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Winter is almost officially here but sometimes, it can feel like winter on board an airplane, even in the summer months or on a tropical inter-island flight. Here's how to stay warm on a plane.
No matter where I'm flying, including between tropical islands like Oahu and Maui, I always keep a winter hat in my carry-on bag. That's because sometimes flight attendants or pilots crank the air conditioning so much that the aircraft is absolutely freezing. I've experienced some plane cabins that are warm in the front and freezing in the back or vice versa. And if you sit by the exit door, sometimes you'll wish you'd packed a winter coat.
This is why I also dress in layers so if it's too hot or cold I can be comfortable, no matter what. One thing I started to keep in my winter jacket and will now put in my carry-on are these hot hand warmers. At the time of publication, they're on sale for 40% off on Amazon.com.
I only used to use them when I went skiing but now they're so cheap and my blood seems to be thinner, so why not use them whenever you need them? The inspiration for this story is a question I saw a traveler ask the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). They asked if they could bring these hand warmers through security. Here's the conversation:
@modernmomprobs: Hey @tsa I finally have a real question to ask you! Can we bring these on a flight?
@Tsa: Yes, for anyone traveling to where the air hurts your face... these are allowed to fly!
It turned out to be a popular thread as many others chimed in with some funny and practical responses. Here are a few of them:
@jennr4: My husband flew with an entire case of them to Alaska.
@rachaelkvapil: Honestly, Alaska should just greet visitors with a package upon arrival. 23 Below in Fairbanks right now.
@kimintexas65: Just took a bunch to NYC for Thanksgiving! Phew
Note: One person on the thread commented that "the TSA agents at SFO had a heart attack over them and made me throw them out of my carry on."
I find this surprising, but it brings up another tip: In this case, I would just put one or two in your carry-on or jacket and pack the others in your checked baggage. If a TSA agent ever tries to stop you from bringing through items you know are allowed (it's happened to me), politely ask to speak with a supervisor. If the supervisor somehow still says no, then point them to this Thread. Better yet, if it's during normal business hours, you can contact the TSA directly and they'll respond within 10 minutes.
Not many people know that the TSA is very active on X, formerly Twitter. You can also ask questions by contacting TSA via FB Messenger, Apple Messages and Text "Travel" to AskTSA (275-872). The latter is relatively new and I thought it might have been just for the holidays since that's when they first launched it. But it's still around and a great way to get an answer to your TSA-related questions quickly.
If you want to take your warm and cozy vibes to the next level, you may want to invest in a travel blanket. My wife recently purchased two of these blankets for our kids and they're so good (big, warm, cozy, easy to travel with), she says now that she wishes she'd bought them years ago. You can read her full review of the blanket here.
If you don't want to spend the money or forget to pack these items to keep you warm, I just learned a great hack from a Delta Air Lines flight attendant who says, in the video embedded below, that he fills up a plastic bottle with hot water on the plane and puts it between his legs or under his armpits to stay warm since planes are so cold. So, you may want to consider bringing a plastic bottle onboard or better yet, one of those classic rubber hot water bottles. You can ask the flight attendant to fill it up with hot water.
When my wife and I went on a tiger safari in Central India back in November 2009, it was freezing cold at night and the hotel housekeeper would put a hot rubber water bottle under our sheets. It made our nights so cozy and I hope these tips do the same for you on your next flight.
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