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Nicky Kelvin, who is a travel expert and Head of the Points Guy UK, shared his best tips and recommendations for senior travellers.

He explained: “A key piece of advice I would give to the elderly travelling abroad is to plan what time of day to fly.

“It’s important to note that seniors may no longer have the energy they once had, and travelling early in the morning or late at night can be exhausting.

“Mid-morning or early afternoon departures usually work better.

“Additionally, when it comes to planning for your flight, it’s useful to book a non-stop flight if possible.

“Non-stop flights are strongly preferred over connecting flights in order to minimise the chance of a missed connection and to reduce the total travel time.”

He continued: “I would suggest booking a non-stop flight even if it means a higher fare or a longer trip to the airport.

“Furthermore, try and avoid smaller regional planes.”

The travel expert explained this is “as often smaller airports have less suitable step options for travellers coming on and off the plane”.

Nicky continued: “Another important point to remember is that airports are vast and it can often be difficult getting from A to B.

“It is free to hire a wheelchair at major airports, and will get you through security and into your gate much quicker and more comfortably.

“A final piece of advice I would give is with the exception of short, non-stop flights, it’s always best that elderly travellers are able to travel with a loved one or companion.”

Flight attendant Helena Afroughi also shared her top recommendations for senior travellers.

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She said: “I would first say that it’s completely normal to ask the crew about anything if they are unsure and to feel comfortable in doing that.

“Even maybe asking other passengers, as a lot of people are frequent flyers nowadays.

“So they might even be able to answer their question.

“Also, I would suggest them to familiarise with the plane.”

She recommended “to just have a look at the safety card”.

Helena also advised to “see the safety demonstration just so they are more aware of how things work and the exits etc” as a senior passenger’s reaction time may be slower.

She added: “As the space is very small, just be extra careful where you are stepping to avoid injuries.

“The carpet on the plane can make people trip sometimes also stepping out and in on the plane, there are gaps etc, so look down where you are stepping.”

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