While sitting on the tarmac at Dubai International Airport I wanted to check in and share some of my inflight workshifting tips.  With all of the international travel that I've been doing lately, it has become essential to develop a method for working from the tiny confines of an airplane seat.

If you have trouble viewing this video, you can also catch it over on my Vimeo channel.




Do you fly a lot?  Make sure you check about these tips from Chris Brogan about what you can do pre-flight, inflight and once you land to help for smoother travels.

What are some of your inflight workshifting tips?

Many of us who workshift travel a lot, perhaps more than we'd like. Although I had the pleasure of a summer pretty much free from business travel, things are starting to ramp up again for fall. And while I love the opportunity to meet with clients and colleagues live and in person, I hate the drain traveling puts on my productivity. It's just not easy getting day-to-day work done from airports, taxis and hotels. Throw in delays, bad food, sick seat mates and time away from family and friends, and business travel is a necessary burden, not a pleasure.

But I have found ways to mitigate the impact. Here are a few friendly tips:

• Designate a carry-on bag that you take on every trip, and leave the things you know you need on the road in the bag. In my experience, these should include business cards, noise-canceling headphones, ear plugs, hand lotion and/or no-wash anti-bacterial gel, a notebook and pen, and breath mints.
  
  
• Invest in extra chargers for your cell/smart phone and PC. Then, leave them in that designated carry-on bag, so you always have power for your critical business tools.
  
  
• Pack healthful snacks for your trip--as many as possible to cover you for the duration. I like nuts, dried fruit, pretzels and hard cheeses. Then, I toss in some fancy chocolates, for a late-night treat. I also keep an empty water bottle on hand, and fill it when I'm past security. This lets me get smart calories and a reliable energy boost, without the crash of processed foods--and without the high airport and mini-bar prices. And it guarantees I won't go hungry or thirsty on the flight if we're stuck on the tarmac for hours on end.
  
  
• Check into your flight from home or the hotel, and print your boarding pass ahead of time. (Most hotels will let you do this free in their business center, or at a computer/printer by the front desk.) Also, print out directions to the hotel and any other locations you'll be visiting, and make sure you let the hotel know you'll be late checking in if, in fact, you will be.
  
  
• Request a room with no connecting door. TV noise and loud voices carry in the space underneath the doors, so you're more likely to get some peace and quiet with a solid wall between you and your neighbors.
  
  
• Try to get in a workout whenever you can, whether that means hitting the hotel health club or going for a run in the neighborhood before your first--or after your last--meeting. Stretch in your room, and take the opportunity to walk whenever you can, even if (especially if) you're in front of clients all day.
  
  
• Plug your devices into an outlet whenever you can.  There's nothing worse than running out of juice mid-trip, and not being near a power source when you need (or simply have the time) to get work done. Consider investing in an extra battery for your phone and PC, too (and then leave them in your travel bag).
  
  
• Make a list of tasks you can reasonably expect to get done on your trip during your down time, but don't be too ambitious. Sometimes, it's nice to take advantage of being disconnected from the regular slew of calls and e-mail--a nice benefit of being on the road. 

What tips have you found that are useful to YOU for staying more productive while traveling?

Photo by: Chris Brogan

Anyone that spends a lot of their life on planes has surely enjoyed the pains caused by lostluggage.  I usually use carry-on rolling suitcase to avoid having to check to avoid any issues as well as the delay it causes while having to wait for the bags to be unloaded onto the belt. 

But, last weekend I had to check baggage as I was going on my honeymoon for 8 days to St. Maarten.  We were flying JetBlue from Boston through JFK then onto St. Maarten.  Upon arrival into St. Maarten our bags didn't arrive.  It took 3 days and tons of phone calls to locate our bags.  What was even more distressing was that we were on our honeymoon.  If it had been a business trip I don't think I would have cared as much.  When we flew back to Boston, our bags were again lost at JFK.  Well, actually they weren't "lost", an entire cart wasn't loaded on the plane so there were about 15 of us who didn't receive our bags that night.  The next morning JetBlue put the bags onto their first flight from JFK to Boston and had them delivered to us a few hours later.

While it was a hardship and worried my wife and I not having our luggage with us, especially while we were in St. Maarten, there were a few things we had done which made life a little easier:

1. We were able to provide JetBlue with a lot of detail about our luggage.  This helps especially when you have standard looking baggage.  I was able to provide such details as "there's an orange Philippines inspection sticker on the right side of the suitcase in the middle".  I can bet no other luggage had that exact marking on it....
   
   
2. I always believe in dressing for the place I'm flying to.  Therefore, even if it's the dead of winter in New England, I'll wear shorts and a t-shirt if I'm headed to the airport on vacation.  Though not winter around Boston right now, I had worn basketball shorts, a t-shirt and sandals.  This let me still go swimming, be comfortable while walking around and have fun on the beaches until our suitcases arrived.
   
   
3. My wife packed a carry-on that had a lot of her clothes in it including changes of clothes for different activities (dining out, water sports, swimming, etc.).  While I wasn't that smart, it helped her out a lot.
   
