Air tickets have been bought, suitcases are packed, there are only a few days left before the start of the vacation, but instead of joy you start to worry. Excitement is growing every day, because you are flying for the first time and all that worries you now is how to behave at the airport, how everything will go, whether you will get lost, whether you will confuse the plane, etc. You can stop worrying, you just found the most detailed instructions “ first time at the airport”For beginners, which will answer all your questions.
So before departure, after purchasing an air ticket, before boarding the plane, you need to go through the following necessary procedures:
1.
Customs control, before or after registration
2.
Check-in and check-in baggage
3.
Passport control
4.
Security inspection
Everything is easy and simple, it is extremely difficult to miss the plane or get lost at the airport, the main thing is to carefully read and follow our most detailed instructions ” first time at the airport“.
And so - the route has been chosen, the ticket has been bought, the things have been packed, the money has been prepared, the documents have been checked several times (your personal signature must be in the passport). You have not forgotten to put money on your phone and activate roaming. All this needs to be checked before leaving the house. The belongings are divided into luggage and carry-on luggage. Carry-on baggage is part of the items that will lie next to you in the cabin during the flight. It can be large electronic equipment (laptop, camera, camcorder), fragile souvenirs. It is strongly discouraged to check them in as baggage - they may be damaged during loading and unloading.
Do not attempt to smuggle the above items into hand luggage
It is forbidden to carry in carry-on baggage:
- liquids in vials over 100 milliliters
- flammable and explosive substances (acetone, hairspray, etc.)
- stabbing and cutting objects (knives, nail scissors, etc.)
- heavy items exceeding the established weight limit for carry-on baggage
Information about these restrictions should be read on the airline's website, especially if you are flying with a connection. Some foreign airports have strict security rules (for example, in the EU countries, during security checks, mascara may be withdrawn).
Never try to carry sharp-edged objects in your carry-on baggage. At least they will be confiscated from you, at most you are guaranteed a conversation with the airport security service. Sharpshell Assembly Box at Lima Airport, Peru
We clarify that if you are flying in business class, then you are allowed to carry for free - no more than 30 kilograms; in economy class - no more than 20 kilograms. Please note that the weight of your bag or suitcase is included in the weight of your luggage. If you overweight, you will have to pay extra at the airline's fares. Before check-in, there are special devices in the departure hall where, for a fee, your things will be carefully and securely packed in transparent polyethylene. This guarantees you the integrity and safety of your belongings checked into the luggage compartment and maximum peace of mind during the flight.
Almost all over the world (hotels, transport, travel agencies) you will be understood in English. If you are flying abroad, it is advisable to carefully read on the Internet information about the country, customs, and sights. Learn a few phrases in the local language so that you can explain yourself at the airport or with the police in case of a problem. Or prepare these phrases on a piece of paper, you can also take a dictionary or phrasebook with you.
Whatever you first time at the airport or you are a regular air passenger, we suggest you put copies of all documents inside your luggage and sew a badge with your name, surname and contact phone number to your suitcase (for paranoid people in several copies and different places), in case of loss of luggage. For advanced people, it is useful to upload scans of all travel documents to their e-mail, and, if necessary, use electronic copies. This little thing will save you from extremely rare unpleasant accidents in the future.
Carry-on baggage on the plane. Always put passports, important documents, money and plastic cards in your carry-on baggage
Important! Never put documents, money and plastic cards in your checked baggage.
So you are ready for a lot of new and interesting experiences, let's proceed to registration. Moreover, you can register at the airport in two ways, this is online registration and registration in the old way.
Option 1 - online check-in at the airport:
More and more airlines are offering online check-in over the Internet. It can be passed at any time during the day before departure and at least an hour before scheduled departure without arriving at the airport. In this case, you can register from any computer with Internet access. All passengers can check-in online: flying with or without luggage, in a group or with children, regardless of whether they are flying in economy or business class. To register online, you need to open the airline's website, find the tab that says online registration and click on it. Then fill in, usually this:
Number electronic ticket or booking code
- departure airport
- name and surname of the passenger
- departure date
After entering the necessary information for registration, the system will generate a boarding pass, which must be printed out (this will be the document that must be presented at the airport at the exit when boarding the plane). At the airport for online registered passengers, you need to check in your luggage at a special counter and not stand in a huge general queue, and if you are flying only with hand luggage, then immediately go to the security check and passport control.
