Air Travel Organizer

My dad was a commercial pilot who first started flying during WWII. He taught me many things about flying (and life!) and I still use most of them, not necessarily just in the air. One very small tip he showed me has helped me in flight even as a young child (I started flying at three weeks old), and still I use it today.

Back before plastic bags were common, he always carried small paper grocery sacks in his flight bag. During flights, if he was deadheading (flying home from a trip, usually seated in economy), he always pulled out his grocery bag and placed it in the seat pocket of the seat ahead of him. In the bag, he carried all that he would need for the flight-writing material, book, flight manual, magazine, snack, etc. He never had to pull down and sort through his flight bag looking for a pen, book, etc. He was always well organized (crucial for a pilot!) and considerate of others.

Today, I am always prepared for a flight. I stow my purse in my carry on under the seat and keep my large zip-type bag on top of my carry on items so that I can quickly pull it out and place it in the seat pocket when I sit down. I organize the bag when I pack and include what I need for flights; writing material, books, embroidery/crochet project, snack, etc. I am often amused by passengers crowding the aisle while rummaging through an overstuffed bag or two for a pen, pills, etc. Seems almost every time I fly, my seatmates like this small and simple idea.