airport Archives - Boomerang Escapes

Flying American Airlines Covid-19 June 2020

June 28, 2020 Lisa Rossmeissl Travel Tips No comments

As the states, nation, and world begin to open back up, what does that look like to the traveler as they begin to consider flying again? Well, I can recount for you first-hand, my daughter’s flight this weekend to Memphis, Tennessee from Newark, New Jersey. As things started to ease, her father and I, finally decided we could set-up a trip for her to visit which had originally been set for earlier in the year. So, yesterday, she made her way to Memphis.

First, I must share, trying to book this flight a few weeks ago was crazy. Her dad started sending me screen shots and then I said, just let me look. Normally, Newark has a variety of direct flight options on United from Newark to Memphis making it a quick select, click, and book for our preferred drop-off and pick-up times. Not so right now. I proceeded to actually check 4 airlines from both Newark and Philadelphia. No one had the direct flight. When I began looking at the connections, they were crazy! Most of the connecting flights had her travel time for the day around 15hours. For that kind of travel time, you should be flying long haul overseas. After about a good hour or maybe more, I settled on American Airlines for price and schedule. They had the most options and I could get her there in about 6 hrs.

As the trip approached, I received an email asking if I wanted to change her flight due to her current one being crowded. Unlike what you have heard, the airlines are not keeping middle seats open. I kept her flight as is. On the day of check-in, again there was a notice offering $150 air voucher if you wanted to change to a less crowded flight. I did read on American Airlines site that it looks like this option to opt to change your flight due to crowding will be offered until September. Again, we left things status quo.

Departure day, we headed to the airport with planned arrival of 90 minutes prior to domestic flight. The airport itself was almost like a ghost town at terminal A where American operates most of their flights out. Other than the bit of hustle and bustle at the check-in area the place seemed rather deserted. Face masks are required in Newark and other than everyone in covered faces, it was business as usual.

Veronica then kept me updated through text as to the experience of her travel. She said it was a full flight, no middle seats left vacant. She herself ended up with a couple that had a service dog. She was happy as the service dog was near here. Note, American Airlines currently has suspended pet travel other than for service type animals. Their snack and drink was given to them at boarding in a paper bag. It contained a bottle of water, pretzels, Biscoff cookie, and a small Purell hand sanitizer wipe. You are allowed to remove your face covering to eat, but then return it. Veronica, said everyone traveling and the airline staff were in masks.

Her connection was in Dallas where she said again everything was fairly normal as she made the mad dash across gates to catch her next flight. Again, it really just seemed to be business as normal with masks on. Same upon her arrival in Memphis. She did note heightened cleaning and while the plane was full overall traffic at the airport was much less than normal.

American Airlines has implemented many new items in their new clean commitment. Beginning, June 30th, will be their new symptom check list for travelers. They’ll ask all travelers during the check-in process to certify they have been free of COVID-19 symptoms for the past 14 days. This is in addition to requiring all travelers on board to wear a face covering. Note a face covering can be anything from a scarf to a medical mask. For more information on American Airlines new COVID-19 commitments, visit here.

As things continue to evolve, please know you can depend on us to give you the most up-to-date information we have at our disposal for your travel. Whether it be air, land, or sea. The coming months as travel resumes will require a lot more knowing and preparation. Make sure you have an advocate working for you by using a travel professional for your next escape.

Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI.

She has been a professional travel consultant since 2008 and specializes in Australia and the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, and Cook Islands are among the specialist certificates she holds. Her agency’s focus is on creating custom itineraries with their client’s wants, desires, and budgets in mind. She and her planners believe in getting to know the traveler to ensure they have a vacation to remember. With each planner specializing in a different market area, Boomerang Escapes can offer a wide variety of leisure vacation planning.

Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI.

Be Prepared and Speed Up Your Airport Travel

February 17, 2019 Andrea Ward Travel Tips No comments

Like being prepared for our dogs when they are ready to birth, being prepared for travel is a very important thing. This past month has been a prime example of what weather can do during winter. Conditions can change extremely quick and are not always in our control. What also isn’t in our control is when the government strikes or remains in a partial strike. The government has more impact on the smooth departure for your vacations than you may have realized. Due to the most recent striking, some of the TSA check points at major airports were affected due to limited staffing. The TSA is the Transportation Security Administration set up by the government as a response to the 911 attacks and is the authority over the security over the traveling public in the United States.

