Traveling by plane can be stressful and difficult for many people, before, during and after the actual flight occurs. When it comes to traveling by air, you can learn a lot about making the process go smoothly by handling travel the way flight attendants do. No one knows air travel quite like flight attendants.
When traveling over long distances that require time changes, jet lag can become a serious problem. The best way to deal with jet lag in such an instance is to sleep for two to three hours, then force yourself to wake up and go outside. Get something to eat or drink and maybe later, take a shower. By the time you are done with these tasks, it will typically be close enough to evening that you can go to sleep for a full night's sleep. By the time you wake up again, you will be jet lag-free and on the same time zone as everyone around you. This will prevent you from sleeping all day, or having trouble getting to sleep at night because of the time change.
Many flight attendants use a carry-on bag for their bathroom and dressing essentials. This way, they can pack up everything else beforehand and do not have to worry about their primary luggage before the flight. Everything that is needed for a shower and getting prepared for the flight can go into the carry-on bag, meaning that luggage can be checked early and you will always have your essentials within arm's reach up until the point when the plane takes off.
Although missing luggage is rare, it does happen. It can become delayed, end up on another flight or be accidentally taken by another passenger on the plane. Most airlines do not give passengers much in compensation to handle immediate needs when their baggage goes missing. You can plan ahead by keeping a set of clothing and your essential toiletries and other items in a carry-on bag. This way, if your primary luggage does go missing, you still have enough clothing and supplies for the first 24 hours, until other arrangements can be made.
