I wake up feeling great.

    9. Sleeping



      Your Nyquil should be kicking in. Put on your headphones even if you aren't watching the movie so that people won't talk to you. Put your seat back as far as possible. Don't worry about the guy behind you; the guy in front of you isn't worried about you. Pull out the foot bar from under the seat in front of you. Unbutton your pants, pull up the blanket up to your chin and head off to dreamland before the guy beside you starts snoring.

    10. Arrival



      Here it pays to get off the plane quickly. If you can walk fast do it. You have to get ahead of all the rest of those passengers or you will be stuck behind them at passport control/customs. Use the moving sidewalks and walk on them!

    11. Passport Control/Customs



      Your journey is almost over. You have made it this far. You are well rested, well fed and just got some great exercise racing to customs. All you need to do here is have your documentation ready, be courteous, be polite and avoid the line with a slightly chubby, dark haired Canadian woman because I NEVER get through without a hassle.

    So next time you have an overseas or other long haul flight try these little tips and maybe you can find a little of the magic that exists above the clouds.

    ]]>     Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:37:15 PST     How to Protect Yourself Against Airport Terrorism http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Travel/Air-Travel/How-to-Protect-Yourself-Against-Airport-Terrorism.59355 The holiday season is approaching and more people are traveling by air to see loved ones and friends. Along with travel by air comes the risk of airline or airport terrorism. The threat of a potential airport terrorist attack still exists so it's important to protect yourself and your family. Whether you're waiting in the airport or preparing to board an airliner, it pays to be vigilant. What are some steps you can take to protect yourself against airport terrorism during the holidays?

    • Plan your flight wisely

      If possible, book your flights to land in secondary airports, avoiding the major international airports which are more likely to be targets. Also try to book a nonstop flight to avoid having to changeover in more than one airport.

    • Watch for abandoned luggage

      While you're waiting, always keep your eyes open for abandoned luggage or bags. If you see a suspicious looking bag, report it immediately to airport security.

    • Dress casually and conservatively

      Don't dress in an outfit that would make it difficult for you to move quickly if there should be a terrorist threat. You also want to dress conservatively so you don't stand out from the crowd. Avoid wearing flashy clothing and high heels.

    • Avoid groups of people

      If a terrorist chooses to open fire in an airport, they're more likely to shoot into a large group of people. Stay away from groups of people that are congregating together.

    • Avoid potential airport target sites

      Avoid baggage check-in areas and ticket counters since these can be potential terrorist target sites. Sit in an unobtrusive place while you're waiting to board your flight.

    • Avoid sites where bombs could be hidden

      Stay away from areas where bombs could be hidden by terrorists such as trash cans or other open containers. Restrooms should also be avoided if possible.

    • Don't be afraid to speak up

      If you see anything or anyone behaving suspiciously, don't hesitate to report it to airport security. This is not the time to by shy. Your life could be at stake.

    • Prepare your family

      Before reaching the airport, instruct your family on how to protect themselves against airport terrorism.

    • Choose an off time to fly

      Avoid flying during the busiest times of day or on holidays. If possible, take a late evening or very early morning flight. Terrorists want to do their dirty work during the busiest travel times.

    • Reduce your risk

      By being aware and following a few simple guidelines, you can reduce your risk of being the victim of airport terrorism. Travel safe this year!
    ]]>     Sun, 18 Nov 2007 02:46:18 PST     Air Travel with Your Cat http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Travel/Air-Travel/Air-Travel-with-Your-Cat-.50469 Traveling by air can be nerve-racking for cat and owner alike. Cats are territorial creatures who don't react favorably to being removed from familiar surroundings. Unfortunately, it isn't always possible to leave your cat at home. Here's what you should know if you find yourself forced to take to the friendly skies with your feline friend.

    Make your airline reservations as soon as possible once you know that you will be taking your cat with you on the plane. You will want to give yourself time to call around to a few airlines to inquire about their requirements with regard to pet transport. Each carrier has its own policies, and the policies are subject to change. Some airlines do not allow pets at all; others may allow pets to travel in the cargo hold but not in the passenger cabin.

    Some airlines will refuse to transport pets when the outside temperature is either extremely hot or extremely cold. Every airline that allows passengers to travel with pets will charge a fee, and the fee will vary from company to company. In addition, most airlines impose a limit on the number of pets they will accept in the passenger cabin on any given flight.

    The important thing to remember is that you will need to make a reservation for your cat as well as for yourself. If you don't give the airline advance notice that you're travelling with an animal, you and your cat may be prevented from boarding the aircraft. Call the airline directly for your reservation or use a flesh-and-blood travel agent. On-line travel web sites like Expedia and Travelocity generally do not enable customers to make reservations for pets.

