0: Introducing low cost airfares
On my grandmother's 80th birthday, I asked her what had surprised her most about the way her life had unfolded. One of the two things that she said was that she had never expected to see so much of the world as she had. The advent of cheap airplane travel is undoubtedly the biggest contributor to the changes she saw.

1:
For those of us who see travelling as our second nature, airplanes are obviously a much more comfortable means of transportation than trains or buses, but flying around the world in a metal box can also have its unpleasant moments. As with any new experience, you will doubtless have many misconceptions, and perhaps even some completely irrational fears. Here are some tips for yet inexperienced travellers.

2:
One obvious problem is lack of space. It varies considerably from airline to airline, and from airplane model to airplane model. If you travel a lot, you might want to try 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.

3:
We take the background noise from engines for granted and even stop noticing it after a while. You might not think this is a big deal, but it also tires you out. Consider bringing some earplugs with you. You can bring
portable tape and/or compact disk players aboard with you, but airlines may restrict their use (especially on takeoff and landing).

4:
A modern side-effect of long-distance travel is jet lag. It 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 speeding 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.

5:
Occasionally, you will not be able to get on your scheduled flight. Many airlines have a policy of overselling flights. This means that the airline has sold more seats on the aircraft than it physically has on board. Airlines
oversell flights because there tends to be a certain number of passengers that do not show up for the flights that they are booked on. As a passenger, it can be incredibly frustrating to arrive and check in at the airport, only to look at your boarding pass and realize that there is no seat assigned to you. If you get “bumped” from an oversold flight, you can ask for compensation – vouchers for future travel, a hotel stay or even cash.

6:
Most airline trips are uneventful; however, airline delays caused by bad weather, traffic control problems, and mechanical repairs are hard to predict. 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, that's your own problem. You may have to hang out at the airport (another good reason to bring food with you!) or you pay a surprise visit to your great-step-half-aunt Martha that you haven't seen in seventeen years.