A TRAVEL expert has revealed a cheeky way to check how full your next flight is and how to ensure you have no seat neighbour.
The savvy woman shared the trick as part of a three-step series that could revolutionise the way you fly.
Most airlines give passengers the option to peak at the seat map during the check-in process which starts 24 hours before departure.
In most cases this comes with the opportunity to select or buy seats, and in turn it will show you how many open seats are available the day before your flight.
If the plane is looking too crowded and stuffy you’ll still have time to switch to a new flight.
In the US many airlines have eliminated change fees for most cabin classes, in the UK this is not the case.
According to The Telegraph, Ryanair charge at least £45 per date alteration.
It reported: “EasyJet’s fee is £25-£49 for changes and cancellations, and on economy tickets, BA charges up to £50, though changes on the day of departure are free.”
If you have elite status, you may have even more options.
For example United Airlines offers a same-day confirmation service on select flights for all passengers with elite status – that means they can switch to an earlier flight in the same cabin class at no charge, without paying a difference in fare.
Unfortunately, most airlines don’t allow customers to pay for seat change fees with air miles.
The travel expert shared the tip as part of a three tip series and also listed two other ways to check if your flight is chock-a-block.
She also advised logging into your airlines app to show you the layout of the aircraft and which seats have been booked.
British Airways, for example, allows fliers to log in to its app or website and view how full the seat maps for their flights.
“Every customer (regardless of cabin and ticket type) has the option to choose their seat 24 hours before departure, so they can log into Manage My Booking on ba.com and see which seats are available to them”, a spokesperson for British Airways told Conde Nast Traveller.
The seasoned traveller’s final tip was to contact your carrier’s customer service to ask an agent how full the flight is as they can access this information for you.
It comes as another expert revealed the £2.75 holy grail item she uses to help get her through tough long-haul flights.
Sitting in a cramped economy seat for 10-plus hours can make the best of us feel pretty gross – but here’s a hack to help.
To survive an extra long journey, travel experts at The Cut, suggest practising a bit of self-care to keep you sane.
Danielle Cohen, a staff writer at the outlet, said while some may rely on medication to knock themselves out, this might not be an option for every traveller.
“I’m too paranoid to mess around with sedatives thousands of feet in the air, so I try to make things more tolerable by caring for my body the best I can,” she wrote.
“I use Colgate Wisps so that I don’t have to spend three minutes in a plane bathroom brushing my teeth, pack some nice-smelling travel-size hand sanitizer and lotion, and apply deodorant every few hours.
How to make travelling with kids a breeze
IT can be stressful travelling with kids, but there are a few things you can do to make it easier. Here’s five we’d recommend:
Snacks
It might sound simple, but it’s a good idea to pack a LOT of snacks. Think of how much you might need, and double it. After all, it doesn’t matter if you have too much – your kids can eat it another time – but it will be a big issue if you run out. There are also snack boxes with lots of little dividers that are great for long journeys as kids can pick at those throughout.
Entertainment
This covers a whole range of things – from a tablet to watch films or play games if you’ve got older kids, to books and colouring. It’s advisable to pack a variety of options, especially if you’re on a long journey or have various legs on your haul.
Toys
If you’ve got a baby or a toddler, there are some sensory-type toys you can buy that can really help keep little ones entertained. These include ones that you stick on the windows of a plane, or on a tray on a highchair, that they can spin and play with to their hearts’ content.
Equipment
There are a whole host of things on the market that aim to make sleeping on a plane loads easier. These include a hammock that you can attack to your tray which hangs down to put your feet on. You can also get blow up cushions to turn a seat into a bed for littles, and neck cushions that boast you will be able to use for a decent night’s sleep wherever you are.
Yourselves!
Don’t underestimate how entertaining you are to your kids. Learn some games you can play with them, and songs you can sing, as kids always love the opportunity to have one-on-one time with their parents.