Option 2 - Regular registration:
You have decided to use the traditional check-in form upon arrival at the airport. Check-in for the flight opens as standard three hours before departure and closes 50 minutes before scheduled departure. Pioneers need to arrive 2 or 3 hours early to avoid the hustle and bustle, rush, worry, confusion and excitement. Departure and arrival times on air tickets are always indicated only local. This must be borne in mind when preparing for the trip. Otherwise, you can miss your plane or even derail your trip.
Check-in at the airport in the usual way with a queue
At the entrance to the airport, you need to go through the gate of a metal detector, the luggage will be scanned on a self-propelled belt - this goes quickly. Inside the airport there is a board (information monitor) with departures. It says Departures in English - Departures. In the printout of the electronic ticket, we find the flight number Flight (for example, UN777) the destination city and on the scoreboard we find our flight. Once again, we clarify the direction and remember the number of the check-in counter, where they will exchange the ticket for a boarding pass, which is an airplane pass. Note - if you arrived too early, your flight may not yet be shown on the scoreboard.
Approaching the check-in counter, you present your passport, ticket and voice your wishes about a seat on the plane (at the aisle, at the emergency exit, at the window, etc.). Taking into account your wishes and possibilities, you will be given a coupon with a seat. Then they will weigh and accept your luggage. Both the luggage and the ticket will be labeled with a number. Make sure you have a tag on your baggage with your name and flight number, and a baggage receipt on your ticket.
On boarding pass important information is located - date and time of departure, flight number, time of boarding, gate number (Gate) and, most importantly, the number of your seat in the aircraft cabin. The boarding time will be repeated several times over the speakerphone at the airport. Loud and clear every 10-15 minutes.
Boarding pass. Click on the photo to enlarge
With your passport and boarding pass, go to the customs inspection area. This is the most meticulous check before boarding. Customs control is recognized to find out if you have antiques, large sums of money, drugs, weapons, excise goods and so on. You must declare this in the customs declaration. Therefore, before passport control, fill out a customs declaration if you have something to declare, if not, a declaration is not required.
For the convenience of passengers in international airports two types of border crossing: green and Red corridors. You choose the corridor yourself. 99 percent of tourists have nothing to declare, so you can freely walk through the green corridor.
Signpost for the green corridor for the exit from the airport. This corridor is suitable for 99% of tourists
Customs officers have the right to ask you to show your baggage for inspection, but this is an extremely rare practice. Therefore, before passport control, a customs declaration is filled out in the event that there is something to declare, if not, a declaration is not required. Then you need to go to the passport control area. The border guard will check your boarding pass and passport.
After passport control, you need to go through a personal search. When going through security control, you must present your passport, boarding pass and ticket. Employees aviation security will tell you what to do. Attention! If you have implanted devices, do not enter the area of the stationary metal detector. First, contact the aviation security inspector and explain your situation to him.
After passing through security, you enter the boarding waiting room. Now you can relax and walk around the waiting room, buy souvenirs and wait for the boarding announcement. After the announcement, you need to go to the gate indicated on the boarding pass and present this pass to the person on duty. All you need is a boarding pass and possibly a passport again. At airports with heavy traffic, sometimes they do not announce the start of boarding. Therefore, you must always remember the landing time and at the specified time independently approach the desired exit (Gate) Boarding the plane takes place either by bus or through a special accordion connecting the plane with the terminal building.
After landing at the airport, you go through the same procedures as when landing. Passport control first: the border guard will check your passport, boarding pass, visa or entry permit. Then you get your baggage and go through customs. If your baggage is not found or it is damaged, you must contact an airport employee (Lost and found).
K see nothing complicated, even if you first time at the airport.
Fly with pleasure!
Date of publication:
2013-05-17 The information in the article is periodically updated, now it is up-to-date as of August 2016
In this article, the resource TySamSebeGid.ru talks about important points and the nuances that are associated with the first flight on an airplane, and also gives a number of recommendations for novice tourists. Read on to find out what you can and should do at the airport, and what you shouldn't do so that your journey begins with a pleasant and comfortable departure.