   
4. I ALWAYS bring all of my electronics, chargers, books and anything else to keep me constantly entertained in my carry-on.  While it can sometimes be a pain going through security, I just feel more at ease having it with me.
   
   
5. We tried to just enjoy our honeymoon instead of worrying about our luggage!

While these definitely aren't meant to be tips, it was some of the experiences that I had which I was reflecting back on over the past couple days.

But, I turn to you, and want to know what are some of your tips to make life easier when your luggage is lost?

Photo by:  Chrispitality

Hi, my name is Brad and I'm addicted to frequent flyer miles.

If there is a group for Flyer Miles Anonymous, sign me up.  There's just something about watching those miles accumulate while I dream about a free flight to a exotic destination that gets me every time. (Then reality hits and I cash them in for a business trip to Walla Walla, Washington. Oh well.)

If you're like me, then you'll want to check out this offer from Northwest and Delta.  They are currently matching any miles you transfer 100%. It's a great time to rack up some extra miles and get those stale miles out of your friend / coworker/ family member accounts with a bonus.

This deal is set to end on May 31st, so if you're interested here's what you need to do.

If your miles are with Northwest, start here.
If your miles are with Delta, start here.
(And if your miles are with one and you want to switch them to the other, you can currently do that for free because of their merger!  Start here.)

You can transfer 30,000 miles per year to someone, so plan your move ahead of time.  Here's what I did.

I took 30,000 miles from my Northwest account and transferred them to my wife for $325.  She got 30K + 30K bonus, leaving 60,000 in her account.  She transferred 30,000 miles back to me  for $325, giving me 60,000 miles in my Northwest account.  She then transferred the remaining 30,000 across to Delta for free and transferred them to my Delta account for $330, giving me 30K + 30K bonus.  I then transferred my 60,000 miles from Northwest to Delta for free, giving me 120,000 miles in my Delta account.

My 30,000 Northwest Miles turned into 120,000 miles on Delta for $980. The total cost was .8 cents per mile; buying them costs 3 cents per mile.

So now when I find that tropical vacation ticket in range and more expensive than $980, it'll be time to cash the miles in.

Otherwise, it's off to Walla Walla I go.

During my weekly travels I am always quick to strike up a conversation on a plane or in the terminal, and I usually come across other workshifters. Horror stories of travel are swapped and tips and tricks are shared, but I am always amazed at how many of these regular travelers aren't aware of the sites that make my life much easier than it used to be.  Over time, I've come up with my 5 sites for better flights to share with other workshifters and road warriors.

1. Kayak.com
This is where every trip begins for me.  Kayak, named 'Best of the Web' by BusinessWeek, is a site that searches hundreds of travel sites based on your search terms.  Most major airlines are included, but you'll need to go check a few separately (Southwest and JetBlue, for example). After you enter your initial search terms you can use the sliders to narrow down the specific flight you need.  Leave before 7:30am from IND and get to BDL by 11am but leave BDL before 6:30pm that night and get home before midnight?  Yeah, it can take care of that. You can also uncheck boxes to remove certain flights from the results.  I always remove 2+ layovers, and anything going through Chicago O'Hare, and typically check the SkyTeam flights to help with my quest towards the elusive Platinum Elite status.

2. SeatGuru.com
After getting your flights arranged, head over to SeatGuru to figure out where you should be sit on the plane. Just choose your airline and then the plane you'll be traveling on. Seats are ranked as green, yellow or red with remarks in regards to why the seat is rated that way.  Red seats typically are near the lavatory or limited recline. A bulkhead seat might be yellow due to the lack of under-seat storage in front of the seat.  Green seats = exit rows.  Get them while they're hot. (My favorite green seat: 14F on the Continental 737-300... just look at all of that legroom for my lanky 6'3" frame.)

3. TripIt.com
After you set up an account on TripIt, just forward those confirmation emails to plans(at)tripit.com and your itinerary is created. From there you can add hotels, car rentals, and other items for your itinerary.  Download the iPhone app for a quick glance of your trip and be one touch away from maps of addresses in your itinerary, as well as phone numbers for customer service of the airlines/hotels you are using.  Bonus - Check out TripIt Pro for under $10/month and get text message + email updates on all of your flights. When I get the notifications I feel like Shia Lebouf in Eagle Eye with TripIt Pro.  "Disembark at Gate C37.  Your flight departs from Gate A7 at 5:47pm.  You have 49 minutes." If you want to feel like an action movie star as you rush across the terminal, give it a try.

4. Yelp.com
Nothing is worse than getting off of your flight with a rumbling stomach. You've arrived, you've eaten nothing but salty pretzels for 2 hours, and you're hungry.  Search for food on Yelp.com to figure out where you want to eat and how others rate about the place.  Get away from the regular chains and find that hole in the wall you'll be raving about for years to come (hopefully).   

5. search.twitter.com
Yeah, you're on Twitter already.  And yes, you've updated your loyal followers that you have landed and the guy next to you smelled like sweaty gym socks.  But now it's time to really use the power of Twitter.  Whenever I have an extended layover or am looking for some local cuisine and can't decide between what I've found on Yelp, it's off to search.twitter.com I go. It's easy to find people nearby with a quick search or the advanced search, which allows you to search within a certain radius of where you are.

