If you’re one of those people who have been flying for as long as they can remember and know what to do and where to be at the airport- lucky you! However, if you’re like me- someone who has never even been to the airport (until recently anyway) and is clueless and kind of scared about messing up, fear no more as I break this down for you! 1. Documentation You’ve decided where you want to go and know that the entirety or part of your journey to your destination includes air travel- now what? The first thing you need to do is make sure that you have a valid travel document i.e. a passport issued by the government of your country that is up-to-date and accurate and does not expire in the very near future (at least until you are due to return home from your stay abroad). Once you’ve got that sorted, you need to find out if you require a visa to visit the country of your destination. This is basically a license to allow you to go to a place outside your country. There are a few possibilities: a) You don’t need a visa. b) You need a visa before leaving your home country. In this case, you need to take into account the time it might take for you to obtain the visa. c) You can obtain a visa on arriving at your destination. d) You need a transit visa for the country where your flight halts. This is applicable for connecting flights in a country that is not your destination. 2. Airlines With so many airlines to choose from, it can be a bit mindboggling to settle on one. If you’re not a frequent flyer, it might be best to choose the airline that represents the country you’re visiting such as British Airways for UK, Air Canada for Canada and so on. If you are a frequent flyer, then you might want to consider other things such the way miles are gained and how you can be rewarded for your loyalty to the airline. (Have you seen the movie “Up in the Air”?) In the end, choosing an airline comes down to what your priority is. Let’s look at a few criteria: a) Flight duration: Do you want a non-stop flight? Would you rather take a break between two short flights? b) Seating class: In ascending order, there is Economy, Premium Economy, Business, First class. As the names suggest, the price and luxury increase with the cabin class. c) Reviews: With so many airlines available, some are definitely better than the others. It might help to read about the reputation and safety history of the airline you are considering flying with. d) Extras: Watch out for these as they pile up costs. Meals, seat preference, baggage may or may not be included in the ticket so you might have to pay for them separately. Keep this in mind while comparing airlines based on the cost of flying. I started my search using www.flights.google.co.in (I wanted the prices to be in INR). It’s a very user-friendly tool and allows you to select your preferences in a range of criteria so that you finally get a list of flights that suit your needs. Once I got a list, I chose to look further into BA and Emirates because they had similar prices. I went to their respective websites and followed the steps to book a flight (without actually booking it, of course). I realised that BA offered me a better deal and so, that is the one I finalised. 3. What next? a) Extras- After choosing a flight, you might need to pay separately for meals and a seat of your choice. b) Membership- Usually you will be given the option of joining the airline’s club when you create an account with them. If you anticipate flying with them again, it’ll be a good idea to become a member so that you don’t lose out on the points/miles you will have gained on this first journey. Becoming a member also gives you more opportunities to get upgrades and special offers. c) Your information- It is important that the information on your profile with the airline is accurate and up-to-date. If there is an option to provide an emergency and/or secondary contact, please fill that in. It’s always better to have someone informed of your whereabouts. d) Online check-in- If the airline provides this facility, it definitely makes things easier to check-in online 24 hours before departure. You get to confirm your seat, check-in your bags and get a ticket which you can exchange for your boarding pass at the airport. It is also cheaper to check-in extra bags now than at the airport. 4. At the airport The following information is based on my experiences at Mumbai and London Heathrow airports so the procedure could vary slightly based on your location. When you book your flight, you will be told which terminal of the airport to go to. If not, you can find this information by locating your flight on Google Flights. When you drive up to the terminal, you will see screens indicating different airlines. Stop at the gate for your airline. To enter the building, you may be asked to show your passport and/or ticket. Your family/friends who are not flying with you, may or may not be allowed to enter the building with you. Once you enter, head to the counter for your airline. If you’ve reached early, the counter may be closed and you will have to wait. While queuing at the counter, you may be asked to put your carry-on bags in a basket to check if they are the allowed size. On reaching the counter, your checked-in luggage will be weighed and sent off. You might be given labels to tag your carry-on bags and you will be handed your boarding pass. Do not lose it! Check your pass for details such as the departure gate and the time you need to report there. Then you need to follow the directions to Security. You may be asked to remove your shoes, jacket, belt etc. You may also be asked to remove any liquids and electronics you are carrying on board. You will need to walk through a scanner and then collect your belongings on the other side. Next, you will need to pass through Immigration where you may need to fill out a card asking for details like name, address, passport number and destination. You will have to give to the official