Arrive at the appropriate airport terminal must 3 hours before departure- this is exactly how long the check-in for the flight begins (it ends 40 minutes before departure). It is important to learn a simple fact: the duration of all types of control (due to queues) is absolutely unpredictable. At times, half an hour may be enough, and sometimes two hours will not be enough. At the same time, all airport employees strictly adhere to the established regulations - no one will make exceptions for your sake. Late for check-in, the passenger is automatically late for the plane (even if there is a decent amount of time before departure). According to statistics, the number of passengers who missed their flight is 1-2%. Would you like to trade your first flight for an instructive lesson that will leave an unpleasant aftertaste for a long time?
At the airport, all departing passengers go through the following stages:
- check-in and baggage drop-off;
- customs control;
- passport control;
- security control, shops Duty Free and boarding the flight.
Check-in and baggage drop-off
Once in the airport terminal building, the first step is to find your flight to electronic scoreboard and see the numbers of the counters where they register for it.
check-in(check-in) starts 3 hours and ends 40 minutes before departure. If this is your first flight on an airplane, then use the standard check-in procedure at a special counter, since in this case you can ask all your questions to the airline employee. The main thing - do not hesitate to clarify the details or ask again if you do not understand what to do at the airport after check-in.
It should be noted that this is not the only check-in option for the flight. There are two more: online check-in on the airline's website and automated check-in using an electronic self-service terminal in the airport building. Of course, for most people it is more convenient to register with their help (much more time is given, there is no queue). However, if this is your first flight on an airplane, then for reliability it is better to stop at the standard procedure.
When checking in for a flight, there is baggage drop into the cargo hold of the aircraft. Each passenger is entitled to one piece of baggage, one bag weighing 20 to 25 kg (depending on the airline's rules). After dropping off the baggage, the passenger receives luggage tag(baggage tag), which is usually glued to the spine of your boarding pass. Never check your valuables and basic necessities in your luggage - they can be carried as carry-on luggage (a bag that is allowed to be taken on board the aircraft). Restrictions on the size and weight of carry-on baggage are set by each airline separately.
After check-in, the passenger receives boarding pass(boarding pass) - a document confirming the right to board the aircraft. The boarding pass contains full information about the upcoming flight.
Customs control at the airport
customs control(customs control) - a set of measures to control compliance with customs rules and regulations. If a passenger carries a weapon, a large amount of money, antiques or other items that are subject to mandatory duties, he must enter them in the customs declaration.
To simplify customs control, there are two special zones -. If the departing passenger does not have things and items that are obligatory for declaring with him, he can follow the "green" corridor. As a rule, this applies to 95% of all passengers. If you are transporting something that is subject to customs duties, then you need to go along the "red" corridor. If this is your first flight on an airplane, then most likely you have not yet had the experience of preparing the relevant documents and "high-speed" registration of the customs declaration, so we advise you to inquire in advance about the rules for the transportation of taxable things and items.
Passport control at the airport
Passport control(passport control) - checking the identity document of the passenger. The control of the presence of an entry visa is not carried out, although in rare cases, which by and large are a violation of passenger rights, they may be required to show.
Security Control, Duty Free and Boarding
(security control) - examination of a passenger, personal belongings and hand luggage. It is during this procedure that the search for firearms, explosive and flammable objects is carried out, which, once on board the aircraft, can become instruments of violence in the hands of terrorists. Every year, the security rules are becoming more stringent, and the inspection is more thorough.
Security control is carried out as follows: a passenger goes through a metal detector frame, and his personal belongings, previously folded into a special container, are X-rayed. These things include:
- carry-on luggage, outerwear and headwear;
- shoes (everyone has to take them off for a while; instead they give out shoe covers);
- telephones, audio and video players, laptops and other electrical equipment;
- metal items from pockets or clothing left on the passenger (keys, belt).