Here are a couple things you can get to help speed things up if you’re an avid traveler during times of striking. You can apply for TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry. TSA Pre-Check is a US Government program that allows travelers that are deemed low risk to pass through an expedited security screening at certain US airports. It cost about $85 to get this and takes about 4 weeks to have it processed. Global Entry is a US customs and boarder protection program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved low risk travelers upon arrival in the US. With Global Entry you will receive a known traveler number and a card. The cost is $100 and is good for 5 years. The length of time to get your approval depends on the application being approved, followed by an in person interview with the nearest TSA office to you. Global entry is good for International and Domestic travel whereas the TSA Pre-check is for United States only. You can go to the following website and apply for either if you meet the pre-qualifications.
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/card

If you are someone who does travel, I would highly recommend you invest in the global entry card as the government is continues to be as unpredictable as the weather and your travel may be delayed due to it. With having either of these it just allows your time at the airport to be quicker and smoother with less hassle through the security check points.

Andrea Ward is an independent travel consultant of Boomerang Escapes, who is based in Wisconsin.

She has been planning vacation escapes for the company since 2013 and specializes in Caribbean Destinations. Her primary focus is on the all-inclusive vacation experience for adult or family getaways for individuals and small groups. Sandals and AMResorts are among the specialist certificates she holds.

Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI.

Global Entry-Make Going Through the Airport a Breeze

December 23, 2018 Lisa Rossmeissl Travel Tips No comments

Funny as it is may seem, I was a bit slow in getting my act together. Despite my heavy international travel I had avoided getting this convenient approval. I often have been questioned by the passport control workers as to why I didn’t have it, especially given the number of stamps in my passport. However, I was challenged in November by a group of my fellow Travel Agency owners to complete it by December. Here is what you need to know.

What is Global Entry?
Global Entry is a program used by the United States Customs and Borders Protection service that allows approved individuals considered to be low risk expedited clearance through customs when arriving in the United States.

Besides the advantage of clearing the lines in customs, global entry also comes with TSA Pre-check making your domestic security experience faster and less invasive. It does require registering your known traveler number when booking your flights or attaching to your frequent flyer accounts. Full information and direction on how to do this are given to you during your interview.

How do I Get Global Entry?
The process of getting your approval is quite simple, but times do vary on it’s completion process. The cost is nominal considering your number is good for 5 years before you need to do renewal. You begin by going to www.globalentry.gov. You will be asked to set up an account. Once you have the account you can proceed or log back in when time allows. Once in your account you will have to fill out a questionnaire verifying your identity information and pay the $100 fee.

After you’ve completed the application it will go into review. The time it takes for the review to be completed and get your approval for interview will vary depending how busy the offices are and the verification of your information. You can use your log-in to periodically check for your approval as you will not receive anything by email alerting you to the approval.

Once you’ve received initial approval you will then select your global entry center and schedule your interview. Availability of appointments and the speed at which you will be able to get in will depend on your specific center. You will report to you interview center on the date and time you selected and wait in a waiting area until and agent calls you for your interview. The agent during the interview will again verify the information you entered on your application, take a photo and get your finger prints, but overall all time for interview is relatively short, approximately 15 minutes.

Now that you’ve had your interview you are approved. Your agent will give you information on activating your card, getting your TSA Pre-check and other general information for use when arriving and updating should any information change. It takes about 2-3 weeks to receive your actual card.

Tips on getting your Global Entry
-Make sure you have good internet connection and allow about 30 minutes to complete your application online.
-Remember to log back in periodically for your approval so you can set up your interview.
-Arrive 15 minutes early for the appointment as to not have to reschedule.
-Turn off your phone before going in for interview.
-For Newark, New Jersey the interview center is in baggage claim B in the back. Park in short term parking B.
-Make sure to bring your approval letter, passport and driver’s id.
-Once you receive your card remember to go back online to activate it and sigh up for your TSA Pre-check.

Now you are ready to breeze through the airport the next time you fly.

Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI.

Flight Survival 101

April 16, 2017 Lisa Rossmeissl Travel Tips No comments

Air travel is probably one of the most incredible forms of transportation we have. Being able in one day or less to be on the other side of the world or in a completely different hemisphere is incredible. Air travel has not only become one of the most popular forms of travel, but also one of the safest. However, flying can cause health discomforts and issues, especially on your longer flights.

