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 TySebeGid.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 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 you. 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, as 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 allotted, 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 from 20 to 25 kg (depending on the rules of the airline). 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 declaration with him, he can proceed through 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 you most likely did not have 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 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 departing are brought to the aircraft ladder in the old fashioned way - by bus.
Why does being late for check-in lead to a missed 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 point 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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After completing the check-in procedure and other formalities before departure, you will find yourself directly in the departure area or waiting room, where you will have to wait for the boarding announcement. Even if there is enough time left before departure, you will not be bored there - in the departure area there are cozy cafes and duty free shops for shopping lovers. In order to avoid unforeseen situations and in order not to be late for departure, it is worth knowing how long it takes to board the plane. As a rule, boarding is announced after the end of the passenger check-in procedure. Arriving in advance at the waiting room, where the "gates" or gates (Gate) are located, first of all, you have to find your boarding gate, so that later you will not look for it at the last minute and, God forbid, get lost. Once the desired gate has been found, it is necessary to verify the flight number on the sign at the exit and the number indicated on the boarding pass. The data must match.
Important! The gate numbers sometimes change for unknown reasons, so it is important to arrive at the boarding gate no later than half an hour before departure and constantly monitor the announcements and information on the scoreboard.
Boarding pass
Without a document such as a boarding pass, you will not be allowed to board. It is given to each passenger after the completed check-in procedure. In the event that the check-in has been successfully passed through the terminals or the Internet, then the boarding pass can be printed independently. This can be done in the following ways:
- at the registration desk at the train station;
- through the self-check-in terminal;
- through the online service.
In unforeseen situations, when the boarding pass is forgotten at home, or for unknown reasons has become damaged (wet, torn, wrinkled), you always have the opportunity to print a new one. This document contains important information for passengers:
- flight number (referred to as Flight);
- the number and location of the seat in the aircraft cabin (Seat);
- boarding time & gate closes, sometimes only one thing is indicated, for example, boarding start time;
- gate number for passengers to board.
The boarding pass should always be at hand along with the passport, because sometimes before the flight they may check the identity documents again.
Features of boarding passengers on the plane
The boarding pass must indicate the start time for boarding passengers. This information will be announced several times over the airport speakerphone, but it is better to come five to ten minutes earlier than the time indicated in the ticket, so as not to be late. Upon arrival at the gate or “gate” leading passengers to boarding, it is important to re-check the flight number and gate number to make sure you are on the right track. At the exit, they will be required to present a boarding pass, and in certain cases, a passport (more often an identity document is checked before boarding domestic flights). There are two parts in the coupon, the larger of which will be torn off, and the smaller will be left to the passenger. To be sure, this part of the ticket should be checked again - it contains information about the baggage (baggage tags), which will make it possible to identify and find your suitcases among the baggage upon arrival.
After passing through the Gate at large airports, you will board the plane either by a bus that delivers all passengers of the flight to the ladder, or along the accordion air corridor that directly connects the terminal of the station and the liner. Climbing the ladder or going along the "sleeve" to the plane, you will be welcomed there by the flight attendants who welcome you on board, and will help you find and take the seat in the cabin indicated in the boarding pass. Carry-on baggage should be carefully placed on the shelf to avoid inconvenience and discomfort during the flight.
Start and end time of boarding
Usually, exact time the beginning and end of boarding of passengers on board the aircraft is indicated in the boarding pass, written on all the numerous information boards of the airport and announced orally over the loudspeaker. But it is not necessary to look at the ticket or wait for the announcement in order to rationally calculate your own time and not be late for boarding. Those who are unlucky and are late due to their own fault will not be refunded the ticket price. It is worth taking care of the timely arrival at the desired gate in advance. You just need to know the time of departure of the aircraft and the end time of passenger check-in.
Attention! Boarding for international flights is 10–20 minutes earlier than for domestic flights.
Passengers traveling abroad should arrive at the gate no later than 40 minutes before departure, and those traveling within the country should appear at the gate half an hour before departure. At smaller airports, boarding sometimes begins 20 minutes before departure for domestic flights, and 30 minutes for international flights. This is due to the fact that in international airports often there is a long queue, and in small ones - a shorter one, so the check-in procedure with subsequent boarding takes much less time.
