Air rage: Why the caged bird sings

How to avoid air rage
Since there's no reason to expect things to get better at the airport any time soon, here are my tips for a clean getaway every time you pass through an airport:

1. Pay the lowest price possible. Unless you are in business or first class, the treatment you receive isn't going to vary one whit whether you paid a little or a lot for your ticket. Much of the mail I receive from airline professionals complaining about passengers includes comments such as: "People want to pay next to nothing for a ticket, and then expect service!" Well, we don't set the prices; we just pay them. And we don't expect that much service either, just not browbeating, scolding and general unpleasantness. If we're all going to be painted with the same cheapskate brush, we may as well not pay a lot for it.

2. Avoid human contact. Like some kung fu master, your skills of evasion and avoidance will trump debating and argumentative tactics every time. More to the point, if you don't interact with anyone who can mistreat you, you can't be mistreated. Check in online, check your bags at a kiosk for minimal exposure, board swiftly and silently, and BYO whatever it is that will get you through the flight.

3. Avoid surprises. Check ahead for parking info (on your airport's Web site) and for info on delays, and if you end up talking to an agent at any point, find out if your flight is full, empty or otherwise. The idea is to arm yourself with information at every stage of your trip.

4. Plot your route. Particularly if you are traveling through a large airport, a look at a map of your airport could save you from encounters of the unpleasant kind. For example, if you checked in online and know your gate ahead of time, make sure you choose the airport entrance that gives you the most direct line to your gate. That will save you the trudging and end-arounds that force you to talk to people and cost you minutes when time gets tight and lines are long. Running a little late seems to be the worst offense a traveler can commit, and can ultimately be held against you — although the airlines are quite good at it!

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5. Take a step back. As a youngster in a retail job, my cousin Debbie had a formula for dealing with difficult people: "Kill them with kindness." Though you won't want to talk about killing people while trekking through an airport these days, a little understanding could go a long way. Airline employees and flight attendants have a difficult job dealing with travelers who are justifiably grumpy at the airport. What if every person you spoke to in your job was ticked off before they got to you? You can disarm a potential antagonist as well with cheer as with churl. If you cut them some slack, you might walk away unscathed — or at least not unhappy.

6. Revenge is best served up cold. Don't feel like you have to have your say, or God forbid the last word, on the spot when subjected to bad behavior. Simply get a name and a flight number, and write a short note to the offending company when you return. If, like this person, the agent refuses to give a name, ask for a supervisor. When you write the letter, there's no need to overdo it; unless you have a very specific complaint, the more brief and cool-headed the letter, the better. (See our guide to complaining effectively.)

Like the person in the news story above, you can expect a form letter in return, but if you send a copy to the FAA, at least it will register somewhere. The airline might send you peanuts and golf balls, but when the next batch of stats comes out, your complaint will be in there.

The Independent Traveler is an interactive traveler's exchange and comprehensive online travel guide for a community of travelers who enjoy the fun of planning their own trips and the adventure of independent travel. You can access our wealth of travel resources and great bargains here at www.independenttraveler.com, or at www.bargainbox.com.

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