Book Review – Air Travel Handbook – Tips, Tricks & Secrets on Flying

As a frequent traveler, I was interested to read the “Air Travel Handbook” by Dan Poynter. The e-book is available at http://airtravelhandbook.com/ for $4.95. It is a collection of tips and tricks to make air travel easier, cheaper, and generally better for you. It contains suggestions to get discounts, or to just get along with airline workers and fellow passengers. There is really an amazing amount of information in this book.
The first time you read it, you’ll think of it as a book, reading from page one on to the end. That’s a good choice to familiarize yourself with the layout. Since the book is a work of reference though, you will probably use the index afterwards to find the section you are interested in. I was surprised at the first lines that read:

“CONFIRM YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT PLANE. On entering the cabin, confirm the destination with the flight attendant at the door. “

I would have thought that everyone would know the flight they were on and where it was heading. The book seemed too simple at this point until the next line which tells how we can help get the plane off the ground ten minutes early. The book is filled with a wide variety of hints; some ordinary and some extremely helpful to the knowledgeable traveler. Poynter includes many links to TSA guidelines, or travel websites that provide even more detailed advice and information.

There is advice on dealing with plane staff, rules of etiquette, flight statistics, airline statistics, how to pick and adjust your seat, seating arrangements on different planes, how to be entertained during the flight, luggage requirements and how to get around them, health requirements for different countries, jet lag information, anecdotes regarding airline security and rules. It is packed with information and links.

Pros:

1. It is a vast accumulation of travel information from the simple to extremely complicated. Its breadth is staggering.
2. The index is handy.
3. There are figures and pictures to illustrate many concepts.

Cons:

1. I’m not a fan of links in e-books. The internet changes daily and, in a few years, the links in this book may not work. I did, however, test about 50% of them and they all connected.
2. The pdf book is not bookmarked. I had to remember that the index is on page 5. A minor point that would have helped. This book is available in just about every format so other formats might have a better index.
3. There were a few too many anecdotes and jokes for my liking. The author linked to youtube videos of the Carol Burnett show and provided a two page dialog of comedic airline rules. Not interesting in a reference book.