sexual assault on airplanes Archives - Corporate Travel Safety

Whether you’re flying domestic or international you’ll want to make the time you spend in your seat as comfortable as possible, especially if you’re in economy class. Keep these in-flight travel essentials always packed in a small bag with your luggage; that way they’re ready to go when you are. Buying ahead will save you money on any last-minute purchases at the airport and reduce the stress factor of not traveling prepared.

Personal Comfort on Board

Inflatable Neck Pillow
If you’re like most travelers you really don’t want to add bulk to your carry on items, that is why you should try out a pillow that is inflatable. Inflatable pillows weigh less and are compact so they easily fit into the bag you carry on board. Select a good quality inflatable neck pillow that is covered in a soft flocked material for comfort. Another advantage of an inflatable pillow over one that is not is that it is adjustable. For example, if you inflate your pillow before reaching cruising altitude you can deflate it a bit once you do reach altitude to get just the right amount of firmness for you.

The air on board is dry and dehydrates your lips, skin, and can make you thirsty too. As a matter of fact, frequent flyers recommend you drink at least one cup of water for every hour you’re in the air.

Travel Water Bottle

Getting that water can be a challenge and expensive if you buy water at the airport after you have cleared security. The solution is to bring your own reusable and collapsible water bottle. It’s a money saver at the airport and it’s good for the environment. Fill it up at a hydration station before boarding and then ask a flight attendant to refill it. This one has a convenient carabiner clip too.

Lip Balm

Lips for both men and women as well as children all dry out quicker while flying. Make sure you place a lip balm in your flight essentials bag and keep it there. I prefer a balm over a lip gloss because it tends to seal in moisture and is more emollient. The SPF factor doesn’t matter, but if you get a balm that has one you can use it while outside as well to protect your lips from harmful sun rays.

Hand or Face Lotion

Skin drys out quickly in the dry cabin air. Using a moisturizer on all exposed skin can help you have a comfortable flight. Advice concerning size; select a tube or plastic bottle that is less than 3 ounces to stay within the TSA carry-on regulations. Advice on fragrance; select a formula that is fragrance-free if you can. If you’re applying it a few times during the flight your seatmates will appreciate that they don’t have to smell your favorite scent. You’ll want to apply lotion to your neck and face too, again a reason to avoid a potentially irritating fragrance.

Hand Sanitizer

You particularly want to stay healthy when traveling whether it’s for business or pleasure, and you want to help keep your family healthy too. One way to be less vulnerable to germs is to use a hand sanitizer frequently. Choose wipes, they can’t spill and are easy to carry. You can use wipes on surfaces, not just to wipe your hands. The germiest places on a plane are the armrests, seat buckles, and tray tables. If you do choose a bottle select one that is less than 3 ounces and we suggest selecting an alcohol-free formula because it is less drying.

Gum

Chewing gum is a tried and true way to counteract the effects of cabin pressure changes and ear-popping pain. The choice here is to select a refreshing flavor so you can freshen your breath after eating and again just before landing and deplaning your flight. It’ll help you feel refreshed at your destination too. Small packets are great for travel and stay fresh longer.

Entertainment and Tech Travel Essentials

You should plan on being self-sufficient when it comes to entertainment on your flight. Your flight may not offer seat-back screens and only access to their app to get entertainment. Plan ahead.

External Battery for Your Electronic Devices

Bring your own power, even if your devices are fully charged you may want additional power. While many airlines are offering USB charging ports near your seat, not all are yet plus you can’t always count on that they work. On my most recent flight, my power port was broken. Make sure you pack your backup power source in your carry-on bag.

Headphones

Enjoying quiet or listening to a podcast, music, or watching a movie is better with your own headphones. Over the head or on-ear versions can offer more options and more comfort than ear-buds. Look for noise-canceling features that can help you rest while flying.

Tablet

Reading a book or watching a movie on your small phone screen is not ideal. Consider investing in a tablet for your entertainment pleasure. Compare an e-reader like the Kindle Paperwhite and the Fire Tablet, that you can download TV shows and movies too.

