9. Be Aware of Your Surroundings. When you are in an airport terminal or on an aircraft, take notice of your surroundings, and those around you. Especially, if activities or situations don’t appear to be of norm.

10. Report Strange or Odd Activity. If you see anything in airport or on an aircraft that looks out of place, unfitting and unusual behavior or potential security violations, inform either a law enforcement representative or security personnel.

11. Have No Bias About Who May Pose a Threat. If someone is intent on perpetrating violent acts against air transport system, that person can be of any gender, age, or nationality. You should not presume any specific type of person is likely to do damage based on outward appearances.

12. Keep Away from Suspicious Circumstances. If you are exposed to a potential risk in airport, move away from situation before contacting someone in authority. If necessary, inform others in vicinity. Examples of these are; unaccompanied packages, suspicious behavior, or an unusual disturbance.

13. Leave Your Seat Belt Fastened While in Flight. When you are seated, keep your safety belt securely fastened through your flight will provide extra protection if plane is in unexpected turbulence.

14. Focus on What Flight Attendants Are Saying. The number one reason flight attendants are on an aircraft is for safety, so if there is any kind of emergency or potential crisis situation, look to flight attendants for help and assistance.

15. Remember Basic Rules for Wireless Devices. In U.S., cell phones, pagers, and other wireless communications devices may be used until passenger entry doors are closed prior to takeoff. Do not use these devices for routine communications until passenger doors are opened at end of flight. Rules vary around world, so check with your airline.

16. Emergency Use of a Wireless Device. In event of an in-flight emergency, you should take stock of situation before using any communications device, including aircraft's seatback telephones. If a situation calls for it, use your cell phone or other personal to contact help. In U.S., a helpful number to call is FBI at 1-866-483-5137. If you are a flight attendant or other airline employee, contact an appropriate office or department of airline.

17. Work Together. If circumstances on an aircraft have potential for danger, it is usually better to share information and work together with crew members and other passengers.

By taking necessary precautions when you fly, you can travel with a piece-of-mind and have your security on ‘high alert’ and ready for anything.

4. If you're not sure of your abilities, or have a bad knee or other potential problem, stick to well-traveled trails. On many routes, another backpacker will be by every hour. That's good to know if you're in trouble.

5. Learn well how to read a map and use a compass. If you are two miles off route and can't get a signal on your phone when your knee gives out, you're in trouble. Even if you like to wander, you should be able to know where you are on map for safety.

6. Know your abilities. Don't plan on twenty-mile days if you haven't done them before.

7. Learn to lighten your load. When you're alone, you lose efficiency of sharing load for stoves, tents and other common items. It's easy - and dangerous - to become overloaded when yours is only backpack. You might want to read up on ultralight backpacking.

Solo backpacking is riskier, but for some of us, it's well worth risk. Try it, and you might agree. Just be sure to take necessary precautions.