Labor Day Travel is Here

The Bad News: The Air Transport Association "forecasts 15.7 million passengers will travel globally on U.S. airlines during the 2007 Labor Day period, spanning Wednesday, Aug. 29 through Wednesday, Sept. 5, resulting in a 2.6 percent increase in passengers over the same period last year."

The Good News: Aircomplane.com is here to help.

First, relax. Ironically-named Labor Day is a time when we should all unplug, relax, do what we want, and pull ourselves away from the very activity that gives us the financial freedom to do so. (Hmm...more irony.)

If you and/or the family are going to be flying over the next week, plan to encounter certain experiences. Knowing that they are inevitable may at least help you diffuse some of the dread and plan on how to deal with them.

• Lines: They will be there. Labor Day travelers, like many holiday travelers, may not be as organized and savvy as business travelers. If you see someone overly burdened with their children and taking a little longer getting through, by, or organized; appearing lost; or who really looks like they could use a section of the newspaper you're finished with anyway, help them out.
• Be ready for check in and security. Read the signs, have your identification and documents ready, begin thinking about where you change, cell phone, and your titanium hip are. Security will take as long as it takes. Think about being patient and cooperative as your patriotic duty. It kind of is.
• Keep boozing to a minimum until you hit your hotel. Be rational and don't give the Fright Attendants a reason make you their punching bag.
• Between now and your trip, physically print and take a copy of this form with you. It is the The Aviation Consumer Protection Division (ACPD) complaint form. The ACPD "operates a complaint handling system for consumers who experience air travel service problems." Having a copy of the form at the ready will help you to remember what information about service problem you will need. Take names, flight numbers, times....It's all there and the form is ALWAYS on the upper right hand column of the Aircomplane.com home page. Go, print one out, now.

We also wanted to mention that a website called AirlineComplaints.org offers some valuable airline contact and other information for airline travelers. Check it out.

If we can directly help you with any issues contacting airlines about a problem or concern, let your Spite Crew here at Aircomplane.com know. Also, feel free to vent here. Sharing horrendous stories about how you may have been (mis)treated during your travels in not only excellent therapy, it's a great way to let other passengers know they're not alone...unfortunately. We promise to find all sorts of interesting things to do with your stories. We don't have the budgets the airlines do when they tell you what a FANTASTIC experience you have if you fly with them, but that's OK. Testimonials carry their own special weight.

Comments

[Tomaz from Financial Freedom Ideas]

Luckily, if one really has achieved financial freedom, then worrying about Labour Day traffic jams is not an issue.

But thanks for the tips about Labor day travels.

You seem to have experience with that. ;)