Ten Items That Should Be in Every Hand Luggage
There are many ways to pack your hand luggage , but sometimes “what” is more important than “how”. To be frank, air travel can be both frustrating and boring. When I’m flying in friendly skies, I have a personal checklist of things that are “must” in my hand luggage, in my attempt to feel a little fresher and have a little more fun. Many of these small items also deserve a permanent place in your hand luggage.
Clean T-shirt. I’d never carried a fresh T-shirt in my hand luggage before—that is, before the flight, I spilled a whole can of ginger ale on myself and sat in a damp sticky shirt all the way to sunny Orlando. Now I always carry a spare.
Pen. If you’re like me, you can spend so much time staring at your device before your eyes glaze over. The pen will come in handy if you want to solve a crossword puzzle from a logbook, fill out customs forms or just draw.
Pack of chewing gum. According to Hearing Healthy , chewing gum or (sucking on a lollipop) will encourage frequent swallowing, which helps equalize air pressure.
Portable phone charger. That’s the humiliating moment when you get a low battery notification on your phone and know there’s nothing you can do about it. Don’t get caught unprepared; Invest in a portable charger to give yourself a chance to beat the boredom of your cross-country flight.
Sunglasses/sleep mask. No decision has yet been made as to who is entitled to a window shade on an airplane , but you can disregard the matter. Putting on a mask is a lot easier than getting into an etiquette debate with a stranger.
Deodorant stick . You will experience different temperatures when you travel from the street through the airport and on the plane. Given the cramped space you’re going to be in, it doesn’t hurt to be able to reapply the product (invisibly in the bathroom, of course) as needed.
Fabrics. Napkins are one of those things you want to have on hand before you need them.
Snacks. As airlines continue to find places to cut costs to keep their overhead costs down, you can no longer rely on them to provide you with enough snacks for your flight. Just consider buying from Trader Joe’s instead of Hudson News .
Magazine. The reason I choose a magazine is so that I can put it in my bag without having to worry about keeping it in good condition, as is the case with a book. It’s also a good excuse to indulge in some rubbish reading.
Headphones. Perhaps the most important item you can have is a pair of headphones that you’ll love once you start looking for something to drown out those airplane engines or crying babies. Just make sure your charging case is fully charged before you take off.