Snacks

Consider bringing small and lightweight snacks to enjoy during your flight. Most likely you can purchase snacks on board but they can be pricey. And to add injury to insult if you’re seated towards the back of the aircraft they may run out of the item you want by the time they reach you. Protein bars, granola, and chips are choices that you can enjoy at your destination if you elect not to eat them on the plane.

More Articles You Like

Sexual Assaults on Airlines are on the Rise

Being sexually assaulted in-flight on an airplane is the last thing any traveler would think about. Yet sexual assaults in flight is a crime on the rise. The reporting of sexual assault in the sky has seen an increase in reporting over the last several years. The FBI has recently reported that sexual assaults on airlines have increased by 45% in 2016, over the prior year. Many of these sexual assaults on airlines have occurred on international flights which have caused some air carriers to take action.

Women are the majority of victims in these unique, in-flight crimes. However, children and young teens traveling alone, both girls and boys, have also been targets. Airlines are responding in various ways from training flight personnel to implementing special seating options for women. In January 2017, Air India rolled out “female-only” seating rows on certain flights.

Detective Kevin Coffey was recently interviewed on this subject in BottomLine Personal Magazine. The article “Sexual Assault On Airplanes Is On The Rise” the full Bottomline online article is here. Detective Coffey provides a series of tips and advice that women travelers, as well as parents sending children on flights alone, should read before their next flight.

Several major news publications have been alerting the public about these types of crimes. In October 2016, the New York Times wrote about the subject in their article “Recent Incidents Put a New Focus on Sexual Assaults on Airplanes“. Here’s another link to an article in the Huffington Post “Here’s How Airlines Really Handle Sexual Assault.” The media continues to cover the crime of sexual assaults on airplanes to heighten awareness of the crime and major airlines are now providing training to flight attendants on how to handle in-flight assaults.

Here’s What You Can Do to Stop In-Flight Assaults

Book an aisle seat if possible. You’re more visible to flight attendants and fellow passengers on the aisle, making it more difficult for a sexual predator to target you without being seen.

React loudly if you are groped. This typically stops the predator by attracting the attention of nearby passengers. Be sure to something like, “stop, touching me is not OK” that is better than just a scream and puts the predator on the defense.

As a passenger, you are in a controlled environment and you can influence what happens around you. No matter how friendly the passenger next to you is be mindful about what you share of your personal life. A detail such as a recent break-up or that you’re on a solo trip is information that someone may interpret as an invitation to be “friendly.” It’s best not to engage in too much personal talk.

If you want to politely end a conversation with someone sitting next to you say you’re tired and close your eyes and then when you “wake-up” catch up on work or reading by taking out a laptop or book. It’s OK to change your normal behavior to avoid any type of sexual assault while on an airline.

You could also put in earbuds which signal you are not interested in talking. Do this even if you’re not listening to anything. It signals you’re not available to talk. Noise-canceling headphones have the same effect plus offer the benefit of reducing the ambient noise in the aircraft cabin.

Be Verbally Forceful to Thwart Advances

Many women are hesitant to verbalize a request to stop unwanted behavior. You should practice saying a couple of statements as suggested to become confident and comfortable saying them.

Ask the person to stop the intrusive behavior: “ I don’t like being touched, please take your hand off of my arm/leg.” If the unwanted behavior persists escalate the force of your request to a statement as, “ I really have to insist you stop touching my arm/leg.”

If the unwanted behavior still persists then calmly call for a flight attendant to intervene. Don’t be shy or embarrassed to stand up for yourself, remember you’ve given the person who is making you uncomfortable 2 chances to change his behavior with a couple of warnings, there is no need to be uncomfortable.

Another option is to repeat your command to stop touching you loudly so that others around you will hear and look at you. At this point, it is good to say “I just told you to keep your hands to yourself, stop touching me.” At this point, you can ask for a flight attendant or another passenger will have already called one. In most cases like this, the flight attendant will try to separate you so that you’re not sitting in the same row.

Tag Archives: sexual assault on airplanes