Yesterday afternoon I learned that business travelers are indeed a special breed of airline customers. It's something that I've always known but never really felt until throwing a good ol' fashioned hissy fit in the middle of the B terminal at Midway Airport in Chicago. I didn't say Business travelers were mature, I just said "special".

The hissy fit wasn't really a fit as much as sheer exhaustion after a five-day conference while mentally preparing for a ten-day trip that would span from one coast to the other. The fit was also a manifestation of my frustration with the state of travel these days. As I am already boycotting both US Air and United because paying $15 for a piece of luggage on top of already astronomical airfare is ludicrous. Especially since neither airline is exactly known for their stellar timeliness. But this isn't about which airline is superior to the others it's more about the passengers who fly the semi-friendly skies.

Because I am on a plane about four to ten times a month, I've developed a bit of a routine for my travel. And I share this here now as it is the middle of summer and people are preparing for family vacations. And lets be honest roughly 1,000 people are about to descend on flights headed towards San Francisco for the BlogHer conference. So this is just friendly advice while people are procrastinating and not paying attention to the eight skirts they've packed.

1) My biggest pet peeve is when people yell at TSA agents. Look, no one enjoys being strip searched in order to board a plane and I've done my fair share of trying to hold up my pants with one hand while shoving my laptop back in the bag with the other hand. That said, they have to do what they do and we must abide. This means that whey they say that liquids must be in a 3oz (or less) container and in a quart size bag, they mean that liquids must be in a 3oz (or less) container and in a quart size bag. I cannot tell you the number of times that I have seen some woman lose her mind because a TSA agent took her full size bottle of oil of olay moisturizer in a gallon size bag.

2) Speaking of liquids and packing; it's amazing how much 3oz is, I mean really it takes me months to get through stuff. That said, Susan Wagner has already written an excellent post about packing and I'm just going to throw in my two cents that rarely does one ever really need to check a bag. Let's say that you're going on a weekend trip, just plan accordingly and throw your gels and liquids into your quart size bag and be on your merry way.

3) Be organized. Which sounds fairly simple. But let's say you're going through security and you've got a laptop and liquids and cords wrapped around every which way and your shoes on and a jacket and your trying to remember where you put your boarding pass; with all of that going on you're bound to be flailing about while being semi-apologetic towards the other passengers for holding up the line. And let me tell you, I've never met a regular business traveler take such a thing well. Keep your baggie of liquids somewhere easily accessible. Same for your laptop. Also remember that you have to remove your shoes and any coats/sweatshirts. I wear some sort of slip on shoes and a skirt when traveling (no need for a belt) and I keep my laptop and baggie in the same bag but in different compartments. Everything that needs to be removed and into a tray gets taken out in one fell swoop. None of this digging around and trying to figure out where things are. 

4) Print out your boarding pass ahead of time. Enough said. This along with not checking luggage will save about 30 minutes off of your total time of being in the airport and paying $9 for a bottle of water.

5) Speaking of water; since you can't bring it through security, you will have to buy it once through to the terminal. But everything else is fair game and I cannot tell you how many times I've had to be exorbitant prices for the world's tiniest package of trail mix. So! Pack your own. It requires a little foresight and getting prepared well before an hour before your flight departs but it will save you in the long run. Approximately $10 if you really want to know.

6) This is the most important thing and I had this happen to me last week; know where you're going and how to get there. I mean to your final destination whether that be a house, hotel or meeting place just know. I literally landed at the airport the other day and didn't have a clue as to the name of my hotel or how I would get there. Thankfully it was a $15 shuttle ride to my hotel but still I would suggest knowing. Most airports have some sort of shuttle service. If you're in a major metropolitan area there might be a train or some sort of light rail/subway system. Whatever the case find out so that you're not spending $60 on a cab ride. 

7) Cash. Seems obvious but again, I've forgotten multiple times to hit up an ATM prior to flying and then realizing that I have zero dollars on me.

8) ID. Again, OBVIOUS. But along with the ease of keeping things easily accessible the one thing you MUST have somewhere where you can just whip it out is a government issued ID. Don't try to use a school ID or a credit card with your photo. Government issued means government issued and you'd think that that's such a "DUH" thing but again, I've spent plenty of time around passengers who are all verklempt because their college ID didn't get them on a plane.  

The above are a few helpful suggestions that might make air travel a bit easier. While most of them seem to be pointing out the obvious, I cannot tell you how many times I've been behind some irate passenger nor can I tell you the number of times I have BEEN the irate passenger. So check out TSA or Amtrak for rules and regulations and enjoy your travels. 

And elsewhere: Fly Away Cafe has tips on budgeting and saving on meals while on vacation. The LA Times travel blog has tips on how to be a good green hotel guest. And on ParentDish, helping kids deal with parents who travel. 

Heather B. is less than three hours from hopping on a plane to the west coast. And less than five days from hopping on a plane to the deep south. She writes about how crazy exhausted this will make her at No Pasa Nada.