Boarding procedure almost identical in all countries of the world, and below we will consider it.
First, you need to get to the airport.
Get to the airport
For some reason, many thought that the airport is something distant and incomprehensible and that you can only get there by taxi. There are many ways to get to any airport, and a taxi has always been and will be the most expensive of them and not always the fastest.
Did you know that, for example, you can get to Domodedovo for 70 rubles?
On our website you will find all the ways to get to the desired airport.
check-in
So you have arrived.
The first thing to do is find the departure board and find your flight there. In addition to the departure and flight number, the number will also be indicated check-in counters... The designations are very different and depend on the airport, let it be G8, and our flight is SU275.
Following the signs, we find the counter with our flight. Be careful, the airline may have several dozen open counters, you only need it with your flight.
Here they drop off their luggage and check in for the flight. All you need is a passport and a printout of the ticket.
If you are flying to a visa country, you need a visa stamp (otherwise you will not be put in prison) and return tickets.
No hotel reservations or any other papers - just a passport and return tickets.
On many flights, only a passport is needed, but it is better to keep the printouts of tickets in quick access.
Passport control
You have registered and received your ticket. Fine! Now we need to find our boarding gate (it is indicated on the ticket). Follow the signs for the airport.
At the entrance to the gate, we present a ticket and follow for passport control.
You only need to show your passport and the received ticket, everything else can be requested separately, if required.
Almost immediately after passport control situated security control... It is necessary to put everything out of the pockets, remove the belt, watch, all metal, outerwear and enlighten the bag.
You should only take off your shoes if you have a heel! And don't forget to collect all your belongings.
Everything, now you're in landing zone and duty-free zone... Advise find your gate first to boarding, and already knowing where he is and the distance to him, calmly explore the cafe and go shopping in the stores.
This scheme is typical for most airports in the world, but everywhere there may be some small peculiarities.
For example, one of the airports in Malaysia has double security controls. After going through all the procedures, I sat down to drink coffee and 5 minutes before the end of boarding went to the gate, but there was another search with a huge queue. Believe me, running around the airport minutes before landing is not so cool :)
To avoid problems, go through all the mandatory procedures, find your gate, and then you can look for something to do before landing.
The optimal time of arrival at the airport is 3 hours before the departure time.
People who go on a trip or a business trip on an airliner for the first time often do not know the nuances of going through the registration process for an aircraft. The stages are standard, carried out according to the worked out scheme. The basic rules of conduct for passengers are the same, so it’s interesting to know how long it takes to start and end the process of issuing a boarding pass. Let us consider in more detail what a passenger needs to know when at the airport.
Buying an air ticket is less stressful and stressful than checking documents and drawing up forms in front of an airport employee's desk. Today it is easy and simple to book a flight through the website on the Internet. Moreover, the procedure for searching and comparing several carrier companies by price and duration of the flight is available for any user completely free of charge. A successful booking will bring benefits and comfort to a person planning a long trip by plane.
Residents major cities and the capital, you need to know exactly in which terminal check-in should take place in order to calculate how many hours it will take to arrive at a sufficiently far located airport. Before leaving home, you need to check the availability of documents, things, accessories necessary for an air trip. For example, personal belongings, books, magazines and personal equipment will allow you to while away the time in flight and comfortably arrive in the destination city.
Before the flight, you need to make copies of documents, and place them separately from the originals in a convenient and accessible place. It is also necessary to scan documents, and then place them on an e-mail box, so that in case of loss or destruction, you can have access to personal papers from any computer. You need to check the presence of all the necessary additional papers:
- pension certificate;
- student card;
- a travel card for a child;
- visa documents;
- various references.
As for the ticket or its electronic copy, the form received on the website should be printed on a printer. There is no need to worry about the validity of this option if the flight was purchased over the Internet. After all, at the airport they will check it and compare the information from the database, adding it to the boarding pass.
