Spending time at airport:

Aim to check in 45 mins before take off, and get to the gate 5 mins before it closes (10
mins before take off). Queues are shorter and there's also a much better chance of an
upgrade if there are seats left - this is the time to ask.

1. Travelling light? Beat traffic jams to the airport. Hire a motorbike taxi and weave
your way through: check www.passengerbikes.com or www.chauffeurbikes.co.uk.

2. Breeze through the check-in by queuing on the sides rather than the middle – they
move faster.

3. Relax in comfort while others perch on their suit cases – take advantage of the VIP
airport lounges.

4. If you can't fit everything in your hand luggage, make sure you check in last so your
bags come off first.

5. Wear your heaviest clothes and shoes to save packing space. But avoid too many
layers as it can look like you're concealing something.

6. Want to relax without any luggage worries? www.Firstluggage.com can take your
bags door to door.

Don't wait on bus transfers: get a chauffeur to pick you up in your own car. Details at
www.parkbcp.co.uk.

Exploit the potential in your hand luggage:

1.There's a 6kg allowance per person, but if you're part of a group they may accept the
average weight.

2.Minimise creases: put tissue paper between folds when packaging.

3.Pack trousers first, then fold legs over the other clothes to avoid wrinkles.

4.Separate stuff into packing cubes to save time re-packing if searched.

5.Transfer shampoo and shower gel into empty film canisters to save space.

6.Roll clothes rather than fold them – they won't crease and take up less room.

To really start your break with a bang, hook up with a big group of mates and,
unbelievably, it can actually work out cheaper to hire your own wings and split the cost.
Its about exploiting 'empty legs' – say a fat cat flies to Milan, his jet returns to the UK
then hops back over to pick him up. That's two flights' worth of uber-plush seats going
begging, and it may be possible to cut a deal for as little as £1000 – the flight's already
paid for, so its all extra cash for the airline. Brokers such as
www.hanningtonavaition.co.uk or www.london-aircharter.com can tell you what legs are
available.

Getting There:

1. Get on the plane first: chat to the first family in line and pretend to be part of their
party.

2. Cherries and walnuts are a natural source of melatonin, the non-prescription drug
that helps regulate the body's internal clock.