It's almost time for students to head home for the holidays. Most schools will close their dorms and send boarders home this coming Saturday. If your child has invited an international student to spend the Christmas break with you, then take a few minutes to review my Travel Tips for Students with your children before they get on the plane.
The economy has brought about major changes for the airlines. Not only are air fares expensive with few bargains available at peak travel times, but the baggage allowances have changed. All sorts of restrictions apply. The security screening can take an hour or more at some busy airports. Make sure that your teen understands where things can go wrong and how to cope when they do go wrong.
If I sound like a worrier, I am guilty as charged. One of my children was flying the short hop on a small commuter plane from Providence, Rhode Island to Martha's Vineyard. The tiny plane was struck by lightning and had to make an emergency landing. This was in the days before cellphones and flight tracking. So, when the airline called to say that our daughter was in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and that she was safe, we were astonished to say the least. On another occasion one of my sons was making the supposedly routine flight from Miami to Raleigh. That 2 hour flight turned into a 12 hour ordeal because of a freak spring snowstorm. You have similar stories. Share them with your child.
Update on Monday, December 21: The enormous winter storm which slammed through the mid-Atlantic and northeastern states over the weekend disrupted travel plans for thousands of people. I honestly didn't see that one coming but it proves my point. If you have a story about your experience with this storm, please share it with us.
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