Flying for the first time can give you butterflies in your stomach. After all, you are taking to the skies, and you have no idea what the flight is going to be like. And given that you might be taking a private charter flight, a regular passenger flight, or flying to dangerous airports, there are a range of considerations you need to take into stride to have a wonderful flying experience.
From error fares to building up credits, travelers use a lot of hacks to find the cheapest flights.
Regular flights are not simply about being on an aircraft while it is off the ground. You have to watch out for airport etiquette well. You need to ensure that you have packed well enough and must have mentally mapped out how the security screening goes. All of these (and more) will give you a brief idea about how to make your first flight successful. So, in this article, we are going to take a look at the top 5 tips for first-time fliers.
One of the easiest things to do in the world is to overpack. And this is what many first-time fliers do. You might want to avoid this to have seamless travel. While packing the most essential items remains necessary, you should prune items as well.
This is because different airlines have different limitations on checked and carry-on bags. If you have more than the airlines’ specified limit, you might end up paying for the additional luggage you have on board. The following table shows the different baggage limitations of a few airlines.
| Carry-on luggage size | Carry-on luggage weight maximum | Personal item |
---|---|---|---|
Hawaiian Airlines | 45 linear inches | 25 pounds | Needs to fit under the seat in front of you |
Southwest Airlines | 24 x 16 x 10 (inches) | Not specified | 18.5 x 8.5 x 13.5 (inches); needs to fit under the seat in front of you |
Frontier Airlines | 24x 16x 10 (inches) | 35 pounds | 8 x 18 x 14 (inches) |
Airlines also have different rules regarding how much liquid you can carry on board. Delhi Airport discusses the 3-3-3 rule for carrying liquid: “You are not allowed to carry more than 3 numbers and more than 3 fluid ounces.” Depending on airlines/airports, the rule might be subject to changes.
TSA recommends arriving at the airport two hours before departure. This is because, unlike modes of land transport such as catching a bus or a train, traveling via a flight is a much longer process. Specifically, you need enough time for:
Boarding an aircraft itself takes 30 minutes or so.
There are ways you can speed up your boarding process. To do that, you can opt for any of the following methods:
If you are a first-time flier, arriving early can also give you a chance to get a feel of the airport. If you are heading out to Changi Airport in Singapore, you’ll feel that this nature-themed airport is a destination in its own right. The Vancouver International Airport is home to Indigenous (sculpture) works such as “The Spirit of Haida Gwaii: The Jade Canoe”, alongside aquariums, atriums, rivers and tidal pools.
If you are a first-time flier, you should note that as a part of the boarding process, you will have to:
In light of such procedures you have to be a part of, wearing easy-to-remove shoes is something that will make your experience at the airport easier. You can eliminate some of these processes if you have TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
The aviation world is fighting against the global warming and carbon emissions. Many airlines have opted for carbon offsetting schemes through various projects such as plantation of trees in nations such as India and Nepal, while others have opted for the conservation of community forests. Brussels Airlines, on the other hand, offsets its carbon through the following schemes:
"Intercontinental flights: 10% of emissions are reduced through the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), while the 90% remaining is offset through climate protection projects that the airline is involved in,
"Flights in Europe: 20% of emissions are reduced through the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), while the 80% remaining is offset through climate protection projects that the airline is involved in."
If you are a first-time flier, you can choose to be aware of these initiatives from the start. Many airlines such as (but not limited to) Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines, also have their sights set on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. You can be mindful of such initiatives from the start of your flight journey.
Inclement weather, such as a thunderstorm, a traffic jam due to construction at certain places, etc., affects anyone’s flight, irrespective of whether you are a first-time traveler or not. So, there will always be chances of a delay or a cancelation. But what do you do in such a case?
Good to know for first-timers.
Finally, you can also opt to book flights using a credit card with travel insurance or by purchasing a travel insurance policy.
2024-07-02T05:04:23Z dg43tfdfdgfd