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Preparation is key to avoiding travel troubles

Travelers who take the time to learn some important lessons before leaving home have a better chance for a successful trip.

By MARY ANN HEMPHILL
Published June 27, 2006

"Today's travelers are different than they were 20 years ago," says Joan Sullivan Garrett, founder of MedAire Inc. "They are older, they travel by air more frequently, and they take longer flights to more exotic locations. While many enjoy great health, others have health issues before they step on an aircraft."

Garrett, also board chairman of the firm that provides telephonic links to emergency medical care for commercial airlines and corporate aircraft worldwide, stresses the importance of preparedness for senior travelers. She notes that the more mature traveler must appreciate the many complexities associated with travel, from immunizations to jet lag.

"Education and preparation are the keys to smooth traveling," says Garrett, reciting the first commandment for long-distance trips.

Health considerations are paramount in trip preparation. "Many older travelers are very astute, and those who are knowledgeable and educated do beautifully," says Garrett.

She advises that travelers - of all ages - should monitor travel and health warnings posted by the State Department and on the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Next, talk to your doctor about immunizations and your medications. Your doctor can suggest alternatives when over-the-counter remedies often used by travelers are incompatible with your medications.

It is also wise to pack a medical kit containing basic first aid supplies and medications for minor ailments. For instance, antibiotic ointments are not always available over-the-counter in Europe.

You can assemble your own kit; check the CDC's Web site for suggested contents or buy one at a large drugstore. Ready-made kits have the advantage of compactness, with various medications in small packets. Travelers can supplement these kits with their prescription medications - which should be kept in their original containers.

But travelers should always keep their prescription medications in their carry-on bags, along with copies of their prescriptions.

As Garrett notes, medicines' names can vary in other countries, so travelers should have their doctors present them with both the brand and generic names of their prescriptions.

The most important thing you can do for your health while traveling is one of the oldest and most basic precautions: Wash your hands, frequently.

Garrett suggests carrying small plastic bottles of gel sanitizer and disinfecting hand wipes.

Taking care of the wallet

Beyond what travelers should do medically to protect themselves, insurance policies can protect the financial investment by covering trip cancellation, trip interruption and medical care and evacuation.

Dan McGinnity, vice president of communications for the insurance provider Travel Guard International, notes, "This generation of senior travelers has the means and the time to take longer, more exotic and more expensive trips. They are also booking farther in advance."

When illness or accidents suffered by the traveler or to immediate family members force cancellation or interruption of the trip, policies sold by companies such as his protect travelers' investments such as nonrefundable deposits and expenses.

Trip cancellation insurance refunds a pro-rated amount of the unused portion of prepaid trip expenses and covers the additional expenses of making substitute travel reservations.

Coverage is also included for financial default of a travel supplier- for instance if a cruise line, tour operator or airline halts your trip once it is underway.

Pre-existing medical conditions typically are covered if trip insurance is purchased within a certain number of days of booking a trip. (Basic Medicare provides no assistance for medical care outside the United States.)

Floridians hardly need to be reminded how severe storms and hurricanes can ruin plans. As long as you've purchased the travel policy before the storm is forecast, you will be covered for flight delays or cancellations or if your home is made uninhabitable by flooding or other natural disaster.

Travel insurance also assists with some of the less-dramatic but still-aggravating hassles. It covers costs incurred (with limits) by lost or delayed baggage and additional costs caused by delayed or canceled flights. Most policies also provide 24/7 travel assistance - from tracking lost luggage to rescheduling flights in case of delays.

Travelers might also consider additional medical and evacuation protection. For instance, the cost of an international medical evacuation by air could exceed $75,000.

Travelers can take the insurance precaution a step further by buying an annual membership in a company named MedjetAssist. Executive vice president Phillip Morris explains:

"Our members are evacuated regardless of whether the evacuation is medically necessary . . . No matter how appropriate the medical care is where the patient/member is, if they want to come back to a hospital and health system they are more familiar with, then we provide the bedside-to-bedside medical transport at no cost" beyond that of the membership fee.

There are no financial caps on medical evacuation benefits with MedjetAssist, as long as the member is least 150 miles from home. Underscoring the growing popularity of grandparent-grandchild travel, MedjetAssist offers members the option of adding a grandchild (18 or younger) to their policy, for $75 per child.

The inner you

To avoid stress before flight, MedAire Inc.'s Garrett advises travelers to allow plenty of time for check-in and security. Take something to read - how about a novel featuring your destination? - or a book of puzzles - to keep your mind engaged while at the airport and on the plane.

"It is important to include water and snacks as well as your medication in your carry-on pieces," she adds.

Experienced travelers have found their own means of coping with long flights and resultant jet lag.

As a 72-year-old solo traveler who often takes cross country and/or transoceanic flights, Sally McKinney of Indiana breaks these long journeys into segments.

"On a journey that crosses the Pacific, for example, I schedule my flight across North America to arrive the day before I will fly across the ocean. But I don't spend any time 'seeing' Los Angeles. I'm there to get a long night's sleep.

"For me, it's much easier to handle multiple time zone crossings - and the intricacies of international travel - when I'm not fighting exhaustion." At her destination, McKinney quickly resets her body clock by letting daylight wake her, then falling asleep right after dark.

Understandably, Singapore Airlines executive James Boyd has his own tips for long-haul flights: His airline has some of the world's longest nonstop flights, including 18•À? hours from Los Angeles to Singapore.

Boyd, the airline's vice president of public relations, says, "One of the most important factors is being able to sleep" during these flights.

"Eyeshades are absolutely essential," he continues. "Any light - even with your eyes closed - interferes with sleep."

He suggests that passengers also use earplugs or noise-canceling headphones and "a blanket, which provides a constant body temperature. (Together, these devices) provide that sense of isolation that promotes the body to enter a sleep mode."

Another long-haul veteran, John Lampl, a vice president of British Airways, offers his three most-important activities to promote in-flight health:

"Get up and walk around; drink plenty of water but only very moderate amounts of caffeine, tea and alcohol; and stretch - move your neck, head and shoulders, rotate your ankles."

Deep venous thrombosis, or DVT, which can cause severe medical problems, is the result of poor circulation, Lampl says, that is the consequence of sitting in one position for an extended length of time.

Lampl suggests that passengers wear loose, comfortable clothing, which facilitates movement.

British Airways' Web site has a vast amount of information on in-flight well-being, DVT and jet lag. Among the tips: moderating intake of alcohol and caffeine the day before a long flight, and walking around the terminal after checking in. Long before it's time for that flight, heed Garrett's advice:

"Ignorance is not bliss. A well-informed traveler is destined to have a more enjoyable and memorable experience."

Freelance writer Mary Ann Hemphill lives in Newport Beach, Calif.

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[Last modified June 26, 2006, 20:36:56]