How To Ensure You Get There On Time
July 1, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
The tendency is to book flights to get you to the ship, or the tour, or the wedding just exactly when you need to be there. That’s really not the best option. In order to be sure you get there, it’s a better idea to plan on flights that will get you there early.
Why? Because if you plan it that way, you won’t have to worry if problems arise.
What if your flight is delayed or cancelled? With fewer flights, it’ll be harder to get on the next plane out if this happens to you. Delays and cancellations are risks at any time of the year.
If you’re traveling abroad, you have to worry about monsoons, transiting foreign airports, or customs delays if you need to exit to connect to another airline for a longer trip.
The first flight of the day is generally your best bet for avoiding delays. Those delays have a domino effect and get worse throughout the day.
If you have a choice of connecting cities, pick the one with the warmest climate. Try to avoid airports with lots of delayed flights, although this can be difficult here in Australia. Many international flights originate from Sydney, which has a relatively bad on-time departure record.
Fly at least 24 hours before you need to be there (or back home). If you’re connecting, be sure your layover is at least two hours. Sure layovers are a drag, but if you have a tight connection, and that first flight is delayed an hour, then you have lost your connection.
If you can’t avoid a tight connection, have a “plan B” ahead of time. If you’re delayed, knowing the alternatives will be valuable when you’re trying to rebook.
To avoid missing your flight in the first place, be sure you get to the airport in plenty of time. Most airlines now cut off check in for domestic flights 30 minutes to flight time. Show up 29 minutes to flight time, with bags to check in, and you won’t be going when you thought you would. Even getting there 30 minutes ahead is dicey if there is any possibility of long lines at security. And face it, that’s always a possibility.
So to get there on time, get to the airport early for an early morning flight. Avoid tight connections, and get there a day ahead. You can get over your jet lag, get a good nights sleep, and be ready for the start of your trip.
Commuter Chaos on Sydney to Melbourne Route
January 22, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
There seems to be some uncanny parallels with the Airline industry and the public transport industry. The Melbourne-Sydney air route — Australia’s busiest — is also among the nation’s worst Read more