at the counter who will then take a picture of you and compare it to the one on your passport. Once they have stamped your passport, you have been cleared to leave the country. Now, comes the fun part. You can roam around the airport’s shopping area and food court until it’s time to report to your gate. It’s always better to go slightly early. Keep in mind that the terminal could house many gates so it may take you some time to reach your gate. Your gate number and closing time should be clearly written on your boarding pass. If not, it will appear on one of the screens so keep an eye out for that. The entire process can take time - grab something to eat!5. In-flight a) Departure: If you can’t find your seat, don’t hesitate to ask a flight attendant or a fellow passenger. Try not to hold up the line and make way for other passengers to move ahead. The cabin can be quite cramped with narrow aisles so don’t linger outside your seat for longer than necessary. If you need some things from your bag during the flight, it would be best to take them out before sitting especially if you have the window seat. Yes, you’ve paid for the flight and yes, you have to right to get up as many times as you’d like but in order to ensure a pleasant flight, try not to be a nuisance to other passengers. If they did the same, you’d be annoyed too. Be polite and accommodating and your flight should be smooth. If things take an unpleasant turn due to some other passenger’s behaviour, it would be best to call the flight attendant rather than tackle it yourself. If you know you’re going to want to get out of seat numerous times during the flight, you should book an aisle seat. If you’re happy staying in your seat most of the time, go ahead and choose a window seat to remain undisturbed. Before take-off, the pilot might introduce himself/herself and welcome you on board. This will be followed by a safety demonstration and then the cabin might be sprayed with a disinfectant according to international guidelines to prevent the spread of disease. The spray is harmless so do not panic. Warning: If you’ve already started accessing in-flight entertainment, you might hear static in your earphones every time an announcement is made to force you to listen. It is a very annoying experience so it would be best to wait until after take-off to plug in your earphones. b) Experience: Take-off is not as scary as some people anticipate it to be. You can’t really feel anything until the plane lifts off from the ground. You will feel heavier and your ears might pop as cabin pressure changes. You must always put your seatbelt on when told to. This is a precautionary measure and is usual during take-off, landing and any turbulence while flying. That brings me to the dreaded ‘turbulence’. I’m not going to lie- it can be scary. Turbulence refers to unstable flying that could be caused by various factors such as air currents, jet stream, thunderstorm, clouds, etc. It’s not actually a safety threat unless it’s very violent and you’re not wearing your seatbelt. Yes, it’s scary but nothing to worry about. Don’t just take my word for it, read this article and rest assured. c) The toilet: The doors open weirdly and it’s a small, cramped space. The flush is just a vacuum that makes a loud noise but don’t be alarmed, it’s normal. d) Passing time: Read, watch a movie, eat, listen to music, watch the flight’s progress, look outside the window, strike up a conversation with the person next to you but most importantly: sleep (if you can manage it). This will help reduce jet lag especially if you’re on a long haul flight. e) Meals: They’re not as bad as some people claim. Try not to be too fussy- after all, it’s just one or two meals. If you anticipate it to be an issue, carry some food with you on the plane but check for any restrictions beforehand. 6. Arrival The process of disembarking can take time so be patient. If you’ve had a pleasant flight, thank the flight attendant. You might make their day. Follow the crowd or the signs and depending on whether you need leave the airport or catch another flight, you could go different ways. a) Another flight: You’ll have to pass through security and check in again. The process repeats. Check with your airline’s desk that your next flight is on schedule. If you’re changing airlines, you might need to collect your luggage and then submit it again. b) Leave the airport: You’ll pass through immigration where you might need to submit a landing card that you would have been given on the plane. Your passport will be stamped again. You then proceed to the conveyor belt and wait for your luggage to arrive. If your bag is a common colour and make, you might find it handy to customise it in some way such as by tying a colourful ribbon on the handle so it is easy to distinguish it and recognise it as yours. You may then need to declare or walk through Customs depending on what you’re carrying. Hopefully, you’ve got a ride from the airport sorted. And before you know it, you’ve flown for the first time. And successfully, I might add. You’ve reached your destination and it was all worth it! If you're flying for the first time, I really hope this helped you feel better prepared!
If you're a frequent flyer, please comment and let me know if there's anything I've missed out! Thank you for reading! :)
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AuthorNikita is currently a prospective medical student on a gap year before starting university. She has experience mentoring students for IGCSE and A Level exams. Her current area of interest is neuroscience. Acknowledgement and Gratitude
A heartfelt thank you to the following people for their encouragement, help and support: Mum & Dad Martin, Tina & Roshni Timms Preeti Bhatt Anjana Rathore Sanshriti Mehta Eeshani Juthani Indraja Polubothu Abhishek Ghoshal Vibhavari Desai Ananya Singh Tanishqa Naithani Vineeth Lekkala Archives
August 2017
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