Traveling by air this summer? 4 things you should do

This summer — particularly this summer — there a few things worth doing differently, when it comes to air travel.

Here are a few suggestions:

First, it might seem simple, but leave a little earlier for the airport. It’s not just that flights are fuller during the summer, but there are a lot more families and infrequent travelers. Which can slow you down everywhere from on the parking lot shuttle bus to the check-in kiosks to the security lines.

I actually almost missed a plane once due to a large family using the same airport parking lot, with a ton of stuff. It took them several minutes to get the bags, strollers etc, on the bus, and about as long to get them off. And of course they were getting out the terminal before mine.

Ditto, infrequent travelers may have have trouble with automatic kiosks, which to be fair, are not always user-friendly, and usually move slower though security.

Second, if there’s a choice, consider booking a slightly longer connection than usual. Yes, many airports allow 30 to 40 minute connections between flights when traveling on the same airline, and yes, if you miss a legal connection, it is supposed to be the airlines problem to fix it.

But with overloaded flights and understaffed airports, if you miss a flight, it may not help that you are in the right, if you can’t get to a human in time to rebook the next plane, or if the next flight is oversold.

And as to those automatic rebooking programs, let’s just say they’re not exactly creative in problem solving. If you miss a flight, say, to JFK airport in New York, they won’t look at La Guardia or Newark. Nor will they look at other carriers or unusual connections.

Third: If you normally won’t accept a middle seat, take it just in case. When I can’t find a window or aisle seat for clients, I usually keep checking back, and in the few cases I can never find a decent seat, I generally suggest clients get a seat at the airport, because an airline is more likely to help you find an aisle or window if you don’t have any other seat already. Not these days. Even though I hate middle seats, it’s safer to have something.

Admittedly, if you’re not in a hurry, going to the airport without a seat assignment could increase your chances of volunteering to receive denied boarding compensation, but if you do need to be on the flight in question, grab whatever you can get in advance, and ask the gate agent nicely at the airport about switching.

And finally, yes, this is easier said than done, but pack more that your usual patience and sense of humor. Along with a good book, and a fully charged Blackberry or whatever PDA-phone-entertainment device you carry. I sometimes try to tell myself that whatever travel absurdity I am in the middle of will at least make a good story someday.