Nobody wants it to happen, and everybody prays before they fly that they will not be delayed but sometimes the inevitable happens. Bad weather, minor issues, problems earlier in the day, air traffic control issues or various other things can cause small or large delays. In this guide, we will explore how to spend time in case of a delayed flight.
How to Spend Time In Case of Delayed Flights
- Plan your Time – Speaking to somebody in the know, or finding out just how much time you have before your flight will be boarding is essential before you make a plan to what you are going to do before you fly. If the flight has no chance of taking off for another eight hours, then you can leave the airport to go somewhere else. On the other hand, one or two hours will require you to stay in the airport. Making sure you know how much time is essential because the last thing you want to do is miss your flight if you could have avoided it by staying at the airport.
- Check the Delay Time – Furthermore, it is essential that you keep an eye on how long you are delayed. Some travel insurance companies will give you some money back if you are delayed for what they consider to be a significant amount of time. Even though the amount is not likely to be more than £100 it is well worth reclaiming or at least checking if you can claim when you get back from holiday.
- Laptop – Bringing a laptop on any holiday just in case of a delay is not a bad idea. Experiencing a long delay will feel much shorter if you are watching a film or doing some work. All major airports have places where you can plug in your laptop and the majority of them also have free WI-FI, so accessing the internet is not an issue. If you can spend your delay doing what you would usually be doing when you are at home, then it will not seem like wasted time.
- Shops – The reason why terminals have shops before you travel is so that you have something to do, and you can pick up any last minute products. However, if you actually look at the products that are on offer rather than ‘holiday’ shopping, then you will find some great bargains. Remember, all of your shopping will be duty free and the only downfall will be that you have to carry it around with you. Nevertheless, if the item is small and this is not an issue, then you can save yourself a tidy sum with every purchase.
- Exercise Time – Staying lively during your delay is always a benefit. Of course, this does not mean you have to start up a gym in the space you have, but moving around and keeping active is always beneficial. There are various ‘limited space’ exercises that you can do in order to stay on your toes.
- Sleep Time – If you have others with you who are not sleeping or can guarantee that you will get up in time for your flight, having a sleep is always a good idea. Generally, flying disturbs your sleeping pattern, and if you can rectify this before you even land then this may give you extra waking hours on your holiday. Furthermore, sleeping is the quickest way to pass the time.
- Talking – Before technology became a focal point, those who were delayed got involved in the old fashioned past time of socializing. Talking about what you are going to get up to on your upcoming holiday will pass the time.
- Playing Games – Travel games and card games are a popular way to pass the time because they can be fun for the whole family. Having a variety of games is beneficial and will not take up too much room in your travel bags. Just remember to take these in your hand luggage rather than your suitcases because if you have checked them in, you will not be able to get them. Of course, if you do not have any, and you have a long delay, then one of the shops in the terminal will sell these games, even though they will probably charge an over-inflated price.
As mentioned, if you can spend the majority of your delay doing something that you would be doing if you were at home or on holiday, then it is not really wasted time. On the other hand, spending your time planning your holiday will save you additional time on your trip, which will give you back some of your lost time. Being prepared and having everything for a delay will stop you looking at the board waiting for the delayed sign to switch to board. Remember, clock watching will only make your delay feel much longer.