By Satyaki Dutta
One of the many boons of modern-day science is flying. When you are an avid traveller and a working professional, you might often come across tight schedules to fit the travel plan that you highly crave for. A perfectly curated flight plan can easily resolve the problem. In the case of emergency travel too, the other methods of travelling are much slower and sometimes, unreliable too.
Nonetheless, when you have not taken a flight before, it can either be a bit uncomfortable, or you can be really excited about this new experience. Coping up with the pressure can be difficult and without experience, you might miss some important details for the journey. To avoid all those problems, here is a comprehensive list, covering all the important pointers and tips for the first-time flyers.
Before the journey day:
- Keep calm and book the tickets: After the initial phase of excitement or panic of choosing the airways as the method of transport for the first time, open a portal to book the tickets. If your journey date is not fixed, you can try a flexible schedule. You can use a general 3rd party website and book before 4-5 months of the departure death, as then the price of the air-ticket is comparatively lower.
- Organise your paperwork: Keep your identification documents organised, if possible in a folder, following your local airport authority guidelines. For international flights, do NOT forget the passport. Take a print out of the booked ticket, hotel confirmation, car booking receipts etc.
- Packing for flight: You need to plan a bit for proper planning, depending on where you want your luggage during the flight. Do research on the airline you are flying in, to see the weight and volume limit of the carry-on and checked luggage, so that you can avoid extra charges for the excess baggage. If you need to carry medicine with you, keep the prescription with you. For keeping liquids with you in the carry-on luggage, they can be kept in a quart-sized bag, the volume not more than or equal to 100 millilitres. Must check the list of prohibited items to avoid wasting your time in security checking.
Before the flight on the day of the journey:
- Arrive at the airport with ample time: Try and reach the airport at least 2 to 3 hours before your first flight as you will need to get accustomed and find the counters. In this way, you do not have to rush through security and panic. Show the guard at the gate your ticket and id, and he will point out in the direction of your airlines counter.
- Check-in at the airline desk: Arrange all your documents to complete the check-in at the airline desk, and select your seat, if applicable. Hand over the check-in luggage, collect the receipt, the boarding pass, all your documents and then go on forth with your carry-on luggage.
- Security check: You have to go through a final round of security check before boarding the flight. Follow the directions of the security agents and co-operate with them. After going through the frisking and metal detector check, do not forget to collect all your belongings.
- Reach the boarding gate: Arrive at the boarding gate and stand in the queue if requested. From here, you might have to get on a bus which will take you to your flight.
- Board the aircraft: Inside the aircraft, go to your designated seat and put your carry-on luggage in the overhead bin. Follow the direction and safety instruction of the air-hostess carefully, and fasten the seatbelt before taxying. Do not hesitate to ask for help if you need it.
During the flight:
- During take-off: Keep your seatbelts fastened following the instruction of the air-hostess during the take-off and do not open it until the signal for doing the same is lit. While ascending, you might feel a slight pressure in your ears due to atmospheric pressure variation, which can be avoided by yawning or chewing candy. Once the plane reaches the cruising altitude, the seatbelt sign will be turned off. Now you can take it off and use the washroom if you need.
- On the air: Now, relax during the length of your destination. The hostess will come and offer you snacks, soft drinks, water, coffee, tea etc. If not complementary, you will have to pay, where a card is preferred over cash. You might feel some turbulence during the flight, which is very common, due to air pockets.
- Before landing: The seatbelt sign will be turned on, and do fasten it then. Follow the instruction of the airhostess – to open the window blinds, fold the food tray and change your seat to the upright position etc.
           After the landing:
- Exit the flight: When the flight comes to a complete halt after landing, unfasten your seatbelt, open the overhead bin carefully and collect the carry-on luggage. Exit the plane in an orderly fashion by a queue and thank the crew at the gate.
- Collect your check-in luggage: Locate the baggage carousel i.e. the conveyor belt carrying the luggage for your flight, which is often announced and displayed. Collect the bags, and ask for help to the attendants if needed. You may take a luggage trolley if you need it. Exit the airport and leave the trolley behind.
And voila, you have successfully completed your first flight without any problem at all.