tips for flying today that will ease your troubles - by Mike

Flight Tips

Airport tips - I fly a lot and I want answers to the same problems everyone else has: "delayed flights", oversold flights, lost baggage and stuck in a plane on the runway. Flying is trouble today. So we all need strategies for surviving our flights. Let me give you tips that so that when trouble arrives, at least you are comfortable knowing how to act and what you will do.

An airport tip for McCarran International Airport pictured here is they have dedicated terminals for laptops so you can get the help you need for your canceled flight.

The Federal Transportation Department has increased the amount you are entitled to per flight per person, when you have been delayed by more than 2 hours if your airline overbooked your flight. 100,000 flights were cancelled last year. Don't wait for delays to happen.

Find out exactly where your plane is. One thing you can do before you get to the airport is go to Flightaware.com. A special airport tip to know: Flightaware will show you exactly where your plane is, even how far it is from your gate, so you can be in control of your time.

Plan on taking your own action if you do not feel like you have been justly compensated. You can seek the advice of aviation attorneys that specialize in aviation matters.

Business travelers will need a mobile broadband card if they don't want to spend time looking for a wi-fi hotspot and want internet connection anywhere. Try this, if you don't have a laptop or MobileCierge, while standing in line, call the airline's customer service number to change your ticket. You may find an open seat before you reach the counter. If you have been bumped see our page on "help for oversold flights," and learn the compensation you are entitled to, and what some people are doing to feel fully compensated.

Photo of Executive Airfield, which is closer to Strip and less likely to be crowded or have delays is another airport tip. Photo by Mike Rains.

Don't have a phone, or connectivity is low, find the frequent flier lounge. Here is another airport tip, even if you are not a member you can buy a one day pass. Once inside use their staff to rebook your trip, it will go more smoothly and quickly than at the ticket counter.

Getting bumped from a plane is not the same as a flight being canceled. Flights can be canceled for things like - weather, mechanical, and security. Force Majeure is a catch-all phrase used by the airlines to include acts of God, the weather, government regulation, safety concerns, work slowdowns, strikes, labor-related disputes, and terrorism, wars, security, shortage of labor or fuel. Force Majeure is a catch-all phrase for everything that could happen.

However, these issues are not clearly defined. For instance, if airlines claim you got dumped due to bad weather, they are misleading you. The only weather airlines won't fly in is hurricanes. Mechanical breakdowns are supposed to be offset with other planes standing by; stopgaps and backups are in place. Airlines need extreme reasons to cancel your flight; it's built into their system. See what I mean, everything is arguable. And you will learn the burden of proof is on the airline, not you. Keep your sight on your compensation for your canceled flight.

If you are coming to Las Vegas know that Saturdays are the airlines busiest days, and the time when carriers get premium rates. Also Vegas is usually sold out on weekends, even in cheap hotel rooms in Las Vegas. Hopefully you will arrive without trouble or delay in beautiful McCarran International Airport and won't need these airport tips.