If a passenger refuses to take off his outer clothing or shoes, he can go through a scan using an X-ray control system (recall that such a procedure can be hazardous to health). As a rule, for respectable citizens, security control is remembered only by surprises that relate to the rules for carrying liquids in hand luggage (water, creams, lotions, oils, perfumes, colognes, gels, toothpaste, shaving foam, deodorants, etc.). Passengers carrying flowers need to go through a special phytocontrol, and tourists with animals - a veterinary one.
When all procedures are completed, the passenger goes to a special area in neutral territory to wait landing(boarding) on the plane. From a legal point of view, he has already left the country of departure, therefore, in this area, in addition to the waiting room and cafe, there are also shops Duty Free... Their number and size directly depend on the importance of the airport. When you find yourself among the relatively cheap goods, do not forget to carefully monitor the announcements over the loudspeaker so as not to miss the start of boarding on your flight. As soon as it starts, proceed to one of the special gates (GATE), the number of which is indicated on your boarding pass. From there, passengers are transported to the plane via a telescopic gangway. If there is no such innovation at the airport, then those who fly off are brought to the aircraft ladder in the old fashioned way - by bus.
Why is being late for check-in leads to being late for the flight?
Many passengers, being literally 5-10 minutes late for check-in, are perplexed: why the airline cannot make an exception to let them on board, because “the plane is still on the ground”. The fact is that there is a time frame for servicing the aircraft. Their violation leads to a delay in departure, which, in turn, is fraught with the loss of a queue for takeoff and a long wait for a new free "window". In conditions when some passengers have to transfer, while others have already planned important things and meetings, such an expectation can turn into serious problems.
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At the airport, the passenger will need several documents. It is worth keeping them nearby, not putting them in your luggage and presenting them at the request of authorized employees.
Passport
If you are flying on a domestic Russian flight and do not intend to cross the border of the country, then it is enough to have an ordinary civil passport with you. Tickets in Russia can also be bought with a passport. The main thing is that during the trip you must have the passport for which the tickets were purchased.
Travelers traveling abroad need a foreign passport, but there are a number of countries that allow Russian citizens to enter with a general civil passport.
If you changed your passport after purchasing tickets, you should contact the airline in advance and inform about it.
The passport must contain valid visas of the countries where you are flying, if Russia has a visa regime with these countries. Usually the visa is checked for, and if required visa not in the passport, the passenger will be denied boarding.
If you arrived at a foreign airport, then during the passage you may be required to prove the availability of funds, hotel reservations, return tickets and other documents, therefore, before traveling, you should definitely find out the rules for entering the country where you are going to visit.
In special cases, passengers may need medical certificates. For example, pregnant women for a "noticeable" period will be allowed to board only if they have a permit from the attending physician. In addition, if during the flight you need to use any medications or equipment, it is also better to clarify this in advance.
Separately, you should take care of the documents in case of a flight with other people's children, as well as when transporting animals and plants.
Almost every person has to make at least one air flight in their life. Those who first encountered the need to fly on an airplane usually have many questions regarding the procedure for booking air tickets, registering at the airport and rules of conduct directly on board the liner.
When a person is going to fly by plane to another city or country, he will certainly be faced with the issue of purchasing and booking tickets. Fortunately, now this procedure has become easier - a ticket can be booked using special online services on the Internet. Even a beginner can cope with this task. However, it is worth remembering that during the booking process it is necessary to notify the airline if the carriage will be carried out:
- a small child between the ages of 0 and 2;
- a child under 16 years of age, whose flight will be carried out without the supervision of an official representative (any of the parents, relative, guardian);
- a passenger on a stretcher, a disabled chair or a person suffering from a serious illness;
- a passenger with speech, hearing and vision impairments, without an accompanying person;
- a person carrying any ammunition, such as a weapon;
- non-standard baggage (too large or small);
- any papers and documents representing any documents;
- precious and semi-precious stones;
- baggage with a declared value;
- baggage that is subject to any damage upon expiration of the storage period;
- any items capable of creating a danger to the health and life of others;
- any animals;
- remains of animals or people.
These baggage requirements and rules for flying in an airplane within Russia are absolutely the same for everyone. The vast majority of airlines adhere to them.
Passenger behavior on board
In order for the flight to pass without all sorts of emergency situations, and with maximum comfort, the rules for flying in an airplane for passengers have been developed. They are the same for everyone and are as follows:
- Each passenger has the right to full service and, if necessary, can always contact the flight attendant. For example, in order to ask for protection from neighboring passengers with aggressive behavior.
