Jim’s Travel Tips

I have previously posted information that can be valuable for trip planning or general airport information. A standard search can be used but this can take some time as some searches do. TIP: Try going to this site to quickly get to the airport site and information you desire www.azworldairports.com/index.htm Click on the A-Z Airports tab on the left. This will give the letters A through Z for the airport you are looking for. Here you can click on the initial of the city or airport name. You then get details about the airport and their website. The letter search helps with cross referencing airport names to cities – for example George Bush airport is really Houston airport.

When planning a road trip it is most important to have a detailed map with driving directions on hand. All the major search engine sites have map routing resources, including Google and Yahoo. Even though they are getting more advanced all the time, I am sure we have all found errors when following them. I have even had Never Lost® in a Hertz car confused. I would like to provide a link to a great mapping service through AAA of Michigan. You do not have to be a member to utilize this service. It is one of the most detailed map instruction sites I have come across. TIP: Print a detailed route map for your next road trip at AAA of Michigan and click on the “Go to Internet Trip Tik”.

Frequent fliers know which airplane seats are better than others on the flights they frequent. Travelers also have their favorites; some like bulkhead, some like windows, and some like aisles. Each airline numbers the seats differently, so your favorite row will not have the same number airline to airline. How to keep track or know what seat is what? TIP: Go to www.seatguru.com and you will be able to research everything you need to know about, not only seat configurations, but how each airline differs.

Several comments and questions have been posted about the search for airport names and three letter designations or identifications. (See other airport designations post.) This can be confusing. Airports change names but not their three letter designations. Airport names aren’t necessarily a reflection of the city or region that they serve. My home airport is a great example of this. Gerald R Ford International Airport was formerly known as Kent County International airport and serves the Grand Rapids, Michigan area with the three letter code, GRR. TIP: Go to this site to help sort all these nuances out. www.airportlist.com.

For traveling with small children, whether by car or plane, it makes the trip more fun for them to have their own “carry-on” bag. A child-sized backpack works well. Must haves to pack in it:

• Snacks: just a few, most will be in your bag for portion control

• Art supplies: a notebook/coloring book and crayons. Crayons are less messy than markers and less sharp than colored pencils – don’t bring the 64 pack unless you want to retrieve that many when they spill.

• Small, favorite plush toy: good for conversations and snuggling when they get sleepy.

• One-piece toys/games: Again, less parts to retrieve

One thing that should NOT come on the airplane – any toy that makes a noise. The little blip, beep, tick, or tune that is harmless in your home becomes an amazing annoyance (to you and your seatmates) when heard repeatedly in a 2 x 2 foot space.