By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Travel Blogger
Traveling by plane is kind of a pain these days but it’s a necessary part of travel, of couse.
I’ll bypass all the reasons it’s challenging and difficult and cut tho the chase. I am a freqent travleler with more than 500,000 air miles. ad here is how I am able to have a first-class experience while sitting in coach.
Having flown in first class on several occasions, I know what it’s like to be a the front of the plane. So I do my best to replcate that experience in coach, even tho the seats are obvioulsy a lot smaller and I’m not being pampered with food and drinks by attentative flight attendants.
Being An Independent Person Helps
I am a rather independent person and can fend for myself. And that helps in a big wa, because I don’t mind doing thigns for myself. Being served and pampered is certainly nice, but I have the ability to do the same things on my own. And nobody knows what I want more than myself. That in itself is an independent person’s personality.
My First Class Tips Applied To Coach Class
Here’s my tips: I bring my own food on the plane. Okay, that’s not a novel idea as many people do it. But I make it an elevated experience. I also bring snacks. Cheese and crackers. And peanuts. Sure beats that small packet of pretzles or whatever that the flight attendants give to passengers.
I also be sure and secure a window seat for flights longer than three hours and get a seat that’s not on the wing (pro’s tip: book your flight two months in advance. I’ll sometimes give up the don’t-sit-by-the-wing preferance for an emergency exit seat which has a lot more legroom). That way, I can gain a little extra stretch-out and sleeping room by utilzing the inside frame of the plane.
For entertainment, I bring something to read (pro’s tip: if there’s stories on the Internet I want to read, I load them onto my computer browser ahead of time and then read them when I’m on the plane), my Jimmy Buffett tunes and music. I do not rely on the in-flight entertainment because it varies by airline and anyway, most of the stuff on it is boring crap.
Plus, I take with me a first-class mentality. I know I’m in coach but I have a postive first-class attitude. Often, it’s attitude that makes the difference in a good flight and a bad one.
Coping With Factors Outside Of My Control On Planes
Now, I can’t do a darned thing about factors outside of my control. Things such as screaming babies or very large seatmates that make tight coach spaces even smaller. So I just deal with those things as best as possible (namely, trying to go to sleep or turning up the volume of my island tunes).
Budget Tips When Traveling By Plane
I don’t fall into those traps the airlines put out there when you book a ticket, either. You know the ones, to “upgrade” to a slightly bigger seat, so board early and so forth. When I spend $850 just to fly from San Diego to Tuscaloosa for a University of Alabama football game, I’m not going to spend any more on such frivolous extras.
They key is my mentality and being prepared with everything I need or require. Of course, I’ll never turn down a first-class seat whevever it’s available to me.
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