- All passengers are required to strictly follow the instructions provided by the flight attendant.
- It is forbidden to smoke and drink alcoholic beverages on board the aircraft.
- It is forbidden to use any electrical appliances that can interfere with the operation of onboard equipment. These include telephones, radio control toys, tape recorders, and more.
- Any insult to other passengers and crew members serving on board is prohibited.
It should be remembered that violation of any rule entails different types responsibility, including criminal. According to the rules, a person who violated the framework of behavior on board is handed over to the law enforcement officers of the country that owns the liner.
In some cases, breaking the rules can face up to 2 years in prison. Therefore, a deviation from the established norms of behavior can result in a person becoming a prisoner in any country.
The health status of the passenger during the flight
In order for a long flight not to provoke any health problems, every passenger should know these simple tips:
- On the road, you need to take a moisturizer, nasal drops and eye drops. This is necessary in order to use these remedies in case of dry skin or mucous membranes (which is quite common).
- It is necessary to put on comfortable clothes, preferably from natural materials.
- To prevent dehydration, do not skip the drinks offered (water, juice, tea).
- If dizziness is felt, then it is necessary to concentrate on an object, thus, bringing the state back to normal.
- Ears can be removed by opening the mouth wide.
- During the flight, it is necessary to occasionally change the position of the head and body.
If you feel any discomfort, and you cannot cope with it on your own, then you must urgently inform the flight attendant about it. Particular attention during the flight is paid to certain categories of passengers. These include: children, pregnant women and people with disabilities.
All children under the age of 5 must only be accompanied by an adult. For babies, it is necessary to ask for a special cradle and other necessary items in advance. Babies who are not even a week old may not be allowed on board at all, as they are most likely to develop health problems.
Children between the ages of 5 and 16 can fly unaccompanied by an adult. But it is necessary that the child be escorted and met at both airports. Some airlines themselves set the age limits under which a child can fly without being accompanied by an official representative. This nuance must be taken into account at the stage of booking air tickets.
The airline takes full responsibility for the life and health of an unaccompanied minor passenger. It is the responsibility of the flight attendant to ensure that the child eats, sleeps and is in good health. In addition, as needed, he should be escorted to the toilet and back to the chair.
Parents of a minor are required to fill out a questionnaire when registering a child for a flight. It contains detailed information from the name of the child to a list of foods that can cause an allergic reaction.
In addition to children, women in position are a special category of passengers. The rules for flying pregnant women by plane are quite simple. The first thing that is required to admit a woman on board is a medical certificate from a doctor, which has a permit to fly. If it is difficult for a pregnant woman to endure a flight, then she has the right to purchase a ticket for a reclining seat, although it will cost a little more. A pregnant woman has the right to order a dietary menu for herself.
If during a flight a woman begins labor, then first aid should be provided by the flight attendants serving the liner. They are also responsible for communicating with the medical staff of the airport where the liner is to arrive. Upon arrival, the flight must be met by a called ambulance. In an emergency, the liner commander may decide to make an emergency landing at one of the nearby airports.
People with disabilities should also be under special supervision during the flight. For disabled people who have restrictions on movement, they must provide an elevator to board the aircraft. A wheelchair and other means of transportation can also be provided by the airline. It is necessary to notify the airline employees about the need to receive such items no later than 3 days before the departure of the aircraft.
To admit a disabled person on board, a certificate of full medical examination must be provided. If it is necessary to transport a sick person on a stretcher, then for this service you will have to pay extra double the cost of the purchased air ticket.
Baggage and carry-on baggage
The allowable size of baggage carried on an airliner depends on the direction and time of the flight. You can carry from 20 to 50 kg of luggage free of charge. Allowable weight also depends on the chosen class.
If transportation of non-standard baggage is required, an additional fee is required. More detailed information about this can be obtained at the stage of booking an air ticket.
