How to Function Through Travel Disruptions and Misdirections

Those of us who have done more than the occasional trip have our personal stories of different things that have happened to us. Situations which have caused our trips to go not exactly the way we would have liked them to go.

The eruption of the Icelandic volcano with the unpronounceable name and all of the chaos that it has caused seems to be an appropriate time to make some suggestions, and to help minimize a situation the next time it should arise, if it is possible.

I'm going to share some of my experiences as well as some other suggestions for dealing with the different situations you might find yourself in.

Research Your Destination Before You Go:

This one principle has saved my trip more than once. Research the destination, route out where you are going, since not everywhere that you are going to is that simple to get to or to get out of.

For example, even though I've been flying into the San Jose, California Airport for years, I still need a map to get out of the place. Their signs are not clear and the routes for continuing in the airport and leaving the airport require a split second decision. The wrong decision sends you back around the airport for another half hour drive.

Research what kind of transportation is available in and out of the airport. I've been in the situation, several times, where the original source of transportation became unavailable. By knowing alternate means of getting to the same destination has saved me from staying in the airport for my entire trip or from missing my plane back home.

For example, I used to take the train in and out of the Brussels Airport until it proved to be too unreliable. Now I take the Airport Bus.

I've also printed off photos of what my destinations look like, when possible. The places aren't always obvious and you can spend hours not finding the place because; maybe there are no street signs, like in Brussels where they are often stolen, or there are no posted addresses or there are several streets of the same name.

I've been in places where there were at least three different streets of the same name and none of them are connected to each other.

When I've researched a destination before I leave on my trip, I'm able to move around the area like a resident, not drawing unwelcome attention to myself. I'm able to go out and do whatever I need to do with minimal need for help that might not be available or inaccurate. There's less aggravation and inconvenience.

Plan For Alternate Routes:

It used to be that the ones who usually had the interesting stories about needing to find alternate routes to their destinations were those of us who travel more than once a year. But now, I'd say that the odds are very high of everyone encountering at least one unexpected way of going. This goes along with the previous point. By researching before you go, you will know if you can find another way of solving your destination problem

Two years in a row my flight to Brussels was canceled in Amsterdam. The first year I needed to wait two hours for the next flight because I didn't know if the train being offered would take me where I needed to go.

The next year, when they canceled my flight again, I was ready to take the train because I'd checked it out and found that not only would it take me where I needed to go it would get me there quicker even though the train ride from Amsterdam to Brussels was 1 1/2 hours and not the 1/2 hour it was claimed to be. By plane it would take me 4 1/4 hours, including the wait, to get to my destination, by train, it took 2 1/3 hours

Another year, I was with friends further out from Antwerp and the train we were planning to take had been taken off line and we had to go by another, much longer, route. I almost missed my flight. If we had researched the train the night before we would have seen that it was being taken off line for maintenance and we could have planned accordingly.

When I do road trips I go to AAA or mapquest and map my way out so I know if there are any detours or special situations that I may need to know about. I'm not recommending these above other sources. I'm just mentioning them because I use them and they work for me. But there are other similar sources out there, other mapping software and other auto clubs. For air travel, I check out the guidebooks,Wikipedia and the websites of the destination for maps.

Be Equipped With All Needed Contact Numbers:

Carry all important phone numbers, web sites and addresses with you, either in your mobile phone, in your laptop or in your travel notebook. You never know when you are going to need them. When I was still taking the train into Antwerp I needed to call my hostess so she could come pick me up, since there isn't any long term parking at that location.

Another time, when I was first learning to take the bus instead of the train, I misunderstood the bus driver and was dropped off at the wrong stop which was way out in the middle of nowhere. If I'd not had her phone number I would have been in a difficult situation.

I carry all needed websites, addresses and business phone numbers so I can check up on my airline to see if it is delayed. The phone numbers came in handy on our first trip out of the country when our flight had been diverted and we ended up with an unplanned overnight stay in another country. Which prevented our coming straight home.

I also used the numbers I carried to call and inform my hosts when my flights were canceled those two years in Amsterdam. I also used them to call for help one year when I was lost in an unfriendly airport.

I've needed to use those numbers to call the car rental agency and the motel when my flight has been delayed.

You can also use the information to get alternate transportation, or a replacement flight or know your choices for different places to stay if you're not able to get to your planned destination at the originally planned time.

Always Use Your Carry-on as an Emergency Travel Kit:

Pack whatever you may need for a few days in your carry-on, since you do not know if you will ever see your checked suitcase again when you release it at check-in. I have arrived without my suitcases several times. Fortunately, I have always been reunited with them. Usually I've arrived without just my checked, one time it was both my checked and carry-on.

Usually I got the suitcase later the same day or the next day. So that was no big deal. However, one time my checked bag got to play tourist in London for five days while I spent five days near Brugge, Belgium, wearing the same pair of jeans that traveled all the way across the Atlantic on me. I bought some shampoo and moisturizer since I couldn't carry them on the plane.

Fortunately, I had some of my good clothing and some changes of tops with me and all of the other essentials that I needed except for the shoes I had planned to wear with the an outfit. So I wore another pair that did fit into my carry-on.

Pack alternates just in case, just like I always carry an umbrella just in case. I also carry healthy snacks with me, because I never know if I will need them. If not, I was prepared and I can always use them later.

Other Helpful Suggestions:

This section deals with an article which makes some other suggestions which I don't do because I don't travel that way. But I thought that the suggestions might be helpful, so I am including them.

When we were rerouted, we were served by the airline within a reasonable time frame so we didn't need to find our own way. But if you find yourself in a similar situation as the unfortunate travelers during the eruption of the volcano with the unpronounceable name, then the airlines will not be able to attend to your problem that quickly, due to the sheer volume of the needs. Here are some alternate suggestions:

Carry the contact information for an actual travel agent who might be able to reroute you.

Should the wait be too long for your being accommodated in a local hotel, then take out those contact numbers that you already have and get your own reservation and plan to ask the airline for reimbursement later. I would suggest using this alternative only if you're willing or able to foot the bill yourself, without reimbursement. I haven't gotten much cooperation from the airlines over the years for things that were obviously their fault.

If you're one of those people who would prefer to wait in an airport lounge, there is Priority Pass which is a private non-airline affiliated company which has around 600 airport clubs throughout the world. They are available for anyone who pays the annual fee which starts at $99.00.

Perhaps you carry a smart phone, a laptop or have access to a computer, then this next suggestion would be useful for you, if you find yourself stuck in the airport for a great length of time. There is a website which gives real-time, hourly information on individual flights both domestically and internationally.

Additional Reading:

Online Travel Sites Vs Guidebooks

Beauty Tips for Those Who Travel

Help! I've Just Arrived for a Two Week Trip and I Can't Find My Suitcase

Travel Safety for Women in Western Europe

Sources:

http://www.aaa.com/scripts/WebObjects.dll/ZipCode.woa/wa/route?ipstop=yes

http://www.mapquest.com/

http://www.portfolio.com/business-travel/2010/04/21/tactics-to-survive-travel-nightmares-like-volcano-eruption?ana=e_pft , Strategies for Surviving Travel Disruptions

http://www.prioritypass.com/Lounges/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page