Here is your Flight Survival 101 list of the top issues plaguing passengers and what you can do to combat them.

Dehydration

It is highly unlikely that are bodies will become seriously dehydrated while flying. However, due to the drop in humidity levels that our bodies are most comfortable with we will experience symptoms such as dry eyes (especially for contact wearers) and dry throat. While the dryness resulting from the lower humidity levels in the plane is a discomfort, it can also leave us more prone to infection.

To prevent flying dehydration drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Try to avoid the coffee, tea, and alcohol which all have a diuretic effect, unless you plan to balance with additional water consumption. Don’t make avoiding a trip to the loo prevent you from keeping hydrated. You will also feel less tired and less prone to any jet lag when your body is properly hydrated.

Germs

Airplane cabins are a perfect germ breeding ground. Lots of people from all walks of life in an enclosed space with recycled air.

To stay healthy in close quarters there are a few things you can do…

Boost your immune system before you go with Vitamin C or an immunity booster such as Airborne.

Use hand sanitizer. You can get one of the little travel sizes to take with you in your carry-on and use before eating or drinking.

Use the air vent above you to help blow germs away from your inhalation. Set the vent to low or medium so you can feel the air flow on your hands in your lap. The vent will create a current to help blow anything away from your immediate space.

Pressure

The change in altitude and the pressurization of the cabin can wreak havoc on your inner ear. It actually has been appropriately been give the name airplane ear. This same issue can be experienced when you are swimming/diving or driving up into the higher altitudes of the mountains.

To help relieve the pressure or clogged feeling of the ear there are several approaches. Swallowing or yawning can help ease the discomfort because it allows air flow to the middle ear, thus equalizing pressure. Chewing gum often helps to facilitate the same effect during take-off and landing. And of course, back to our fluids, if you a drinking your water, you are swallowing, so you solve two issues at once. Last, you can take a sinus decongestant like Sudafed before flying to dry up the mucus membranes.

Swelling

Leg and foot swelling is common during flying and usually harmless. It is often the result of sitting inactive for such a long period of time, especially on your long haul overseas flights. The bent seated position of your legs also contributes to the issue by increasing pressure on your veins.

Swelling can become an issue if it lasts for a long time and is isolated to one side or the other. In this case you may need to worry about a more serious condition such as a blood clot. There is higher risks for clotting if you have recently had major surgery or take birth control pills. In such cases as this, you should consult your physician before flying as he may prescribe medication or suggest the wearing of compression stockings.

For the average flyer, here is a list of things to do during your flight to relieve swelling…

Wear loose fitting clothing
Get up and walk every hour or so
Do foot exercises while sitting where you flex, extend, and rotate the ankle
Change your position in seating often and avoid crossing your legs
Drink plenty of fluids, avoiding alcohol

Be mindful of your body, before, during, and after travel! No one wants to start their long awaited vacation feeling sick. Following a few simple tips and being prepared for your time in the air will make a more joyous you upon arrival.

Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI.

Who You Gonna Call?

March 12, 2017 Lisa Rossmeissl Travel Tips No comments

” If there is something strange in your neighborhood, Who you gonna call?…. If there is something weird and it don’t look good, Who you gonna call? ….”

Ghostbusters??? No. When weather goes awry, you want to have a travel agent on your side.

Now that I have that song stuck in your head, let me explain it’s relevance. I couldn’t resist as I watched the new 2016 release of Ghostbusters with Melissa McCarthy this snowy weekend. Which of course as you know takes place in NYC and is practically my backyard now. Anyway, unexpected resurgence of winter wreaked havoc on the northeast particularly for those flying.

Let me share a personal story, as the VIP client that I had to get out of here on Friday was my very own daughter who needed to be in Memphis by end of night in order to make a 6am flight out of Memphis on Saturday. She had plans to travel with some other very important clients aka friends of mine for Spring Break to Punta Cana. Here is how the 24hrs prior to her departure played out…

As is customary with the impending threat of weather of this nature, the airlines will often issue a waiver to passengers allowing them to make flight changes without any extra fees to fly in a specified date window either before or after the weather event. Such a notice arrived by email on the evening of the 8th. While I did look at options and considered changing her, she had a prior acting commitment that really was not an event she needed to miss. Anyway, I continued to monitor the weather conditions and flight statuses with the airlines because as it so happened, I happened to have several clients departing over the weekend for their vacations. The forecasters weren’t predicting much and just expected some slushy road conditions for the morning commute Friday. Then it happened, 8pm Thursday night I got an update on my mobile app that traffic control decided to cancel the flight. We were on the NJ Transit when the alert came through. I didn’t want to waste any time and I immediately got on my cell to United to get her on another flight. The evening direct flight that I wanted her on was fully booked, so oddly enough I had to go with a morning flight. Surprisingly, it was nearly at the same time as her original flight, but now required a connection. I found this to be strange until the United employee said the cancellation had come from traffic control and had to do with where the inbound plane for the flight was coming from not the snow coming to our area. I had her rebooked before our train arrived home. All was good.

