Travel hints make trips a little easier

Dear Heloise: Not being a frequent traveler and never having any previous problems with canceled flights or being bumped from a flight, I learned some new travel lessons:

UMake sure your travel coordinator and the airline have your cell-phone number, not your home phone number.

UCall the airline to confirm your flights — even if you have a boarding pass. Program the airline number into your cell phone.

UKnow that if your connecting flight is canceled, the airline most likely will bump you from your first flight also.

UEven with a boarding pass, go to the ticket agent at your departure gate and check in. Then the agent can page you if there is a problem with any of your flights.

UIf you want to be on a flight from which you have been bumped, explain to the ticket agent that you want to be on that flight before your seat is issued to another passenger.

UIf it is necessary to go to the reticketing line, ask for free or reduced hotel accommodations. This will prevent spending the night in the airport and generally includes shuttle service to and from the hotel/motel. Also ask for food vouchers.

UIf you are traveling by air to take a cruise, plan to arrive at your departure city the day before the cruise. Don’t risk missing your cruise because of canceled flights or waiting for baggage!

UPlan ahead and be prepared. Sue Fries, via e-mail

Sue, thanks for passing along these informative travel hints to make everyone’s trip a little easier. Heloise

Dear Heloise: When giving to a patient in the hospital, consider a book light for night reading. The patient’s roommate will be as appreciative as the patient. And while you’re visiting, be sure not to kick the slippers under the bed. Mary, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: At the drive-up espresso booth, I hand the barista my recycled hot jacket from a previous drink. On it I have printed every detail of my drink order, including temperature. He or she never has to ask me to repeat myself, and the jacket comes back on my drink, ready to use again. I keep one in my car and another in my handbag for inside ordering. The same two jackets have lasted more than a year now, and have saved confusion on the server’s part and frustration on mine. Gail Hein, Billings, Mont.

Dear Heloise: I used to buy scented lotion to match my perfume, but I discovered I could make my own by buying unscented lotion. I pump out a generous amount into my hand, then spray it with the scent I plan to wear that day. Then I rub my hands together to mix and put it on my body. This lets me have body lotion with multiple scents without buying a lotion for each scent, and I can control the amount of scent in the lotion. Susan Soriente from Nebraska

XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate