Going on vacation should be an exciting and fun time, regardless of the stresses involved in planning and preparing yourself for the journey. Getting all of your things packed and making sure you don’t forget anything, and then making your way to the airport is naturally going to be slightly stress-inducing. Yet, the promise of reaching your destination and finally being able to relax and unwind will keep you going. Unfortunately, simply reaching the airport and making it through check-in and security isn’t always the last step before you can relax. In some cases, things can still go wrong at this stage, and more often than not, this comes in the form of a flight delay. This can be extremely disheartening, especially if the delay lasts until the following day. But when it comes to having to wait two or more hours, there are some steps you can take to make this wait somewhat more bearable. Here are our top tips for dealing with a situation like this.
Contact Your Airline
Your first step, depending on how long your delay is, is to contact your airline to find out more information. If you’re delayed for half an hour or so, this probably isn’t worthwhile. However, if you’re delayed for three hours or more, you may be entitled to some form of compensation. When there is a flight delay of this amount of time, you should expect many passengers to swarm the airline’s help desks. You should instead call the airline directly for further information and to enquire about compensation and reimbursement. As well as getting a reimbursement, it may also be worth asking staff if you can get access to the VIP lounge, free of charge, as a long wait in one of the terminals can be very uncomfortable. There’s no guarantee you’ll get access, but there’s no harm in asking. Just remember to be polite and courteous as they aren’t obliged to say yes.
Go Over Your Plans
When one part of your journey gets delayed, this can have a knock-on effect on the rest of your plans. A significant flight delay may cause you problems on the other end, with taxis and bus services having to be rescheduled. Remember to call ahead and rebook these things if required. Some services will have the details of your flight ahead of time when you initially book, so they will reschedule for you. You’ll also want to consider speaking to your hotel if you have one, as you might arrive significantly later than their usual check-in time. Virtually all hotels will allow you to check in at any time, as there are no guarantees that you’ll be on time. This is more problematic if you are checking into private accommodation, such as an Airbnb, as the host will need to be around to provide you with access to the property.
Play A Game
Once you’ve dealt with the important things during a delay, you’re going to have to find some way to cope with the long wait. The great thing about technology today is that our smartphones can provide us with hours of entertainment wherever we are. For example, waiting for a delayed flight 20 years ago would have been much more frustrating and boring. Consider downloading some game apps on your phone to occupy yourself, or you could also play some browser-based games. You could also play some online casino games for real money if you’re looking for something a bit more exciting. Just remember not to spend any more than you can afford and stop playing these games when the fun stops. Also, you can find some casino sites with sign-up bonuses, which include things like your initial deposit being matched or free spins on their virtual slot machines. Check out some of the sites that offer bonuses at www.OnlineCasinos.co.uk.
Get Something To Eat
Often when we go to the airport, we’ll either be on time or a bit later than we’d expected due to queue times at security. This means that, when it comes to food, we end up grabbing something on the go to eat either on the plane or on foot to the terminal. Now that you’ve experienced a delay, however, you might as well take your time and get some proper food. Airports have a wide range of different restaurants and cafés where you can get a table, and this can be a relaxing change of pace after the stress of rushing through the airport only to find that your flight is delayed. Use this time to regroup and calm down with some nice food and drink.
Watch A Movie
A common way to pass the time at the airport is to simply take a seat and stream a movie to your phone or another portable device like your laptop. When you have a few hours until your flight, a movie can be a good way to make that wait feel much shorter as it’ll distract you and can also function as a means to keep track of time without constant clock-watching. Suppose you have 2 hours until your flight. In that case, you can simply watch a movie that lasts for an hour and a half without worrying that you’ll miss your boarding call. As well as watching a movie now, you could also use this time to prepare for the flight by downloading some movies, TV shows, music, or podcasts to enjoy on the flight as you’ll have limited connectivity when in the air, depending on the airline you’re flying with.
Go Shopping
Another way in which you can occupy your time in a situation like this is to take advantage of the duty-free shopping that airports provide. Duty-free zones in the airport can be the perfect place to stock up on snacks for your flight as well as buy gifts for those you’re visiting or for friends and family when you return home. You could also treat yourself to improve your mood after the disappointment of the flight delay itself. Don’t forget that alongside duty-free stores, there are also many designer outlets at most airports, and these are usually very expensive. However, they can be a great place to get a gift for someone, as long as you’re prepared to pay full price.