There are two places for carrying hand luggage on the plane - on the shelf or under the seat in front of the passenger. The size of carried hand luggage is 50x45x20 cm, and the weight is no more than 5 kg. It is permissible to carry only a certain category of items in your hands, for example, a handbag, a book or a folder for documents. In addition, it is allowed to keep near the seat items that the passenger will need directly during the flight: crutches, a wheelchair, a table for feeding a child.
The passenger has the right to submit a claim in writing if during the flight there was a fact of damage or theft of baggage. However, it must be written no later than 7 days.
Certain requirements are imposed on the carried baggage. You can check in any items other than those on the list of prohibited items. The list looks like this:
- gases;
- flammable liquids and objects;
- weapon;
- magnetic objects.
Dangerous items such as a hunting rifle should only be transported under special conditions. Luggage should not contain fragile items, securities, IDs and other similar items.
Medicines and baby food can be carried out in the salon without packaging in a plastic container. Such items must be provided for passing the control.
It is permissible to take the following items on board the liner:
- thermometer;
- hand-held blood pressure monitor;
- lighter;
- a bottle of hydrogen peroxide;
- necessary ointments, gels, aerosols.
It is permissible to export from Russia, without drawing up a declaration, no more than 5,000 euros or 10,000 dollars. Cash foreign currency in an amount not exceeding 10 thousand dollars, with the preparation of a declaration, can be exported only with the written permission of the central bank. When importing or exporting, Russian rubles do not need to be declared. However, this amount should not exceed 500 minimum salaries. Otherwise, the declaration is required.
Transportation of animals and plants
The carriage of pets is allowed in the aircraft cabin only if you have an animal passport and a medical certificate of vaccinations. All animals during the flight must be kept in cages with a moisture-proof bottom, the owner must have a muzzle and a leash with him. Animals must not pose a danger to other passengers.
Naturally, you have to pay separately for the transportation of animals. The airline is not responsible for the life and health of the transported animals. For the export of prohibited animals, such as parrots, monkeys, criminal liability is provided.
The owner is responsible for damage to the property of the airline, which animals can commit while on board.
Plants are transported in accordance with the established procedure (pots, covering material). It is unacceptable to export rare plants, soil samples, fresh fruits and vegetables weighing more than 5 kg.
Free import of food products is allowed on the territory of the Russian Federation, for example, tea, coffee, sweets. Naturally, the volume of imported products must be reasonable.
These rules must be complied with by all passengers, regardless of the direction in which the flight is made and which airline. It is important to understand that violation of established norms entails severe penalties in most countries, including Russia.
Of course, knowing the entire list by heart is not at all necessary. For example, if a person is not going to carry weapons, then you can ignore the items related to this type of baggage - just read it for informational purposes. But the norms of behavior on board an airliner are best read carefully and remembered. By breaking the rules, a person not only complicates his life, but also the life of other passengers. You need to understand that because of a rowdy the flight can be delayed, and for some of the passengers this time can be especially expensive.
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5,000 aircraft are in the sky every second, 102,465 flights are made daily, 2,587,000 passengers arrive and leave airports during the day. And that's just the statistics for the USA! Air travel has long become a part of our life, and buying a plane ticket these days is no more difficult than buying public transport.
We are in site we also love travel, so we have prepared useful life hacks for you that will be useful both at the airport and during the flight.
Consider the rules of different carriers
Before the flight, read the carrier's rules: you can find many interesting nuances. For example, in China it is prohibited to carry in checked baggage:
- lithium batteries (and devices containing them);
- nail polish;
- lighters;
- matches;
- aerosols.
Hong Kong company rules Cathay pacific lithium batteries are recommended to be carried in carry-on baggage rather than in checked baggage. Some US carriers have similar restrictions. Company Flydubai does not allow transportation of hoverboards, mini-segways, electric unicycle due to the presence of lithium batteries in them.
Flydubai and some other airlines do not allow devices containing personal information, such as laptops, tablets and computers, to be carried in checked baggage. This item requires special attention: airport employees can open the suitcase and seize prohibited items. Of course, they will carefully put a piece of paper in your luggage informing about the invasion, but this is unlikely to comfort you, because the item will already be seized, and the mood will be spoiled.
Consider your location carefully
Stewards can better serve rear passengers. Most people do not like to fly in the tail: there is more turbulence there and queues for the restrooms. But there are advantages here.
