Here’s how you can deal with air travel anxiety

New Delhi [India]: The last decade has seen tremendous growth in the aviation sector with more people flying than ever before. With the onset of this revolution, air travel has become the primary mode of transport for the common man for both leisure and business.

But this also makes flying a lot more complicated – with crowded airports and increasing safety and security concerns. The airport can be an intimidating space for first time fliers and even, at times, seasoned travellers.

Here are some tips by Rishabh Beria, Managing Director, Janus Aviation and Co-founder, AirWhizz, to help ease your airport experience and overcome your travel anxiety.

1. Be Well Informed

Having all the relevant information regarding your flight and your origin and destination airports can save precious time. Keep track of flight status, know your airline’s policies, and acquaint yourself with your origin and destination airports.

This simple data can help you go through airport procedures smoothly and help avoid any confusion prior to or post your flight.

When you are armed with all the necessary information regarding your flight time, boarding and security procedures it helps ease the nervousness as you know exactly where you need to be and what you need to do.

Also knowing what services are available at the airport can make things like booking a cab or grabbing a quick meal, much easier.

2. Manage Your Time

Always ensure you arrive at the airport well in advance to avoid unnecessary inconvenience. There can be unforeseen delays due to long lines and large crowds during peak hours.

You don’t want to be rushed and stressed just before that big business trip or exciting holiday and it can be easily avoided. Having a little extra time in hand ensures that once you have checked-in and proceeded through security check you can relax in the waiting lounge or browse the airport.

People, especially frequent fliers tend to be overconfident about time when taking a flight as they expect to breeze through the airport. Unfortunately, there have been several incidents where someone has missed their flight because they left for the airport too late and were held up because of traffic or long queues at the airport.

Always try and make it there at the airline stipulated reporting time, better to be safe than sorry.

3. Ditch the Excess

Avoid excess baggage woes and the hassle of shuffling your belongings at the airport because your bags are over the weight limit. This is not just to save you the trouble but also your fellow passengers who can find it extremely frustrating to stand in queue behind you while you are moving things from one bag to another.

Pack smart and you can avoid having to through go through this unpleasant ordeal. Ideally, if you are going on a short trip, try and make do with hand baggage.

4. Be Tech Savvy

Almost all airlines today allow you to do a Web Check-in, book your seat in advance and even pre-book a meal, all via their website or mobile app.

The advantage here is that all you have to do is drop your bags at the designated counter and proceed to your gate. Your flight itself will also be more comfortable if you have the seat you like and a meal you enjoy.

Just a few clicks on your computer or phone and your journey becomes much more relaxed. Technology today makes our life so much easier, and simple things like web check-in and pre-booked meals ensure that your flight is stress-free even before you reach the airport.

5. Enjoy the Airport

Airports these days offer a host of facilities and fun, why not make the most of your time there and de-stress a little. Get a relaxing massage at the airport spa, have a drink at the airport bar, eat a nice meal at one of the many restaurants, spoil yourself a little a do some shopping or just read a book or listen to music and relax in the lounge.

A little time spent doing something fun at the airport helps put your mind at ease and takes away the stress and anxiety caused by the ordeals of travel.

Also, keep your ready playlist on your phone and good book in your bag while travelling. The wait time before a flight can be anything from boring to stressful depending on your state of mind and a little distraction always helps.

The next time you travel, try these simple tricks and see how they go a long way in making your journey stress-free and comfortable. (ANI)