When collecting things, you need to divide things into luggage, which will be sent to the luggage compartment, and carry-on luggage for transportation in the cabin. Do not be too lazy to weigh the assembled suitcase, because almost all companies strictly monitor this parameter. The excess of things even by 100 grams after the control at the registration of the flight will result in a fine. The level of liquid carried in the carry-on bag must be respected.
Besides bank card, it is important to have a certain amount of cash with you in order to avoid the occurrence of various unnecessary incidents.
You must arrive 3.5 hours before departure. Check-in starts three hours and ends 30 minutes before the plane departs. A beginner in air tourism needs to add half an hour of extra time to this time before checking in for the plane. It is known that on the first trip you need to familiarize yourself with the operation of the airport and individual systems.
Didn't have enough time to get ready, had to be late and arrive when the registration ends? For such passengers, there is a counter at the airport where those who did not have time for standard check-in are checked out. But then a fine will be imposed. Passing through a separate counter does not guarantee a quick landing on the plane, because there is usually a large flow of people here.
Approximately 10% of customers are considered late for each flight, so the full process of checking and issuing coupons can take about two hours. Upon arrival at the airport, you need to find a board that displays the necessary information.
There you can see:
- the name of the airline through which the ticket was issued;
- flight number:
- departure time;
- place of arrival;
- the serial number of the check-in counter;
- landing platform;
- active state of the flight itself - when check-in starts (on-time), flight delay (delayed), cancellation (canсeled), boarding status (check in, if running) or (gate closed, if over), how long before boarding ends.
Thanks to the data in this table, you can find out all the necessary information about the current flight. Then you need to go to the counter indicated in the line. To find her number, check the flight number on the purchased ticket. Once at the counter, the passenger is often faced with a long line. In this case, it is possible to ask the airport staff to issue a ticket through an empty counter. And they usually agree with no problem.
A successful client of the company can significantly reduce the time of the registration process.
When approaching an airport employee, you must provide prepared documents. In most cases, this is a passport and a ticket purchased earlier. If you intend to travel abroad, then a visa is attached to all documents. After that, put the suitcase and, if necessary, carry-on luggage on the scales. If overloading of baggage is not detected, a special sticker is glued to it and the baggage is sent for further inspection.
In case of excess of the cargo weight, a fine will be imposed. At the beginning of check-in for the plane, you can give preferences about the seat (at the window, at the exit, at the aisle). If such free seats are available, the wishes of the passenger will certainly be taken into account. When the check-in at the counter is over, the passenger will receive a tag with the baggage numbering in order to pick it up upon arrival at the destination.
When does boarding start
No matter how much a ticket is bought, all passengers undergo a check and additional examination in case of suspicion of carrying prohibited items or for other reasons. After issuing a coupon at the check-in counter, passport data will be controlled. Keep all the necessary papers ready in your hands so as not to delay the queue and quickly get to the plane ladder. When approaching an airport employee, you must present the following documents:
- identity card - passport;
- permitting document - visa;
- boarding pass received at check-in.
Luggage scanning and passage through a metal-sensitive detector are also carried out here. A check is made for prohibited items and substances (if there is confidence in the absence of such items, then you need to go through the green corridor).
After passing the control, and if no suspicious things and objects are found, then the passenger is allowed to pass through open area... Here you can visit cafes or shops, buy small souvenirs and everything you need for a trip. Listen carefully to the announcements. After being notified of boarding the flight, you need to go to the gate, present your ticket and get on the plane for the next flight.
For a successful flight, you need to follow all of the above rules, familiarize yourself with the check-in start time in advance and arrive at the airport with sufficient time to avoid some of the nuances in the form of payment of a fine for being late.
Check-in and boarding at the airport
Hello everyone, my dears! I remember my first visit to the airport: you get lost in huge halls and do not know where to go and what to serve at the check-in counter. Now, of course, things are different. But so that the airport does not turn into an unknown labyrinth for you, I decided to write for you a detailed algorithm of actions at the airport.
I must reassure you: the registration rules are very simple. Basically, difficulties arise only during the very first flight. As a last resort, you can ask any airport employee for help. However, I am sure that you will be able to orient yourself and be on time for your flight.
