Editorial: People can make air travel easier

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Air travel seems to be more difficult as the years go by. The airlines are dealing with an antiquated airport scheduling system. There are too few traffic controllers. There are too small of airplanes being used at too many major hubs, causing jams and luggage issues.

What can a passenger do?

Relax.

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If you are going to fly, the best way to do it is not go through complaining the whole way, sharing your misery with others. Instead, try to relax, read, people watch, eat a snack, enjoy what you can while you can.

Travel light. Have your papers ready when you go through security. Do what the transportation-safety officials ask. Once on the plane, listen kindly to the directions of airline personnel, including the &8220;in case of emergency&8221; procedure.

And if there are serious problems, keep in mind that yelling at airline staff does no good. They usually aren&8217;t the ones causing your problem.

The federal government, airlines and airports know the system is broken. They are working on it. Everyone wants a better way. Perhaps the best thing you can do is to offer suggestions through a public forum, such as letters to the editor in a local newspaper.