Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
26
5
GETTING THERE
BY PLANE
The Major Airlines
Domestic carriers that fly r egularly to
O'Hare include
American
(
&
800/433-
7300; www.aa.com),
Continental
(
&
800/
525-0280; www .continental.com),
Delta
(
&
800/221-1212; www .delta.com),
Northwest
(
&
800/225-2525; www.nwa.
com),
United
(
&
800/241-6522; www .
united.com) and discount offshoot
Te d
(
&
800/CALL TED [225-5833]; www .
flyted.com), and
US Airways
(
&
800/428-
4322; www .usairways.com). Commuter
service is also pr ovided by several regional
airlines. Airlines that fly to Chicago 's
Midway Airpor t ar e
AirTran Air ways
(
&
800/247-8726; www .airtran.com),
America West
(
&
800/235-9292; www .
americawest.com),
Continental
(
&
800/
525-0280; www .continental.com),
Fron-
tier
(
&
800/432-1359; www .frontier
airlines.com),
Northwest
(
&
800/225-
2525; www .nwa.com), and
Southwest
(
&
800/435-9792; www.southwest.com).
The toll-free numbers listed ar e for use in
the United States and Canada.
Arriving at the Airport
IMMIGRATION & CUST OMS CLEAR-
ANCE
International visitors arriving b y
air, no matter what the por
should cultiv ate patience and r esignation
before setting foot on U.S. soil. U.S. air-
ports have considerably beefed up security
clearances in the y ears since the terr orist
attacks of S eptember 11, and clearing
Customs and I mmigration can take as
long as 2 hours.
Long-Haul Flights: How to
Stay Comfortable
• Your choice of airline and airplane will
definitely affect y our legr oom. F ind
more details about U.S. airlines at
www.seatguru.com
. F or international
airlines, the r esearch firm S kytrax has
posted a list of av erage seat pitches at
www.airlinequality.com
.
• Emergency exit seats and bulkhead seats
typically have the most legroom. Emer-
gency exit seats ar e usually left unas-
signed until the day of a flight (to
ensure that someone able-bodied fills
the seats); it's worth checking in online
at home (if the airline offers that option)
or getting to the ticket counter early to
snag one of these spots for a long flight.
Many passengers find that bulkhead
seating offers mor e legr oom, but keep
in mind that bulkhead seats hav
2
e no
storage space on the floor in fr
ont of
t of entr y,
you.
Tips
Kids with Colds
It's more difficult for kids to make their ears pop during takeoff and landing than
it is for adults. The eustachian tube is especially narrow in children; the passage is
even tighter when mucous membranes are swollen. This can make ascent and
descent especially painful—even dangerous—for a child with congested sinuses.
If your little one is suffering from a cold or the flu, it's best to keep him grounded
until he recuperates, if that's an option. If you must travel with your child as
scheduled, give him an oral child's decongestant an hour before ascent and
descent or administer a spray decongestant before and during takeoff and
landing.
