There are many annoying things about the aviation industry, but one of the most annoying of these is everything that has to do with layovers when changing flights. The worst part of this is that having to change flights is usually not optional — either that or you have to go for long-haul direct flights that can be just as annoying as layovers due to the serious discomfort factor. In many instances having to be subjected to layovers as you change flights is just unavoidable if you want to reach certain destinations which aren’t popular enough to have direct flights from your departure point.
A layover is enough of an annoyance in itself, in that you have to deal with going to collect your checked-in luggage, something which has a lot of potential additional stress-factors, and then you have to check-it in again on your connecting flight and go through the whole process of getting allocated a seat again. All too often things go really pear-shaped and your original flight gets delayed to the point that you miss your connecting flight. What if it’s the only flight you had available to you? Airlines are notorious for overbooking and their process of dealing with stranded passengers leaves a lot to be desired. You may be put on standby, having to wait for the next available seat on the next flight to your final destination is a nightmare because it’s usually not just you who’s waiting to get on the next flight. There’s a waiting list whose operation makes no sense at all. I don’t think it even makes sense to the airline staff members themselves.
Anyway, you might just find yourself having to try and catch some shut-eye at the airport, especially if you didn’t bring any extra emergency money to perhaps book into a hotel or if you’re not allowed to leave the airport and enter into a country you were never planning on visiting in the first place.
So sleeping at the airport is definitely not ideal, but there are some tricks to it which will make it as comfortable as possible.
Find a Busy Spot
By busy I don’t mean that you must lie down at a busy entrance and try to sleep there — find a spot dedicated to waiting passengers to have a seat in, but just one with a few people over choosing a completely isolated one. The other waiting passengers will act as your extra pair of eyes and keep a lookout for anyone trying to nick your stuff. Never mind if you snore loudly, this is neither the time nor place to be worrying about such things.
Cover Your Head
Trust me, covering your head with a jersey or something that effectively acts as a physical light barrier will help you get a bit of valuable shut-eye — that in addition to taking refuge in the fact that you can perhaps claim some compensation for the inconvenience suffered through the Stanton Fisher Flight Delays claims service or a similar one offered by specialists in that field.
Attach Yourself to Your Luggage
If possible, try to sleep on your luggage so that you can at least feel any attempted interference with your valuables, but make sure your important documents such as your passport and other valuables like your credit cards, air ticket and cash are tucked away safely.
