Whether for business or pleasure, traveling alone is an incredible experience. The fact that you are the one in charge gets you out of your comfort zone and forces you to focus on the now. Also, once the anxiety of your first solo trip passes, you start to discover just how amazing it is to establish your own agenda.
Still, this doesn’t mean you can get reckless and throw caution to the wind. In fact, when you travel solo it’s important to be more aware of your surroundings and plan ahead for the most common scenarios. The situation is a bit more complex for women who travel solo since con artists and thieves consider solo women travelers easy targets.
But this doesn’t mean you should never try it. You just need to be more aware of your safety. For instance, here are a few tips to keep you safe when flying alone.
Ask for an Escort
If you board or land at odd hours, when few people go through the airport, ask airport security to arrange for someone to escort you to your vehicle (cab or personal car). In large airports, this service is quite common, but small airports may not have something like this in their offer. Even so, let them know you don’t feel safe and an escort would help out a lot.
Usually, people understand and if they can, they’ll lend a helping hand.
Arrange Parking in Advance
While it seems easier to get a cab to the airport, sometimes it’s safer and more convenient to take your own car. This also means the car will be waiting for you at the airport, so there’s no need to worry about finding a cab or an Uber to take you home safely on your return trip.
Luckily, most airports today offer parking services. For instance, if you live in Houston and want to go to the airport in your vehicle, use the IAH airport parking service for your peace of mind.
Don’t Flaunt your Valuables
Expensive cameras, smartphones, tablets, and even smartwatches are the target of pickpockets and thieves across the globe. Moreover, in crowded areas, you may even get your phone snatched out of your hand if you’re not paying attention.
So, to avoid such an unpleasant experience, keep your valuables hidden. Additionally, put straps and other safety elements on all your devices, to reduce the risk of being targeted while you’re talking on the phone or taking pictures.
Keep Travel Documents Close
While it’s common sense to keep your passport and ID on you at all times, you should also have other travel documents such as destination, accommodation, and itineraries in your carry-on. In case your luggage gets misplaced or the TSA has to rummage through it, your documents will be safe and hidden from prying eyes.
Pack Light
It’s very tempting to pack several outfits, especially when traveling for business, but it’s best to keep things light. Heavy luggage will slow you down and is difficult to handle on your way in or out of the airport. Even more, if you carry more than one stroller, you’ll be easily spotted by thieves who are looking for vulnerable targets.
Additionally, if someone approaches you with the intention to help with the luggage, make sure they are trustworthy (a cab driver or airport personnel). Otherwise, you may be handing your bags to a thief.
Wrap Up
Like it or not, traveling is part of being an entrepreneur as it helps solidify relationships with customers and partners. So, it’s important to get used to doing solo trips, even if you have to leave the country and explore unknown territories.