    If at all possible, take your cat with you in the passenger cabin rather than checking her as baggage. It usually costs a little extra to take your cat in the cabin, but it's worth it. Traveling in the cargo hold can be very dangerous for pets. Cargo holds are often not temperature-regulated. Depending on the time of year, your cat could be subjected to broiling heat or freezing cold.

    If the plane hits turbulence, your cat's carrier could fall or be crushed by shifting baggage. Plus, a pet carrier can get lost in transit the same way a suitcase can. If you must check your cat as baggage, inform the pilot of the aircraft personally that she is in the cargo hold so that he can take steps to regulate the temperature.

    Also, ask the airline agents to allow you to be present or at least within watching distance when your cat is loaded into the cargo hold. Baggage handlers will be less likely to throw your cat's carrier or handle your cat carelessly if they know that the cat's owner is looking over their shoulder. Whatever airline you select will require a veterinarian to certify that your cat is healthy and fit to fly. Try to schedule the visit as soon as possible after you realize you will be traveling with your cat.

    Like physicians who treat humans, veterinarians are often booked weeks or even months in advance. When you call for the appointment, be sure to explain the purpose of your cat's visit. The receptionist is more likely to make efforts to "squeeze you in" once she realizes your request is time sensitive and won't take up a big chunk of the doctor's time.

    While you're at the vet's office, you may want to ask about tranquilizers. Some cat owners give their cats tranquilizers before flying to prevent them from panicking or disturbing other passengers during the flight. However, many veterinarians advise against the use of tranquilizers during air travel unless your cat is particularly nervous. Cats tend not to respond well to tranquilizers under normal circumstances, and it can be tricky for your vet to calculate the right dosage to give your cat.

    On top of that, the changes in altitude and air pressure during a flight can intensify the effect that the tranquilizers have on your cat. There is a slight but real risk that a combination of stress and an overdose of tranquilizers could be potentially deadly for your cat.

    Once you have your flight reservations and a veterinarian's OK, it's time to think about the logistics of actually getting your cat on the plane and keeping her in one piece. First, you need to make sure that you have the appropriate pet carrier for the trip. If you absolutely must check your cat as baggage, you will need to house her in a sturdy pet carrier made of a hard, inflexible material equipped with holes or an open-latticed door so that your cat can breathe.

    Make sure that the carrier is labeled with your name and your address and telephone number at your destination. The carrier should also be labeled conspicuously with words "Live Animal" and an indication of which side of the carrier is the top and which the bottom. It is important, especially for long flights, to include water and a small amount of dry food in the carrier.

    If your cat will be traveling in the cabin with you, you will need to keep her in a soft-bodied pet carrier for the duration of your trip. The cat carrier must fit beneath the seat in front of you in the airline carrier, just like a carry-on bag, so it needs to be small and flexible. If you don't already have a soft cat carrier, you can easily find one at almost any pet store. A popular brand is Sherpa, which was designed by an airline attendant specifically so that owners of small pets could keep their animal companions with them in the passenger cabin.

    Once you have your cat carrier picked out, it's time to get your cat ready for the big trip. Place her favorite blanket or one of your old T-shirts in the carrier. Your cat will find the familiar smells comforting. Leave the carrier with the blanket or T-shirt in it out in the open in your living or bedroom for a few days before you leave on your flight. This will give your cat time to get used to the carrier and she will be less likely to struggle when you place her inside when it's time to go to the airport.

    When you arrive at the airport, you will need to send your cat's carrier through the x-ray machine. Before doing so, you will need to remove your cat from the carrier and hold her as you walk through the metal detector. Remember, security personnel at the airport will not allow you to leave your cat in her carrier when it goes through the x-ray machine. If by some chance, you are allowed or encouraged to send your cat through the x-ray machine, don't do it! The heavy dosage of radiation can be harmful to your feline friend.

    If you are afraid that your cat may panic and leap from your arms, place a short leash or harness on her so that she won't get away from you. You can easily find a cat-sized leash or harness at a major pet store like Petco or Petsmart. It may be a pain getting your cat to wear a leash, but it beats having to chase her down in the airport concourse.

    Once you board the plane, place your cat in her carrier securely under the seat in front of you. It's best not to take your cat out of the carrier during the flight. Your cat may cry a little, especially during take-off, but most cats surprisingly do calm down after the plane levels off and curl up for a nap. While your cat is taking her nap, you can feel free to take one too.

    Once you're on the plane and in transit, the worst of the hassle of flying with your cat is over. You can just shut your eyes, nod off, and dream about how happy you both will be once you're on solid ground again.

    ]]>     Sat, 06 Oct 2007 15:14:08 PST