When embarking on international travel, your passport becomes your lifeline. It is crucial to take proper precautions to prevent any mishaps. One common mistake travelers make is placing their passports in their gate-checked carry-on bags. Here’s why you should avoid this practice and keep your passport on your person or in your personal item.
The Issue With Gate-Checking
Gate-checking occurs when there is limited overhead bin space on a flight, leading to the need for passengers to check their carry-on bags voluntarily. While it may seem convenient to store your passport in a secure pocket of your gate-checked bag, this can pose a significant problem.
The Consequences
If your carry-on bag is gate-checked and your passport is inside, you won’t have access to it until you reach the baggage claim, which can become problematic. Without your passport, you may be denied entry into the country you’re visiting.
Seeking Assistance
If you accidentally gate-check your bag with your passport inside, it is essential to inform an airline customer service representative at the gate where your flight arrived from. They may be able to assist in locating your bag, but this is not always guaranteed. In some cases, airport staff may not even have a solution to offer. Contacting the embassy at your destination may not be fruitful since you have not officially entered the country.
Return Flights
If you accidentally gate-check your passport on your return flight, it may be possible to work it out with border patrol officials. In this case, it’s easier to establish your identity and gain entry into your home country. However, this is subject to their discretion.
Conclusion
So, it’s better to always keep your passport on your person or in your personal item to avoid any complications. Additionally, ensure you have other important travel documents, such as visas, as well as essential medications or medical equipment, readily accessible throughout your journey.
3 Ways to Make Your Pet Feel at Ease Rather Than Anxious While Traveling for the Holidays
The holidays are here. This means people travel to meet their family and friends. In all this hustle and bustle, your pet may feel a little or even a lot stressed out. Pets always take a while to adjust to unfamiliar situations. In fact, there were ways you can tell that your beloved pet is experiencing anxiety. This includes pacing, panting, increased barking and stress yawning. So, whether you are taking leaving them with someone, taking them with you, or even traveling with a huge family, here is how you can make the entire process less stressful for them.
Create a Travel Schedule for Your Pet
Begin small. Take them on shorter journeys before you plan on taking them for longer ones. This will help them get familiarized with the motion of the plane or the car. So, next time you decide to take them on a trip, they might not feel as anxious. It may take a while for them to get to the level of no anxiousness while traveling. The key is to be patient with them.
Avoid Heavy Meals
This is true both for you and your pet. Haven’t you ever felt uncomfortable eating too much while on a trip? So, it is best to avoid eating anything heavy just one hour before you set out on your trip. The reason for this is nausea. Eating too much before traveling could make them nauseated and that is definitely not a pleasant feeling. And as your dog will have no way of telling you how they are feeling, they will just get uncomfortable and anxious.
Ensure They Travel Comfortably
Just like human beings, pets also deserve to travel in comfort. So, if you have put them in a pet carrier, make sure that it has enough room and they do not feel cramped in there. They should be able to sit down, stand, lay down and even move around a little bit.