Space Limitations : Air Sickness : Air Quality : Temperature
Food : Jet Lag : Non-flights : Pets : Special Circumstances

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Airplanes are obviously a much more comfortable conveyance than covered wagons, but hurtling around the world in a metal box can have its unpleasant moments, these Travel Tips will minimize the same.

Space Limitations
One obvious problem is lack of space. This does vary considerably from airline to airline, and from airplane model to airplane model. If you travel a lot, you might want to sample different airlines and airplanes to determine your preferences.

If you are very tall, you may prefer an aisle seat. This will hopefully give you a chance to stretch your legs into the aisle from time to time. Even better is to get a "bulkhead seat": there is usually more legroom in those positions. Be advised, however, that those seats go quickly; it pays to book ahead!
Oddly, something that helps you feel less cramped is to travel with a friend instead of alone. The better you are acquainted with someone, the harder it is to have your "personal space" violated.

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Air Sickness
If you get motion sick easily, you may be more comfortable if you take some sort of motion sickness drug before you fly. Note that you must take the drugs before you get sick; there is unfortunately nothing that I know of that will relieve motion sickness once it has started.

Motion sickness is caused in part by a discrepancy between what the eye sees and what the inner ear feels. (This is why the driver of a car gets sick much less frequently than a passenger: the driver is continuously watching the road, getting a good idea of what is coming next.) It may help to close your eyes the moment you start to consider thinking about getting airsick.

If you do come down with discomfort, one relatively easy but embarrassing way to feel better is to empty your stomach. "Barf bags" are usually located in the pouch on the back of the seat in front of you. Frequently, using them reduces and/or eliminates the discomfort.

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Air Quality
The air that you breathe inside an airline cabin isn't nearly as good as what you will find most other places.

The cabin is pressurized, since the air is so thin at altitude. However, they don't pressurize it to sea level; it is substantially weaker. (This is part of why air travel can be so draining; you can end up with mild altitude sickness!)

Furthermore, the air is very very dry. This can lead to dehydration, which can also make you feel lousy. I strongly advise drinking a litre or two of water and guzzling that non-stop throughout the trip.

Finally, the air is filled with the exhaust products of your fellow travelers like cigarette smoke; while smoking has been banned on domestic US flights, such rules are not followed around the globe. Another exhaust product is germs. If your immune system is compromised in any way (HIV, chemotherapy, immunoglobulin deficiency), you may well want to wrap your face in a scarf or wear a surgical mask.

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Temperature
Because of the altitude, airplanes can also be quite cold (especially the floor).Take one of the blankets that the airline provides. Wool socks are not a bad idea either. On the larger planes, there is usually a little fan that blows on you. The airflow can be adjusted by twisting the unit.

Noise
Planes are also very noisy. You might not think this is a big deal, but it wears away at you. Consider bringing some earplugs with you.

Most of the large jets have sound systems built-in, TV systems for movies and infomercials. You can bring portable tape , lap-top , mobile phones and/or compact disk players aboard with you, but airlines may restrict their use (especially on takeoff and landing). There is some concern that the electromagnetic fields generated by consumer electronics can interfere with the airplane's navigational signals.

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Food
Food on airlines is about what you would expect, considering that all the food must be prepared ahead of time and served to a large number of people with very different taste preferences.

U.S. carriers are pretty good about accommodating standard dietary preferences, but you have to help them out. If you are vegetarian or keep kosher, tell the travel agent when you purchase the ticket, and the airlines will usually accommodate you.

Be advised that many countries have import restrictions on foods; If you bring food, be sure that you either finish it all on the plane or make sure that it will clear customs.

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Jet Lag
Jet lag is your body's way of asking you not to abuse it by upsetting its normal cycle. Basically, your body is used to falling asleep at certain times of the day. If you go waltzing across multiple time zones, your body doesn't much care: it still wants to fall asleep at its normal time, and it doesn't much care if it happens to be three in the afternoon.

There have been some studies that suggest that paying close attention to what you eat when can reduce the transition time:Two good rules of thumb: it takes about one day per hour of time shift to totally get over jet lag. It is also much harder to travel east than it is to travel west.

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Non-flights
Occasionally, you will not be able to go out on your scheduled flight. Sometimes the bump will be because the passengers did not follow statistical means, and fewer people cancelled than the airline expected. In such cases, the airline will usually give you some sort of prize - free tickets or vouchers for travel on that airline.

If you are stuck somewhere overnight because of something that was the fault of the airline, they will usually furnish you with a hotel room, breakfast, and the first flight out in the morning. If you are stuck somewhere because of the weather, then you hang out in the.

If you miss a flight because of your own mistakes, most airlines will help you out if it doesn't inconvenience them too much. For discount airlines like Southwest, however, you'd better make sure you don't miss your flight!

If you are waiting to board a flight and it is suddenly cancelled, there will be a race to the next airline counter to try to get on the next flight. Instead of following the sheep to the counter, head for the nearest phone and phone the airline reservations system. You get the same result without standing in line.

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Pets
You can ship your pets on an airline, but you need to put the animal in a special animal container. Flying can be pretty traumatic for people, who know what is going on and asked for it; imagine what your poor pet is going through!

NOTE! All vets recommend strongly AGAINST tranquilizing pets in aircraft, especially in the hold. In some breeds with short noses, they can suffer breathing problems and other side effects.

Some countries have really strict pet quarantines. Island nations (e.g. Britain, New Zealand) and particularly paranoid about rabies, and require quarantines that are a significant fraction of a pet's lifetime.

great info about travelling with pets can be availed here.

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Special Circumstances
There are some things beyond your control, and airlines actually have some flexibility in these circumstances.

If you are ill, you can usually cancel or reschedule your flight. You will need a note from your doctor and to fill out a number of forms at an airline office.

If you are flying to a funeral of a relative, many airlines will waive the advance purchase restrictions on fares, resulting in much cheaper tickets. You will need to tell the airline the name of your relative, your relationship to the dearly departed, and the name and phone number of the dearly departed's funeral home.