Some travel tips

Don’t waste your time trying to get a flight upgrade

There are many travel articles claiming that there are ways to obtain an upgrade to business or first class. These invariably include wearing a suit, checking in last, claiming you are on honeymoon or simply trying to charm a member of staff at the check-in desk - who is likely to be under pressure to get the passengers processed in a short space of time and in no mood for a longer than normal interaction with you. The hard truth is that spontaneous upgrades at the check-in desk are very rare indeed. To boost your chances of a better seat, use airlines loyalty reward schemes such as Air Miles and fly enough to obtain middle-tier or upper-tier status. Even simpler, I’d advise buying a business class or first class ticket.

Avoid tourist traps

It requires a little bit more effort, but getting away from the tourist traps is always worthwhile. Apart from draining your wallet, they usually lack cultural or historical authenticity, they are as genuine as ultra-processed food. They’re easy to identify: often crowded, aggressive salespeople are present and an absence of clear pricing information, such as menus and experiences without prices. The only locals you’ll see are those working hard to fleece you.

Pre-download an iPad with films on flights

Your airline may boast a great selection of films, but if there are technical issues with your personal in-flight entertainment system, and the flight is full and you can’t move seats, a tablet stuffed with films is a good back-up. And some airlines offer an atrocious selection of films as inflight entertainment.

Don’t be selfish

Maybe we’re getting more insular as we have less and less contact with fellow humans (staying in watching box sets instead of going out and socialising, using the self-checkout at the supermarket instead of interacting with a cashier, texting instead of having a telephone chat, watching our own individual TV programmes rather than gathering round to watch the same thing, for example) but it does seem that it is more and more common to see people sitting in the aisle seat and leaving the window seat empty on public transport, in a bid to have both seats to themselves. Trying to create their own little public transport fiefdom, even when the bus or train is very busy. I was recently the last person to board a National Express coach, and everyone - absolutely everyone - sitting on their own was sitting in the aisle seat. Sure, you can ask someone to move over, but it’s an extra barrier to cross. Don’t do this thing, it’s selfish.

Put together a flight survival kit

It’s annoying when you haven’t got a pen to hand when the flight attendant hands out the customs forms shortly before you’re due to land, or you can’t hear the inflight film properly because the cheap as chips earphones dispensed by the airline are completely lousy. So it’s a good idea to fill a small zip-up bag for your hand luggage for each time you fly that contains decent earphones, a two-pronged adapter (available online) for those aircraft cabins that don’t use the usual single jack, snacks, plasters or a small medical kit, painkillers, an eye mask, hand sanitiser and anti-bacterial wipes (cabins may look spotless but may be surprisingly filthy) and possibly sleeping pills, lip balm (the dry air in an aeroplane might exacerbate chapped lips), a back-up charger, noise-cancelling headphones, eye drops and more.

Embrace layering with lightweight fabrics to avoid overpacking

Clothing such as bulky jumpers can use up an inordinate amount of luggage space. It’s better to pack thinner clothing using heat-efficient materials like merino wool or Uniglo’s HeatTech or similar.

Keep an eye on emails and texts in the run-up to the flight, ferry or holiday

Airlines, ferry companies and tour operators usually use email and texts to update passengers on any changes to flights or holidays. Such information may come at short notice, and to avoid missing details on cancellations and rescheduling, it’s good to check regularly. 

Taking the bare minimum from the breakfast buffet is a wasted opportunity

One or two fellow hotel guests may disapprove, but helping yourself to a couple of pastries or an apple for a snack later in the day, or putting together a cheese sandwich for lunch, in the whole scheme of things isn’t a capital offence. The hotel will have almost always have accommodated it and is expecting such behaviour, and is very unlikely to be aggrieved unless you walk round brazenly filling up a whole Tesco Bag for Life with jams, cereals, tea bags, smoothies, yoghurts and the like. Even better, ask a waiter whether you can, and the nearer it is to the end of the breakfast service, the more likely it will be evident that quite a lot of food will be going to waste.

Check into your hotel later to increase the chance of a room upgrade

If you check into a hotel the moment you can (often 3pm) there’s less likelihood of getting a room upgrade as the hotel will probably be reserving better rooms in case a last-minute walk-in will take it. But check in later and the chances of the room diminish and your chances of a better room increase. There’s no harm in asking.