Whether you are en route to visit family or on your way home, traveling during the holidays can be stressful and chaotic. We are often in a hurry and things don't always go as easily as we planned. Here are some things you may experience if you dare to fly during the holiday season.
1. Traffic jams on the way to the airport
When you have somewhere to be, it always seems like there's traffic. Traffic that lines up for miles and you're stuck sitting there wondering what you did to deserve this. It's even worse when you have a plane to catch. Just go people!
2. Delayed or canceled flights
Inevitably, the weather will be fine until the day you've planned to travel. You'll arrive to the airport just to find out that your flight has been delayed, or even worse, canceled. You'll start calling your family and trying to find an alternate way to your destination. Buses, trains, car rentals...literally anything.3. Long lines at the service desks
If your flight is canceled, you'll have to deal with painfully long lines at the service desk to find out what the heck you do now. Each person before you will ask 32 questions and you'll feel like you've been waiting for hours.4. Long lines at security
Even if your flight is just delayed, you'll still have to deal with long lines to get through the security checkpoint. Despite the postings throughout the airport, people still try to sneak prohibited items into their carryons. You'll stand in line watching the TSA reprimand person after person for the same items. This drags the process out even longer. Is there a separate line for people who actually follow the rules?
5. Full flights
Once you finally get on your flight, you'll find that it's completely packed and the overhead bins are already filled to their capacity. You'll end up stuffing your belongings under the seat in front of you while hoping you don't break any of those presents you just bought.
6. Fussy children
You'll be unable to avoid the fact that there will be a few fussy children on your flight. Most likely they've been traveling all day or are too young to be easily distracted by an iPad. For your sake, I hope it's a short flight.
7. Lost Luggage
When you finally arrive to your destination, you'll find yourself hoping and praying that your bags made it with you. It's common for the airlines to forget bags as they're rushing to load your plane. As you're watching everyone else's bags fall onto the carousel, keep calm. They do deliver. For future reference, pack clothes in your carry on.
8. Grumpy people
Due to the chaos throughout the airport, there seems to be grumpy people everywhere you turn. From the TSA workers, airline employees, and other families running to catch their flights, tension levels are running high. Tread lightly.
