Handling Travel Delays
Whenever you travel around – and the distance doesn't really matter – you're sure to soon encounter some delay in your journey.
Whether it's for a few manageable minutes, a handful of horrendous hours, or even disastrous day or two, the inconvenience it causes to journey plans is just a small part of the consequences.
If you're travelling alone, then you can at least console yourself with the thought that you don't have loved ones in tow and relations are unlikely to get fraught, but if you are in a group, this is where a few survival tips will come in handy, such as below:
- Don't panic. If your journey is a simple, single-legged affair, then at least you haven't got to re-arrange onward travel due to missed connections. You'll probably at least avoid the big queue at the reception desk at your arrival hotel anyway
- If you're travelling business or first class, then make the most of the free facilities you have available, such as exclusive lounges, and even food and drink
- Get to know a few of your fellow travellers. This might even make the transition much easier when you reach your destination
- Pack some time-consuming games or other distractions in your hand luggage. You may never use them again, but at least some puzzle books, magazines and reading material should be kept close at hand
- Get your bearings. It's likely that, as soon as you arrive at the airport, station, or whichever terminal you're travelling from, you'll find leaflets explaining the layout to you. Because the vastness of such places can be disorientating, be sure to grab whatever material you can find, so that at least you know where the nearest baby-changing facilities or cash machines are
- Pack your MP3/video player in your hand luggage. Lots of people don't like the idea of such delicate electronic items being stowed in the hold anyway, but this could be a time to really get to know the depth of your music/video collection
- Speak to your travel operator, and get a form to claim compensation for your inconvenience. Even if you don't use it, this should encourage you to note any parts of their handling of you and your fellow travellers that you think they could have done better
- Take an interest in your surroundings. Airports, railway stations and the like are constant hives of activity, which most of us only see when we're travelling through them. But there's a lot going on which you might find of interest
- Have a few basic food items to hand. Transport termini are notorious for being expensive places in which to buy food. No matter how tempting the selection on offer, having a few of your, and the family's, favourite items ready in case of a hold-up can make the time pass more quickly
- Don't get too engrossed in your surroundings and forget why you're there. As the travel operator is likely to be keen to make up time where possible, be prepared to move at very short notice to your departure gate or platform – so don't get too comfortable in the bar!
With travel of any length there comes delays. Being prepared in some small way to deal with them, and having a pragmatic, flexible attitude will help everyone pass the time much more harmoniously.
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