NCR travel expert offers tips for eliminating the stress of holiday
air travel
DULUTH, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 27, 2012--
The holidays, when millions of people take to the skies to visit friends
and family, are the busiest time of the year at the nation’s airports.
But long lines of people carrying too many bags can turn anticipation to
anxiety, leaving many travelers wishing they were anywhere or doing
anything else.
A survey conducted for NCR Corporation asked potential holiday travelers
what other challenging and unpleasant tasks they would rather do than
wait in line*. Thirty-five percent of respondents said they would prefer
to shop, 24% said wrap gifts and 22% said they would rather clean up
after the holiday dinner. Other responses included: sleeping on a
sleeper sofa (18%), spending time with in-laws (17%), wearing holiday
themed sweaters/outfits (10%), braving the mall to return gifts (10%)
and listening to “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” again (9%).
For travelers heading to the nation’s airports this holiday season, NCR
Travel Division Vice President and General Manager Tyler Craig offers
several tips for making the experience easier and less stressful.
-
Bulky winter items like coats, boots and sweaters will quickly fill up
your carry on and spill over to a full-sized suitcase, requiring you
to check a bag. Save some time by paying the extra bag fees online
before you get to the airport.
-
Security personnel will often ask you to unwrap wrapped presents in
your carry-on, which will slow you and everyone else down. To
eliminate this problem, consider shipping some or all of your gifts
ahead of time. Or do last minute shopping at the airport, as many
airports now offer a wide array of stores and many of those stores
offer services that allow you to ship merchandise from the airport
store directly to your destination.
-
Save time and avoid check-in lines by checking in on your mobile
device. An electronic boarding pass eliminates the need to keep track
of a paper boarding pass, which you’re more likely to misplace in the
holiday rush. When purchasing your ticket, check if your airline
offers an app or mobile website that allows for mobile check-in and
mobile boarding passes. This way you can avoid check-in lines at the
airport and go right to security screening when you arrive.
-
Consider applying for an airline-branded credit card. Many of these
cards offer perks like a free checked bag or access to airline club
rooms, which can be especially beneficial during the holidays when
you’re traveling with a lot of items or looking to avoid the crowded
terminals and gates.
-
In advance of your trip, download maps to the airports from which
you’ll be departing, connecting and arriving. These wayfinding apps
can help you make the most of your time at the airport by helping you
locate gates, ticket counters, shops and restaurants. These can be
especially helpful when connecting through an unfamiliar airport,
allowing you to make the most of your layover without worrying about
getting lost and missing your connection.
For more tips on the travel experience, please visit the NCR Travel blog
at http://blogs.ncr.com/travel/.
* The online survey of 1,000 adults 18 years of age and older was
conducted for NCR by ORC International. Survey respondents were able to
select multiple answers.
About NCR Corporation
NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is a global technology company leading how
the world connects, interacts and transacts with business. NCR’s
assisted- and self-service solutions and comprehensive support services
address the needs of retail, financial, travel, hospitality, gaming,
public sector, telecom carrier and equipment organizations in more than
100 countries. NCR (www.ncr.com)
is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia.
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Source: NCR Corporation
NCR Corporation
Mark Scott, 678-808-7721
mark.scott@ncr.com