How to behave at the airport, what to look for and what actions to take, especially if you are flying for the first time. Step-by-step instructions for those who do not know where to look and what to do in the terminal. We will tell you all the detailed information and give some tips useful to tourists when preparing for vacation.
Airplanes are the fastest and safest transport in the world. They are able to deliver a person to any part of the planet in a few hours. And this makes air transport the most popular for long distance travel.
Many people have managed to use air transport and know very well what to do at the airport. There are also many who fly for the first time in their lives. In order not to get confused in the huge terminal building, you need to have an idea of how to behave at the airport for the first time.
Information on plane tickets
First you need to study the plane ticket. It contains a minimum of information, like in train tickets, but important information is indicated. They are considered to be:
- flight number;
- flight departure time;
- airline.
Having specified the departure time, the traveler must understand at what time it is necessary to arrive at the airport. Check-in usually starts 2 hours before departure and ends about 30 minutes before flight departure. Arriving half an hour before the plane takes off is a bad idea. It is better to arrive well in advance and register safely.
Many airlines offer online check-in 24-48 hours before departure. A convenient opportunity to save time at the airport. You can arrive at the airport with your boarding pass one hour before departure.
Important! One day before departure, be sure to check the flight departure time on the website of the airline or airport of departure. It can change, especially if you are flying in a charter.
Life hacks! It is more profitable to look for cheap flights through Aviasales, proven by personal experience. The aggregator allows you not to waste time visiting dozens of airlines' websites and immediately gives you a list of all prices, you just have to choose the one that suits you in terms of transfers, cost and airline preference.
There are cases with flight delays, if you have a flight with transfers, then it is better not to risk it and issue compensation for the delayed flight, a very useful thing, especially when the ticket burns out and the company refuses to return your money.
What to do at the airport?
So, the passenger has arrived and has absolutely no idea where to go next. The abundance of racks, the large number of people are confusing.
For those who do not know what to do at the airport, step-by-step instructions will allow you to think over the correct sequential actions.
- Airport security control
Most of the world's airports have safety frames at the entrance. It is necessary to prepare for the need to put luggage on the "coil", remove metal objects in order to pass through the metal detectors. The procedure will have to go through again in the future. Literate passengers try to leave metal things, jewelry, accessories in their bags in advance.
Security control is necessary because in recent decades it is the “air gates of countries” that have been frequently attacked by terrorists. A thorough check of passengers helps to prevent problems. The metal detectors are installed for the benefit of passengers and their calm and comfortable journey.
Then we boldly go with the luggage to the cellophane wrapping point, we recommend spending an average of 300 rubles at this stage, rather than buying a new suitcase later.
- Exploring the information board
Probably, when drawing up a brochure on what to do at the airport, the sequential steps will begin with a recommendation to search for a bulletin board. This is the main landmark of passengers. It is difficult not to notice special information boards in the airport terminals. They give passengers all the information they need. You just need to find the flight number indicated on the ticket. Next to the flight number, there will be a check-in counter for aircraft passengers, departure time and boarding gate.
The system of signs, navigation in the terminals of any airport in the world is thought out perfectly. Pointers are easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for beginners in several languages. The main thing is to read the instructions correctly.
- Reseption
Passengers come to the check-in counter to collect their boarding pass. The boarding board is issued online in advance, the step can be ignored by tourists with hand luggage. If you have luggage, in this case you will still have to visit the counter to send your luggage to the luggage compartment.
- Border control
Access to the transit zone through border control. At this stage, the border guards check the documents and the presence of the boarding pass. Document verification is preceded by security control. We'll have to get all the metal things out of the pockets again to get through the frame. Carry-on baggage is also checked, so make sure that it does not contain items prohibited for transportation in the cabin.
Thousands of people, bustle, spacious airport area cause confusion. If it is difficult to navigate for some reason, you can ask for help from people at the airport or from the airport staff. It is worth saying the phrase “I am flying for the first time,” how easy it is to find assistants who will quickly tell you where to go and what to do.
Boarding
After all the checks, passengers enter the departure area. Usually they arrive in the zone about an hour before the flight departure time. If you have a lot of time before departure, it is better to immediately find the exit indicated in the boarding pass. Then allow yourself to go shopping or have a cup of coffee in the cafe.
Many passengers are intimidated by the need to arrive at the airport well in advance. With trains, buses, the situation is completely different. And if you have to arrive at the station a few hours before the train leaves, the prospect of languishing while waiting for the train does not make anyone happy. But time flies by at the airport much faster than at the noisy train station.
The comfortable departure area is usually calm and cozy. There are well-known duty-free shops here, where you can buy a lot of interesting things if you wish. Play areas are equipped for children. There are cafes and restaurants
Remember to keep an eye on the time as you walk around the departure area. A modern airport can be compared to an entertainment center, where time flies by quickly and unnoticed. So it's easy to miss your flight! The plane will take off without passengers.
Flights with connections
It's great when the first flight is on a direct flight. But there are situations when a transplant is required. This is where additional difficulties may arise for passengers who travel by air for the first time.
The first thing to do at the airport while waiting for a transfer is to find the exit for the next flight. If the territory of the airport is huge, and there is little time before the departure of the plane, it is better not to go far from the gate.
You don't have to be bored in your free time at the airport. There are many activities in the departure area:
- Have a coffee or a snack in a cafe.
- Take a walk around duty-free shops. This is especially true in major world airports, where a huge assortment of various goods is presented. It is often in the duty-free shops of large airports that passengers make their most profitable purchases.
- Relax in the waiting area, watch TV.
- Charge your mobile device. For this, airports are usually equipped with special zones where you can recharge the battery.
If you need to wait for a long time for a transfer, you can take advantage of the free time and take a walk around the city (depending on visa conditions). And if you have to wait for the next flight for more than 12 hours at night, small hotels are usually open at many airports. It offers passengers comfortable rooms where they can take a shower and relax a little before a new flight. Sometimes tourists prefer to search nearby for their options, the cheapest way is to search for them through RoomGuru, the service immediately shows the availability of rooms near you.
If you need connecting flights, try to select flights so that there is at least an hour between the arrival of one and the departure of the second. It is not always possible to fly out on time, so flights can be delayed. And the shorter the flight connection time, the greater the risk of not catching the next plane.