Thursday evening, I was sure to set my volume up for any air alerts as besides my daughter I had other clients departing. We become like a doctor on call, especially on the days are clients are flying. I woke several times checking my phone just to make sure nothing had come through. We were up at 5am and the roads were dry. The preceding rain before snow had not come and snow was still not expected until later in the morning. I breathed a small sigh of relief.

We made our way to the airport with relatively no traffic and flight was still scheduled on-time. The airport was a bustle of people and the TSA security line stretched the length of the terminal. My daughter had pre-check and was good to go, but I had to get a gate pass and go through the regular line in order to meet her on the other side. (her first time flying alone out of Newark) It had begun snowing by now, yet other than flights that had been cancelled the night before by traffic control, all seemed to be moving along as scheduled…until she was on the plane.

The snow decided to increase its pace and visibility dropped significantly. I didn’t dare leave the airport until I knew her plane was in the air. I sat by a screen with phone in hand and waited. They had pulled from the gate, but then a delay came up of 15mins. I wasn’t worried yet, but knew now her connection in Houston was going to be tight. My app finally said departed and just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, my daughter sent a text. “We haven’t taken off. We are still sitting.” I continued to wait and wait. Now knowing that any further delay would make her miss her connection in Houston. She text in panic “Mom, what do I do? I’m going to miss my flight.” I told her not to worry. Once I knew the flight was in the air, I would take care of it. Of course at this point, I was praying please don’t come back to the gate. The flight took off 50 minutes late and I immediately got on the phone with United once again. I had already checked the schedule of Houston to Memphis flights for Friday afternoon and got her rebooked while she was in transit. Once the agent was done handling my request it immediately uploaded the new information into the United mobile app. I had my daughter download it on her phone as well before flying. Once she arrived in Houston, her new schedule and mobile boarding pass were ready and waiting for her.
6:30pm my time I got the notice flight had landed in Memphis. As mom and travel agent I could finally relax as she and her bags had reached their destination. The remainder of my passengers departing were spared the delays that we had here in the northeast and I can report everyone is happily in destination. You see as your travel agent, I am only a call away. I am already monitoring the situation and thinking of possible solutions before the events occur. And while, I can’t spare you the inconvenience, I can help you keep the stress at bay. You are never alone with an agent on your side.

So, who you gonna call?

Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI.

A Day in the Life…

July 24, 2016 Lisa Rossmeissl Travel Tips No comments

What does a day in the life look like?

This past week, my lawyer commented to me, “I don’t know how you do it or even keep straight what time zone you are in.” during our first meeting. “Every time I spoke to you,” he said, “it appeared you were in a different state.” This same week, I had another friend comment on a Facebook post about my various travels and “wasn’t it too much.” For me, there is nothing as too much travel, even when it runs me ragged like this past week. In fact, the experiences I go through are exactly why you want someone like me to be in your pocket when you travel.

This week, I had to do the proverbial “planes, trains, and automobiles” when at the last moment the closing on my new home in New Jersey was ready to be executed only within 24 hours of me needing to be on my way to Charlotte, North Carolina for meetings. Mind you, when this call came through, it was the end of the business day on Tuesday, and I was at my parent’s home in Vermont. I had travel arrangements for Thursday and Friday to be in North Carolina and a complimentary planning session at 2 pm for clients on Wednesday. I agreed I could make it to the closing if it were the last appointment of the day, knowing it was at least a 3-hour drive from my folks into New Jersey. I then worked on getting a hotel near the Newark airport and making schedule changes with my friend, who would pick me up on Thursday in Charlotte. She is one of the many people through this crazy move that has been involved in lending me a helping hand. So, with new travel arrangements in place, I left Wednesday morning for New Jersey.

