All too frequently there are horror stories of air rage in the daily news media. A man refuses to buckle his seat belt and verbally attacks a flight attendant. A woman insists on smoking in the bathroom, locks herself in and refuses to come out. A drunk gets sick or passes out. A fight starts when one passenger stumbles over feet blocking the aisle. An unruly man attacks a flight attendant for no apparent reason. If you’re in the middle of such troubles, what can you do?

Flying has become a frustrating experience because of the tight security and unending fears of terrorism. Many passengers are already nervous and resentful even before flights take off. Additionally, the sardine-can seating of five across on long flights is enough to try the patience of the most even-tempered person. So. what can you do when the guy in the next seat goes ballistic?

There are occasions when dragging along heavy bags when flying is necessary. Long overseas journeys away from home, cruises and group excursions. But even most of those trips don't always require heavy luggage that needs checking every time a traveler needs to board another ship, bus or train.

There are seasoned travelers who've flown often throughout the world, including cruises and group excursions. They've managed to bring along the absolute minimum in just one wheeled carry-on. Of course, they've never lost any luggage, nor had to wait at airport merry-go-rounds for hours after each flight hoping nothing was missing.

1. Use the airport restroom before boarding. If the flight is delayed on the tarmac, onboard facilities may not be available for an hour or more. We seniors can only keep our legs crossed for a limited time.

2. Eat sensibly before boarding. Heavy meals, especially highly-spiced and gassy ones, tend to make flying uncomfortable, and unpleasant for your seatmate.

3. Go easy on the booze in the airport bar. Too often, the frustrations of a long flight delay result in too many alcoholic drinks. Just one is enough, while two is more than enough. Three can cause all kinds of trouble during the flight.