10 airport hacks that will change how you fly

HOW can you get free Wi-Fi? How often to they clean those pillows? And what’s really been on that tray table? These tips will change the way you travel.

Airport hacks will change how you fly

FOR anyone planning to take a flight: you don’t want to miss this list of industry secrets revealed by Australian comparison website, finder.com.au.

Their list of the top 10 airport hacks for travellers was compiled from an analysis of confessions from flight attendants and pilots using several sources and online forums including TripAdviser and Reddit.

Michelle Hutchison, money expert at finder.com.au said these tips could potentially change how Australians travel.

“If you are planning to see the world, you will want to know the trade secrets before you leave.

“Air travel can be very expensive and complicated, so we wanted to pull back the curtain on the air travel industry to help travellers make the most of their next trip.

Top 10 Airport Hacks

1. Give your luggage VIP treatment

Special treatment is often given to luggage labelled with bag tags reading, “I heart baggage handlers”. So if you are checking in luggage, find a feel-good bag tag rather than a ‘fragile’ sticker and handlers will more likely take extra care.

Ensure your luggage turns up in one piece.

2. Avoid the queue and dial a new flight

If your flight is cancelled or overbooked, don’t join the long line of people harassing the gate attendant. Call the airline, as the operator usually has more options for rebooking you and can get it done much faster.

3. Free Wi-Fi

If you put a “?.jpg” to the end of most URLs in an airport, you can get free Wi-Fi without having to login or pay.

4. Fill up for free

Bring an empty water bottle into the airport and fill it up at a water fountain once you are past security. Now you don’t have to pay $4 for a bottle of water.

Don’t throw out your bottle of water at security.

5. Pack some clean comfort

Pack your own blanket and pillow for on board. Those supplied are very rarely cleaned.

6. Pick the best seat

It can be hard to pick the best seat on a flight because you never know who you will be stuck next to. But you can at least avoid the areas that are in the worst positions. For instance, the front of each section usually has more legroom and the last row doesn’t recline as far as the other seats.

You don’t know who will be sitting behind you, but you can pick some better seats.

7. Avoid paying for excess weight

If you overpacked, go to any airport gift shop and ask them to give you a big shopping bag. Fill up the bag with your heaviest items and carry it on board with you.

8. A quiet space

If you have some time to kill between connections and need a place to be calm and peaceful or even pray, some airports have a dedicated prayer room. They are usually not very well marked so you will probably need to ask.

9. Tip in-flight

Give your flight attendant a tip. The gesture can mean free drinks and preferential treatment for the rest of the flight.

10. Sanitise your tray

Flight attendants report regularly seeing dirty nappies and other germy items like used tissues placed on the tray tables and are often reportedly just stored away at the end of a flight without being sanitised. So it’s a good idea to take some antibacterial wipes and clean the tray or avoid using it altogether.

Beware, these have been used as change tables before.

Ms Hutchison said that travellers should still protect themselves by taking out travel insurance, regardless of how many hacks they use.

“These are easy ways to avoid paying unnecessary costs as well as being prepared for the unexpected. But no matter how many hacks you use, they will never be an alternative or protect you like travel insurance so make sure you plan ahead and compare policies before taking off.”