Now the drive is typically 3 hours, but we always recommend you allow extra time when you are heading to the airport because it is inevitable that something will go wrong when you have a limited amount of time. Well, that is exactly what happened to me as I ran into the lovely summer construction delays. The saving graces were the blue tooth and the navigation system (though I must say sometimes I really don’t like her). It became clear that I would not make my hotel in time to change or make my call to my client from the lobby’s comfort before meeting my agent at the condo for the final walkthrough. As 2 pm arrived, I dialed my client because I did not want to cancel on such short notice. Once we were connected, I explained the unusual circumstances and then found an exit to pull off into a quiet neighborhood and discuss Australia with them. I felt the call went well, even though I could not apologize enough for my strange circumstances, and agreed I would follow up by an email from the hotel that evening. Once we finished our chat, I quickly called the realtor to let her know my time situation. I was now a good 30 minutes or more behind once the navigation system rerouted me from my original destination to now go straight to the new home.

Fortunately, I didn’t run into any additional delays other than the tolls. ( Note to anyone making US driving trips: Buy the EZPASS or IPASS for your vehicle. It will save tons of time and on my list of priorities once I am in the home.) I arrived at the new condo at quarter past 3. We did a quick walkthrough to check on the home inspection repairs. Then, we were off to the closing. For the most part, the closing went as planned, and I left the offices for my hotel. Now, here is where life gets a bit interesting. I don’t know how many of you are familiar with the interstate and route systems in New Jersey, but they are a bit different with their whole “U-Turn” system. Despite my lovely GPS lady, I missed the hotel and had to figure out how to navigate these “U-Turns” to get myself back on track. The parking lot security guard chuckled as I arrived and said, “Even though you passed us 8 times, you haven’t broken the record.”

A great thing I discovered about the Wyndham Garden Hotel I was staying at was they offered airport parking even if you were not returning to the hotel as a guest. After my evening experience with the “U-Turns,” I decided not to risk it in the morning by attempting to make my way from the hotel to an airport parking lot. One thing to note is that the shuttle from the hotel to the airport only runs on the 1/2 hour and drops you at a point at the airport that then requires the riding of the AirTran to get you to your terminal. (Be sure to allow enough extra time for the shuttle, train, checking-in, and security.)

Fortunately, I was up and downstairs, ready to leave with lots of extra time to catch my mid-morning flight. This was a good thing because, besides the shuttle delay, you have to make sure you get on the AirTran in the right direction for your terminal. Yes, I wasn’t paying attention to the signs and did an extra stop or two to get to my terminal. (See, I make mistakes, so you don’t have to.) Once the train drops you at your terminal, you will have to do a bit of walking actually to get to the check-in point. (Never be too shy to ask a stranger or airport employee for assistance.)

The rest of the trip went off without a hitch. Returning to Newark, riding the AirTran, catching the shuttle, and driving my car back to Vermont was a long but easy day. Now, most of my travels go much smoother than this, but isn’t it nice to know I am out there regularly trying these scenarios out and sometimes making mistakes, so you don’t have to? A big part of what I offer you is the “been there done that,” because why reinvent the wheel if you don’t have to? Your career “road warriors” know what I am talking about. Safe travels!

Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI.

Why I Like to Fly Qantas

September 6, 2015 Lisa Rossmeissl Australia No comments

Being an Aussie Specialist, I am privileged to travel to Australia more often than most for continued product and knowledge updates. I recently found myself on one of those training trips and had the pleasure of flying Qantas Airlines both internationally and domestically during my stay. A favorite choice of mine, Qantas, continually ranks as a #1 airline for customer satisfaction.

Here are the reasons why Qantas continually satisfies its clients.

Comfort- Qantas seating is some of the most comfortable you will ever sit in. From economy to premium to first class, the seats offer some of the best cushions in the air. A major bonus is that even in the economy for your international flight, you have a leg rest. A net drops down from below the seat in front of you, giving you the ability to stretch your legs. Or, in my case, being only five feet, then drop down lets my feet have a place to rest instead of swinging above the floor. You also receive a pillow and blanket for the long haul flight from the economy on up. Of course, the blankets, size of seating, and types of the leg rest all improve, and you increase the class of service.

Service- The Qantas airline crew are some of the best in the air. They service the flights with smiles and humor that I find unbeaten, among others. They take care of your every need, starting with a water bottle to keep you hydrated through dinner, late-night snacks, and breakfast. Yes, 3 meals with beverages (alcohol included) during your evening flight. It is not your cookies and peanuts but full-on meals with a main, side, and dessert.

