A PARENT has revealed the two big mistakes that travellers make when going through airports.
Getting to the plane is the most stressful part of a holiday, but there are a couple of simple tricks that passengers can use that will make things run a bit smoother.
Tiktok/@itsnicolejaquesNicole always turns left at the airport security lines because most people go to the right[/caption]
Tiktoker Nicole Jaques (@itsnicolejaques) revealed her best tips for being in the airport, including two big mistakes that she sees passengers making all the time.
The first of those is to turn right when arriving at airport security.
Often there will be two choices of lines to stand in to have your belongings scanned, one to the right and another to the left, but most people for some reason choose to turn right.
That leaves the lines on the left much shorter, with far fewer people standing in them.
Nicole said: “For security or customs lines, always go left. The lines are always shorter.”
Going left or right at the security line could be the difference between catching your flight, or missing out, especially if you’ve arrived at the airport late.
Nicole’s tip was supported by a self-proclaimed airport expert, who explained why people tend to prefer the queue on the right.
According to the person, who is a user on online forum Quora, we subconsciously pick which side to line up on depending on our dominant hand.
They said: “Because they are mostly right-handed, people choose the right line while the left one is often less busy.”
Once you reach the front of the security line and have to remove belts, coats and shoes, Nicole suggests that wearing socks is an absolute must, due to the number of germs at the security scanners.
She said: “Wear socks through security. It’s the dirtiest part of the airport.”
That claim has been backed up several times, including by a university study that looked for the dirtiest part of the airport.
The study, carried out at an airport in Finland during peak flu season between 2015-16, revealed that security and in particular, the plastic security trays, is the worst spot for germs.
This is because it is “almost inevitable” that every passenger will have to go through security on their way from the entrance to their plane.
Podiatrist Ebonie Vincent also warned against getting your toes out while travelling, saying it leaves you, and other people, exposed to bad bacteria and illness.
She told the Washington Post: “You could pick up fungus, not to mention the millions of germs and bacteria that you could transfer to carpets, inside hotel rooms or homes and cars, which serves as a danger to other people.”
Rami Calis, a podiatry instructor at Atlanta’s Emory University, agreed, saying: “The floor is often dirty where all those people walk through security. And it doesn’t get any sun.”
Rami also recommends leaving your socks on if asked to remove your shoes and to always pack a spare pair of socks if you are wearing sandals.
Meanwhile, another mum revealed the big errors that parents make when travelling with children.
And an easy plane ticket mistake could end up costing you money.
Tiktok/@itsnicolejaquesNicole Jaques always wears socks at the airport to avoid germs and bacteria[/caption] Read More