How to make your
airport experience less stressful

Going on holiday can be a stressful process. Having one eye on the kids, another eye on where you are going, and worrying about if you have switched all of your electricals off at home, are just some of the things many families find stressful about the process of going away. If you are going away this Summer and are worried about the whole airport process, then carry on reading, as we have some of our top tips to help make your airport experience less stressful.

Make sure you know where you are going - It may sound like such a simple thing, but routing where you need to be and at what times can make any experience a lot less stressful. A couple of days before you are set to leave, make a plan of what time you need to be at the check in desk etc, and always make sure that you are there at least 10 minutes early. Make sure you arrive at the airport at least two hours before boarding your plane. This then allows you to check in and find your gate, and have some time enjoying Duty Free, all without rushing and worrying that you will miss your plane.

Make sure that all of your suitcases are within your airline's weight limit - Before you start packing your case, make sure you know your luggage allowance. Making sure that you are within your allowance will make your journey through the airport a lot smoother. Try using a fabric or lightweight suitcase rather than a hard shelled one, this will allow you to shed some weight off of the case itself, and use the excess to pack more necessities. The last thing that you want to be doing is to be pulling things out of your suitcase in front of a long queue of irritated passengers.

Keep all of your important documents in a folder - The night before you are set to fly, make sure you have ready all of the documents you need for your holiday. These documents may include your passports, boarding tickets, money, travel insurance details, hotel details etc. Keeping these together in a folder will keep everything well organised, in order that you know where all of your important documents will be when needed, rather than scrambling around stressfully in your bag trying to find them.

Try to wear as little metal as possible - In order to have a smooth run through security, try to wear as little metal as possible. Try to avoid:

1. Clothes with studs and metal buttons.
2. Wearing too much jewellery such as necklaces, earrings, rings, watches, piercings and cufflinks.
3. Underwired bras.
4. Belts with buckles.
5. Having things such as keys and mobile phones in your pockets.

Wearing as little metal as possible will decrease the chances of the detectors going off, therefore making you sail through security quicker than if you were to be stopped and searched over your belt buckle.

Many airports now make you take your shoes off as another part of their security management. Try to avoid any footwear with laces or buckles, and instead try to opt for slip on or velcro shoes. This will enable you to not lose out on any time whilst putting your shoes on.

Try to make your luggage stand out - When standing at the luggage carousel after a tiring flight, the last thing you want to be doing is checking every black suitcase to see which one is yours. In order to make this experience easier for you, you can:

1. Tie a colourful ribbon around the handle of your suitcase.
2. Buy a bright coloured or patterned suitcase.
3. Invest in a personalised or colourful luggage strap.

Hopefully our top tips will help you to have a stress free Summer holiday.