Entertainment-Each seat from the economy on up has its own viewing screen. Options include the latest in the movie world, TV, music, and games. There are more than enough options even to cure the most sleepless of passengers. This last trip alone, I was able to watch movies such as “The Age of Adelaine,” “Fast and Furious 7”, “The Longest Ride,” and “Insurgent.” Typically, the best way to manage your flight is to pop on a flick, eat a meal, take your rest, pop on a second flick, enjoy breakfast, and then watch your flight land on the inflight live viewing screen. It is pretty amazing to see the city of Sydney as it is just awakening.

Similar things can be said about their domestic flights between the cities. Many of you may not realize that Australia is the same size as the United States and to get from Sydney to Perth is like going from New York to Los Angeles.

And Qantas is the number one choice.

Again, comfort and service cannot be beaten. You even get a full-on snack on flights as short as an hour.

The next time you are headed Down Under, I highly encourage you to request to fly Qantas. They have several major domestic partners, such as Delta, where you can earn miles as well.

Discover for yourself why Qantas is a world favorite.

Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI.

2 Meals, 2 Movies and a Nap!

August 26, 2014 Lisa Rossmeissl Australia, Travel Tips No comments

How to survive a long flight.

The long flight is the biggest obstacle or objection I often face when planning an Australia vacation package.

I have never met a person yet who hasn’t wanted to go, but the first thing they say to me is “the flight is too long”. Granted it is longer than a shot to the Caribbean, but what it lacks in convenience it makes up for in luxury and service. Truly, airlines such as Virgin Australia, have brought an art to crossing the oceans. After flying domestic for so long, you will think the economy on these flights is “first class.”

I know, I know your saying, but still it is so many hours in the air. I don’t know if I can be in a plane that long. My answer is you need to change your mindset and think as we do, “2 Meals, 2 Movies and a Nap” and voila you are there! Seriously, if you break it down into chunks the flight is quite manageable and the rewards of your Australia vacation make it well worth the effort.

Here are several of my tips on surviving a flight overseas.

Fly First Class! Yes, this is one time if you are going to splurge you should. The design of first class seating, business and premium economy make it well worth the upgrade.
Can’t fly first class, no worries. Try some of these other tips and enjoy the freedom of travel.
Break the flight up. There are several options where you can stop over on your way to Australia such as Hawaii, Fiji or the Cook Islands. Spend a night or two exploring these islands before arriving in Australia
Drink your Water. Staying hydrated while flying is key.
Consult with a physician. Do you have anxiety. Can’t sleep. Consult with your doctor before flying. I personally take Melatonin when flying after my dinner meal to help me get a restful sleep . I have had clients who have been prescribed something stronger to ease their nerves during the flight. They said it worked like a charm.
Creature comforts. Wear clothing the moves with you and doesn’t bind. If you have the option to slip into a pajamas or lounge wear do so. Take off your shoes and put some slippers on. This will help your body realize it’s time to rest.
A neck pillow. I love mine. Even though the headrest are now designed to keep you from falling on your neighbor, I like the comfort and support of a pillow.
Adapt to the time zone. For example, if you have a 15 hour flight and it will be morning when you arrive at your destination, do not go to sleep when you first get on your plane even if it is evening time. You want to work your way back from your arrival. So, in this example, I would want to stay up until I am about 10 hours from my destination and then take my sleep.
Stretch. Get up and move about the cabin when you can. These longer flights often have an area on board where passengers can walk grab a drink do some stretches. Great spot for making new friends.

These are just several of the tricks that have worked for me. I have to say I have been very blessed and experience minimal jet lag when I travel. Find what works best for you because the experience that awaits is to good to miss!

Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI.

Here is your Flight Survival 101 list of the top issues plaguing passengers and what you can do to combat them.

” If there is something strange in your neighborhood, Who you gonna call?…. If there is something weird and it don’t look good, Who you gonna call? ….”

So, who you gonna call?

What does a day in the life look like?

Here are the reasons why Qantas continually satisfies its clients.

And Qantas is the number one choice.

Discover for yourself why Qantas is a world favorite.

How to survive a long flight.

The long flight is the biggest obstacle or objection I often face when planning an Australia vacation package.

Here are several of my tips on surviving a flight overseas.

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