Traveling by commercial airline is fast, but there is a downside. With all the rules and regulations air travel is becoming more uncomfortable and inconvenient. Take for instance being crammed into confining seats, or being fed artificial tasting meals, or even experiencing the annoying and frustrating delays and lost luggage which is quickly becoming more the rule than the exception.

There was a time when traveling used to be a joy, but nowadays it feels like a necessary evil, especially if you travel frequently for business, for pleasure or for work. Nevertheless, the good news is that there are things that you can do to make travel as comfortable and as pleasant as possible. Unless you can afford the luxuries of private jet travel, you'll have to find ways to cope with the inconveniences of commercial flights.

Here are three easy ways to make your flights a bit more comfortable:

1. Get a good seat. If you have even been sandwiched in the middle seat of a row on a long flight, then you know what being "uncomfortable" is all about. To avoid it, be early checking in and request the check-in agent for an aisle seat. If you are late checking in for a fully booked flight, chances are you will be the one in the middle seat.

2. Get First ?class or Priority tags for your luggage. Bags that have first class or priority tags on them get handled first. Look for them to come off the plane first, which means they get in to the baggage area much quicker. Importantly, even if you travel economy or coach class, you may be able to benefit from this service if you have one of these tags. Some airlines may give you a first class tag if you ask for it. Otherwise, you may also want to make your own tag in advance. You can do this by having a brightly colored card stamped with the word "priority" and lamented at a local printer. It does not get any easier than that. This is certain to get the attention of the baggage handlers, which means you can collect your luggage and get you to your hotel much quicker.

3. Combat the adverse affects of dry/oxygen deficient air. For passengers that suffer from cardiovascular and respiratory ailments, or that are concerned about flight induced dehydration, the poor quality of cabin air may pose certain threats. These travelers should drink at least one glass of bottled water for each hour that they are in flight, as well as avoid coffee, tea, alcohol, colas and any beverage with a diuretic effect.

In the age we live in, air travel is bound to continue to have it hassles, but we can take steps to make our flights as comfortable as possible. Sometimes it's the simple small things we do that can make the biggest difference!