Packing
When packing, take the advice given to you by travel companies and airlines.
Packing 1 – countermeasures
Only use your own cases and bags – so you know that nobody has sewed drugs or anything else into the lining.
Always pack cases yourself and never leave them unattended.
• Seek and take the advice of travel companies and airlines when organising and doing your packing.
Don’t pack sharp bladed or pointed instruments in your hand luggage. They could all be seized and disposed of by the airline, no compensation is payable and, no matter what they are, if you want to take that flight the items will be removed and will not be returned to you.
• Airline rules require that electrical items packed in your luggage should not contain batteries. Batteries must be removed and packed separately. Items containing batteries will be spotted on x-ray equipment and the cases will be opened and the batteries removed. I have known airlines to call a passenger to a check-in desk and require them to open the case and remove batteries in front of a departure lounge full of nosy passengers.
• Make sure that your cases are secure and robust enough to take the damage they suffer in transit and at the hands of baggage-handling staff and machines.
The Ultimate Travel Packing Checklist Photo Gallery
Packing Tips from the Travel Experts
Make sure that the lids of any containers (such as shampoo or sun tan lotion) that you pack are securely fastened. If in doubt, discard the container or at least seal it in a plastic bag.
Keep your bags with you at all times to prevent tampering and/or theft.
Lastly, another reminder to have your tickets and passport, etc. available – don’t pack them in your case!
How to Pack Lighter, Smarter, and Faster | Travel
Packing – what to wear and take
When you pack and prepare to travel, pay careful attention to the clothes you will wear and those you will need when you reach your destination, especially when flying. Leaving London in August you may be wearing a shirt and shorts,
but when you land in northern Finland you will appreciate warm clothes and a coat when you step off the aircraft.
Take the same care when you fly back. Know what weather conditions you will be flying into and wear or carry suitable clothing for those conditions. Acclimatisation can produce strange results. My wife and I went to Canada where we drove through the Rocky Mountains one winter. It was spectacular and a holiday to be recommended. We had a four-wheel-drive car, did some snow-shoeing, hiking with a guide and on our last day went on a dog sled, ‘mushing’ through mountain passes at minus 41 degrees. The whole holiday was breathtaking in more ways than one.
We flew back into London and slipped on our winter coats when we landed, then quickly took them off again. Having acclimatised to an average ot minus 30 degrees in the Rocky Mountains, at Heathrow’ we found it uncomfortably warm at just above freezing! Everyone thought we were mad for the next week or so, commenting on our light clothing and indifference to a little frost and ice. It took us well over a week to re-acclimatise to the UK winter.
The Right Way to Pack for Travel
Packing 2 – countermeasures
Carry the clothes you will need when you arrive at your destination. You don’t want to step off a plane from Florida into a UK winter and have to empty your cases to find a jumper to stop you freezing to death.
Consider carrying a change of clothes for small kids and yourself in case the baby is sick on you during a flight.
Consider having some blogs or puzzles in your hand luggage to keep small kids amused. Don’t take anything noisy – let the other passengers have a little rest during the flight!
Consider packing some boiled sweets to suck while taking off and landing. Sucking sweets helps to equalise the air pressure in the ears, sinus, etc., avoiding pain and discomfort.
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