I view every layover as a potential tweetup.  Search your airport code with and without a hashtag (#JFK, for example) and look for others who are tweeting from their layovers.  See if there is anyone interesting passing through and if your terminals are close and the time allows, see if they want to grab a drink or a bite to eat. Just like the popular book states, 'never eat alone'.  Break up your mundane travels and trips with the opportunity to meet others and expand your network.

What do you think?
What are your favorite sites for better flights?  Leave a comment and spread the love.  And as always, happy workshifting!

Brad J Ward is the Chief Explosion Officer at BlueFuego. He is a proud SkyTeam Elite member and thinks a quick flight the best way to boost productivity.  Find Brad on Twitter (@bradjward) and share your favorite tips and tricks with him.

I'm writing this on a flight from Philadelphia to Boston. Luckily, it's so early in the morning that my flight is ridiculously empty. I have an entire exit row to myself.

Here's tip #1: flying ridiculously early sometimes gives you better seating options (unless you're flying to Washington, DC, where everyone gets up before you).

Here are some more tips:

Before You Board

• Sign up for all the various airline and hotel rewards programs. They add up faster than I thought.
• Keep a text file on your phone with your flight confirmation number, your hotel name and address, your airline and hotel rewards account information, and any contact numbers you might need. You might check out the service TripIt, which manages this neatly (even more so for iPhone users).
• Buy a few energy bars and stuff them in your carry on. These always trump the $4 price tag for the same bar at the airport, and they help you make better eating decisions.
• Also, buy a drink before boarding the plane if you get thirsty easily. That way, you don't have to sit there feeling anxious that the flight attendants haven't served drinks yet.
• Getting to the airport really early makes every other choice work better. (More time to maneuver).
• You can change seats at check-in, if there are some available.
• Not sure about the best seat on the plane? Check it out for yourself at SeatGuru.com.
• You can also check with the gate agent before boarding the flight to see if there's a better seat, even if you were denied at check-in.
• Not sure what to do with that extra time you got by getting there early? Remember, A.B.C. = "always be charging." Find power outlets in earshot of your departure gate. (Hat tip to AlwaysBeCharging.com.)
• Related to charging, if you bring along a power strip, you can make friends fast at a busy outlet.
• I don't pay for wifi any more. It was more cost effective to buy my own Verizon EVDO card (mine's a USB stick). Check with your wireless carrier, and even if the company doesn't spring for it, consider it.

On Board

• Using a small enough rollerboard suitcase for travel and carrying it on sure beats waiting at the luggage carousel. When picking one out, I'm finding that the 4-wheel version are much nicer to maneuver than the old 2-wheel ones.
• My version of best seat in the house might differ from yours. I have broad shoulders, so window beats aisle (unless you like being smashed into all day).
• Paying the extra bucks for the extra legroom means you can actually use your laptop. Consider it a business expense.
• Airplanes are the best way I have of catching up with email.
• If you're reading business books on the plane, keep a notebook and pen handy. I get my biggest inspirations while 30,000 feet above the ground.
• Offer your seatmate your magazines or newspapers when you're done (if you're not keeping them). That poor schlub doesn't really want to read the SkyMall magazine. Share.

When You Land

• Even if you don't think you have to pee, go. Getting stuck in traffic in a cab after a long flight is never worth it. (I'm a dad. This advice serves a dual-purpose.)
• If you're picking up your bag, everyone crowds the area where the bags first drop. Yes, you'll save an extra 23 seconds standing there, but if you want better access to your luggage, stand downstream.
• If you're staying at a hotel, have the contact info and phone number ready before you hop in a cab. If you're planning on taking public transit, call the hotel ahead of time and get appropriate routing information from them.
• Know where the following stores are in relation to your hotel: a drug store, an office supply store, a clothing store (casual and professional), an electronics store (appropriate to your profession). The Lord made Google for a reason.
• If you're renting a car, consider the extra $15 for the GPS. It sure beats fumbling with maps and missing client meetings.

Error Handling

• If your flight is delayed at take-off for whatever reason, and you're supposed to make a connecting flight, the flight attendants will almost never have the information you need while in-flight. Stop bugging them. Relax. What's done is done. Just think up your next moves and phone calls for when you land.
• Bags get lost sometimes. If you've checked your bag and there's something mission critical in there (toothbrush?), keep it in your carry-on. Also, don't leave the airport without a phone number and a URL to check on the status of your stuff.
• If your flight is canceled or delayed and you're forced to stay overnight in the connecting city, the airline usually won't pay for hotels if it's weather-related. They might pay or offer a discount voucher if their scheduling has kept you over. Sometimes, their discount vouchers aren't as good as what you can get at Priceline. Consider your options.

Your Turn

What are your tips for the ideal air travel experience? How do you fly the hostile skies? What's made a difference to you as a workshifter in bringing what you need with you on the road?

We'd love to hear from you.