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Travel Rush

Despite winter’s predictable unpredictability, year after year travellers are surprised when nature wreaks havoc on their plans

by Magdalena Kalata

Nostalgic songs reflecting on the winter holidays are littered with lyrics of chestnuts roasting on an open fire or wishes for snow, mistletoe and presents under the tree. The warm feelings such words intend to inspire are what hosts of holiday celebrations aspire to replicate. The results of aiming to achieve the high standards of a distant memory are mixed. Excessive hours spent in home goods stores searching for the perfect centrepiece, decorating the house with festive ornamentation and slaving in the kitchen in an attempt to successfully present the perfect hors d'oeurve to guests. There are also the carefully chosen and wrapped presents, giving even Santa some fierce competition who will bring the most holiday cheer. Those awaiting guests can easily begin to see themselves as receiving the majority of the burden of holiday-related stress. They are responsible for ensuring a festive atmosphere, scrumptious treats and alluring gifts - enough to put a strain on even the most jolly soul. Yet those making the journey over the river and through the woods, have their own hurdles to overcome, many of which are far from pleasant.

Whatever winter holiday is celebrated, they all have one link that serves as an irrevocable bond - it just so happens they are all in the winter. The already coldest season of the year in the Northern Hemisphere has been especially snowy in 2010, with little sign of stopping at the start of 2011. The result is utter chaos for those travelling by train, car or plane as delays, closures and accidents create a buildup of passengers with nowhere to go. Cancellations and the resulting seemingly never-ending queues create havoc at the check-in counters and those left stranded pile up on their suitcases in a vain attempt to get some sleep. The hordes of travellers lose precious time, but more importantly every additional 15-minute delay chips away at their nerves and airline representatives can rarely offer little more than assistance with finding a hotel until airports are reopened for departures and more information is available.

Hubs like London's Heathrow, Frankfurt International and New York's JFK can become especially crowded and as tempers boil over, they are also home to some of the rowdiest scenes in the holiday season. Outraged passengers vent their frustrations on one another, airport employees and airline representatives. Futile attempts, they are natural considering the amount of stress many of them are under in the overwhelming attempt to re-route their travel plans. Yet there are a few things that travellers should keep in mind, whether waiting to take-off on a tarmac or standing in a queue outside St. Pancras Station that budges mere inches every hour.

Snow may catch the British off-guard year after year or leave the Belgians without adequate supplies of de-icing liquid a mere month into the season, but those travelling do not have to be as ill-prepared as the authorities. Flying or rail travel in the winter will likely lead to at least one headache resulting from cancellations or delays, but booking flights without connections minimises the risk of becoming stranded in a new city and fighting off crowds for a space in a hotel. The option is possible for many long-haul flights, and for those that must have a layover the best bet is to fly early. Mid-morning travel gives snow removal crews time to clear runways, while a potential cancellations early on still leaves plenty of daylight hours to the stranded to find alternate solutions. The time advantage means beating the afternoon and evening crowds that will also bring their desperation to reach their final destination along. The same applies to train travel, especially when switching between high-speed and local trains. Booking a local train in advance may seem like a good strategy, but when delays are on the agenda it may simply mean that it is an ill thought out purchase. Instead opting for an early high speed train that will allow for plenty of choices from among the local to continue a journey to the intended final stop is a safer and likely more efficient bet.

To avoid a build-up of negative energy psychologists further encourage preparing for what are likely to be inevitable complications. Avoiding the element of surprise can work wonders in terms of ensuring maintenance of at least a base level of calm. Jonathan Bricker of the University of Washington believes that expecting the long lines, delays and cancellations associated with winter travel can help to remove or at least diminish the element of uncontrollability that often leads to the fastest escalation of stress. Keeping the mind active and occupied is also believed to help with jetlag, as is a maintenance of some physical activity like walks around the terminal or so-called travel yoga that incorporates basic stretches to maintain blood flow. As an added perk staying active mentally and physically reduces the chances of sleeping at the gate and missing a long-awaited flight altogether, an utter tragedy that accounts for many of the empty seats on wintertime flights.