Brief Summary
This video reveals airline secrets that can significantly benefit senior travelers, focusing on cost savings, health, and comfort. It covers topics such as free companion passes, senior discounts, in-flight theft prevention, managing temperature changes, special meal perks, bathroom strategies, DVT prevention, and tips for getting refunds on non-refundable tickets. The video emphasizes the importance of advocating for oneself and highlights the support available from airline staff.
- Free support person tickets and companion passes can significantly reduce travel costs.
- Senior discounts on flights and AARP partnerships offer additional savings.
- In-flight theft is a growing concern, and seniors are often targets, so preventive measures are crucial.
- Special meals provide dietary accommodations and priority service, helping to avoid bathroom lines.
- Preventing DVT through exercises, hydration, and compression socks is essential for long flights.
- Airlines may offer refunds on non-refundable tickets with a doctor's note in case of medical emergencies.
Senior Travel Secrets
The video introduces travel secrets that airlines don't want seniors to know, focusing on free and discounted flight tickets and exclusive perks. It aims to transform the flying experience for senior travelers by revealing hidden benefits and cost-saving opportunities.
Companion Passes
Seniors requiring assistance due to medical conditions or disabilities may qualify for a free ticket for a support person. Airlines like Air Canada offer programs where a support person can fly at no additional cost by contacting the airline's accessibility desk before booking. Some airlines offer companion passes as part of their loyalty programs, such as Southwest Airlines, which allows a designated person to fly with you for just the cost of taxes and fees. Frontier Airlines is launching a similar program in late 2025.
Senior Discount Tickets
Many airlines offer senior discounts on flight tickets, typically for travelers aged 65 and older, with some starting at age 60. United Airlines offers senior fares for passengers 65 and up, which often include valuable benefits like being fully refundable and not subject to change fees. British Airways offers senior travel deals through their partnership with AARP, where AARP members can save up to $200 on flights booked through the AARP travel portal. To find these discounts, it's often necessary to call the airline and specifically ask about a senior rate, as they are not always available online.
In-Flight Theft
In-flight theft is a growing problem, disproportionately affecting older travelers, who are often easy targets. Thieves take advantage of dark cabins during overnight and early morning flights, especially during boarding and deplaning. Seniors are often targeted due to limited mobility, use of hearing aids, or carrying extra valuables and cash.
Four Theft Preventing Tips!
To protect against in-flight theft, pull your personal item out slightly from under the seat and place it behind your legs to add a layer of protection. Add small carabiner clips to bag zippers to make it harder to unzip quickly. Never leave valuable items like phones, tablets, or passports in the seatback pocket; instead, secure them in a zippered pocket close to your body or in a secure pocket of your personal item bag.
Terrible Temperature Control
Airlines often don't inform passengers that the air conditioning hasn't fully started during boarding, causing uncomfortable heat in the cabin. Once the plane is in the air, the air conditioning kicks in, leading to rapid temperature drops. These temperature swings can affect health, exasperate joint pain, trigger respiratory issues, and increase the chance of catching a bug.
Best Travel Clothing!
Marino wool clothing is recommended for flights due to its temperature-regulating properties, keeping you cool during boarding and providing insulation when the air conditioning is on. It creates a microclimate around the body, buffering temperature changes. Marino wool is also odor-resistant, soft, lightweight, and wrinkle-resistant, making it ideal for travel. A discount code "Megan 10" is provided for Unbound Marino products.
Free Special Meals
Ordering a special meal on your flight is a little-known perk with surprising benefits, available at no extra charge if your flight includes meal service. Special meal options include low sodium, diabetic-friendly, lactose-free, and gluten-free, catering to various dietary needs. These meals are often fresher and prepared with more care than standard meals. Passengers who order a special meal are served first, allowing them to finish eating before others and head to the restroom before the post-meal line forms.
One Toilet For 60 Passengers!
Airlines typically provide only one bathroom per 60 economy seats, leading to predictable rushes at certain times during the flight. The busiest times are after takeoff, after meal service, and before landing.
Beating The Bathroom Rush
To avoid bathroom lines, especially important for seniors needing frequent access, timing is crucial. If you've ordered a special meal, you'll likely finish eating before most passengers, giving you first access to the bathroom after your meal. Another strategy is to set an alarm for about 2 hours before the scheduled arrival to beat the pre-landing bathroom rush, allowing you to use the washroom before others wake up and form a line.
Deep Vein Thrombosis!
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a hidden health risk that can develop during long flights, especially affecting senior travelers. DVT occurs when blood clots form in the deep veins of the legs due to long periods of sitting. The risk of DVT increases by about 26% for every 2 hours of flying, and it's even higher for those over 70.
Preventing DVT Tips
To lower the risk of DVT, perform simple in-seat exercises like ankle circles, foot pumps, and knee lifts, and stand up for brief periods every few hours if safe. Stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the flight and consider wearing compression socks to improve circulation in your legs. Compression socks apply gentle pressure to your legs and ankles, promoting increased blood flow back to your heart, reducing swelling, fatigue, and the risk of blood clots.
Tip To Save Hundreds $
Airlines often make exceptions for non-refundable tickets if a health or family issue prevents you from flying, especially if you booked directly with the airline. If you booked through a third-party site, getting a refund will be more difficult.
Doctors Note Tip
When requesting a refund for a non-refundable ticket due to health issues, provide a doctor's note that includes your full name, flight information, a clear statement that you are medically unfit to travel, the doctor's signature, and their contact details. Many airlines will issue a refund or allow you to reschedule your flight without penalties with proper documentation.
Airline Crew & Staff Still Care
Airline crew and staff members genuinely want passengers to be safe and comfortable and have measures to support senior travelers, such as priority boarding regardless of ticket class.
Advocating For Yourself
Advocating for yourself is encouraged, and it's acceptable to politely ask for what you need, whether it's assistance with luggage, a seat change, or help navigating the airport terminal. Airlines can be accommodating when you simply ask for assistance.