First, remember that registering for international flight starts in 3 hours and ends in about 50 minutes. And for domestic flights, check-in is announced two hours in advance, but they finish in 40 minutes. It is better to arrive at the airport early, I’m telling you for sure.
In addition, starting the story about the procedure for boarding the plane, I hope that you have already been able to resolve the issue of packing your baggage. If you haven't packed it, find the counter at the airport.
In this article:
1. Look for the information board
So you find yourself at the airport, but do not know where to go? First, find information monitors. They look something like this:
See how many lines? Carefully study the information that is indicated on them, it is very important. Here you will find:
- flight number (the same as in or, as it is correctly called, in the itinerary receipt),
- departure time (or delay),
- check-in counter number
- and whether that registration has begun or not.
The latter can be understood by the color of the line (it is highlighted in green, and below the lines are red, for example) or by the time indicated in it. In general, if you have determined that check-in for the flight has already begun, remember the counter number and start looking for it.
2. Follow the check-in desks
It's time to check-in for the flight, for this you need to find the check-in counters.
I will make a small digression and say that registration can be done in advance via the Internet or at the same airport through special terminals. This is done to save time.
So if you have already checked in online, printed out the ticket yourself in advance and you do not have luggage, then you can immediately go to boarding. But if you did not print the coupon or if you have luggage, then you still need to go to the check-in counters. You just can do it not in 3 hours while standing in a queue, but a little later, when the queue has already melted.
But today we will imagine that you did not go through any registration and we will go the traditional way. Check-in counters look approximately the same at all airports in the world:
These are numbered counters with a baggage drawer. Look for the same number that you saw on the scoreboard. Found it? So this is your stance. Above it there is a small board that indicates which flight is being checked-in at the moment.
3. Show your passport and drop off your luggage
Show your passport when it's your turn to check in.
Here you can ask to allocate for you specific place: by the window or closer to the opening if you are traveling with a child. If there are still such places, you're in luck. In general, then you need to pre-register via the Internet in order to book the necessary seats in advance.
Here you need to check in your luggage. Put it on the tape: it will be weighed and attached to a special tag.
All this takes a few minutes. Then you receive a boarding pass with a tear-off spine, on which an additional sticker with information about baggage is usually glued.
Don't forget to bring your passport and your carry-on baggage.
4. Security control and customs control
Usually the way from the check-in counter leads directly to the boarding, but at large airports this rule is not always the case. Therefore, do not hesitate to ask during registration where exactly you need to go next.
And then you need to go through security control before boarding. Usually the check goes like this. You take off all belts and shoes and put them in special containers. Then go to the scanners through which all your belongings are passed.
It is here that your nail scissors, shaving razors, bottles of more than 100 ml will be thrown away and will indicate to you that you have packaged your cosmetics incorrectly, so you will have to say goodbye to it. Therefore, do not be lazy, read the rules for carrying hand luggage.
You yourself will also be searched: either manually with the help of hand-held metal detectors, or in special cameras. Nothing complicated, just go inside the transparent camera, put your feet shoulder-width apart, raise your arms to the sides (there are special indicators inside the camera) and you will be scanned for dangerous things.
And if your flight is international (fly to another country), then in addition to security control you will have to go through customs control.
There are “green” or “red” corridors for its passage. If you do not have things to declare, go to the "green" (Nothing to declare) corridor. Otherwise, you should go to the "red" corridor (Goods to declare). Here you will be offered to write an application for the declaration of goods and fill out all the necessary documents.
5. Go to the waiting room
Well, all the formalities have been met. Now go to the waiting room. There you can sit in a cafe or go to duty-free shops.
When you hear the boarding announcement, head to your gate and queue up again. Again you will be asked to show your passport, a coupon (which was given at the check-in counter), from which you will get a stub (it contains all the information about the flight). It should never be thrown away, be sure to keep it until you receive your baggage.
6. Boarding the plane
Immediately after you have returned your passport and stub to your hands, you will be shown the way to board: either through a special sleeve directly into the plane, or by bus. Enjoy your flight!
Actually, that's the whole procedure for boarding the flight. I hope my little instruction will be useful to those who first decided to make a flight. I would be very glad if you share your very first flight experience in the comments.
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