When flight attendants carry something across the cabin, for example blankets or toothbrushes, all passengers express a desire to receive these things, but they, as a rule, are not enough for everyone. Those sitting at the end of the cabin have more chances to receive such valuable "buns".
Find out more about the airport of departure
Many airports have multiple terminals. For example, there are 3 of them at the Beijing airport, and the last, the third, is located at some distance. You can travel between its zones by a 2-car train, and from one terminal to the other you can take a shuttle that runs every 10 minutes. When planning your connecting trip, consider this factor and add time to travel between terminals.
Some airports are confusing enough. In order not to get lost, study the terminal maps in advance. This will help you quickly navigate the terrain. For example, a map of Heathrow, one of the largest and busiest European airports, can be viewed. Los Angeles airport has as many as 8 terminals - passengers are often lost, especially when they make a transfer.
Check-in closes 40-60 minutes before departure, boarding 15-25 minutes. Online registration ends 30-40 minutes earlier than usual. If you are flying on a domestic flight, arrive at the airport 2 hours before departure, on an international flight, at least 3 hours in advance. Stay tuned for news as there are failures at airports. For example, in the summer of 2017 in Sheremetyevo, they arose due to a shortage of personnel and breakdowns of the luggage belt: each suitcase had to be handled manually. And about a month ago, in the same Sheremetyevo, queues arose for interterminal trains due to a software failure.
Take into account the distance to the airport: for example, Pulkovo is located right in the city, but to fly from the main airport of Korea, you need to travel about 70 km from Seoul.
Do not wrap the suitcase with foil until the entrance control
Should you wrap your suitcase with cling film? Travelers still break their spears: some see this as a relic of the past, others are sure that such a measure can save luggage from many hardships - if not from theft, then at least from pollution during transportation.
Wrap your suitcase with plastic wrap at the airport, not at home. If the security service sees suspicious objects on the scanner and asks to open the suitcase, you will have to unwind the film and show the luggage. Stock up on an extra 10 minutes, cling film, duct tape, and scissors if you want to save a few dollars.
Prepare for security check in advance
Fold small items in advance (jewelry, headphones, pens, etc.) into the pocket of a jacket, coat or bag, and put the item itself in the tray . This simple advice will speed up the pre-flight screening procedure. You will not have to frantically rummage through your pockets looking for inappropriately disappeared chewing gum or a bunch of keys. And your belongings in this form will take up much less space on the tape.
The right conveyor belts are usually more loaded than the left ones. Most people are right-handed, so they instinctively place the containers on their right hand.
Move more before a long flight.
Sitting in one position for 3-4 hours is not so easy, let alone longer flights. To make your flight more comfortable, try standing or walking waiting for departure, and try to increase your physical activity. Later, you will be much more pleasant to sit in the chair, and your body will say "thank you" to you.
Choose the right landing time
This will help make the flight more comfortable. If you like to sleep on the road, you can try to reclaim your vacation spots. Are all the passengers on the plane, the doors are closed, and there are empty seats in the neighborhood? Politely ask the flight attendant if it is possible to change seats. Most likely, you will be allowed to do this, and you will be able to lie down and get a good night's sleep.
You can ask to change seats at emergency exits : there is a little more spacious. They are usually more expensive to board, but if the plane is not fully loaded, they are taken down last. Another non-obvious life hack: give chocolates or sweets to the flight attendants. Flight attendants, flying outside of work, carry sweet gifts for colleagues - they can take you for their own and serve you at the highest level.
Know your rights in case of flight delays
A delayed flight is one of the most unpleasant situations in travel. Nevertheless, there is also a spoonful of honey here: you have the right to pleasant bonuses. If the flight is delayed:
- for 2 hours - you must be provided with drinks;
- for 4 hours or more - hot meals;
- more than 8 hours - the carrier is obliged to accommodate passengers at the hotel and provide a transfer.
Other benefits include luggage storage, free access to the mother and child room for passengers with children, and 2 free calls or e-mails. However, if the carrier reported a flight delay or cancellation 14 days or more in advance, or offered an alternative flight, these benefits no longer apply.
What life hacks do you use when traveling? Let us know in the comments.
