First Time Flying
Travel for the first time. Is it your first time flying? If you are a plane virgin looking ahead to your maiden flight, you will have a few questions, some of which you may be too embarrassed to ask your jet-setter friends.
Prepare Your Paperwork
Many first-time flyers worry about arriving without the necessary paperwork to board their flight, which can make for a nervy first trip to the airport. The main point to remember here is that the most important document is your passport: make sure it’s up to date and ideally has at least three months to go before its expiry whenever you travel internationally. Print out your policy documents and bring them with you – make sure you have the emergency number for medical assistance and a rundown on what your chosen policy covers.
Most airlines now issue e-tickets that can be shown on your tablet or smartphone. So if you booked online and were expecting a paper ticket to arrive in the post: don’t panic – you will usually be issued with all the information you need to show staff at the airport in your confirmation email, which can come from the airline you’re flying with or from a third-party.
Once you’ve shown this at the check-in desk, staff will issue you with a physical boarding pass: this shows information like your flight number, the time it’s scheduled to take off, and your seat number. It’s also what will grant you access to the plane.
Know your luggage
Travellers sometimes get confused by airline rules about baggage allowance but as a flying newbie, the first thing to get your head around is the difference between the cabin and hold luggage, then to look into whether or not you need to take both: usually, if you’re travelling long-haul (that’s a flight that lasts six hours or more), you will want to ‘check in’ at least one piece of hold luggage which you’ll need to leave at the check-in desk before boarding. It’ll then be returned to you on the other side, where you’ll need to identify it on a luggage carousel.
On many short-haul flights, carriers will allow you to take a bag or case that’s big enough to take most of what you need for a long weekend or city break. This allows you to keep all your belongings with you for the duration of the flight and means a quicker getaway at your destination.
On the Flight
You’re almost ready to take to the sky once you’ve navigated the airport and completed your flight. Nervous? All you need to do on the aeroplane is sit back, relax, and enjoy having a few hours of downtime.
First, you need to find your seat and ensure all your cabin luggage is stowed away correctly. Most flights, particularly longer ones have assigned seating, so look for a number followed by a letter on your boarding pass such as ’10 D’. The number relates to the row you’ll be sitting in, while the letter refers to whether it’s an aisle, window, or middle seat. The cabin crew – who will be wearing anything from glamorous hats and heels to baggy tees in airline colours – will be happy to help you find your seat and put your luggage in a safe place, which may be in an overhead locker or under your seat.
Long-haul Flight
Pre-book your Seat
Where you sit will largely determine how your overall experience goes. As most airlines start booking from the front of the aircraft, it’s worth reserving a seat near the back of the plane, if you want to avoid crying babies (who will be congregated near the middle) or sit near the galley, where you can get up easily and use the extra room to stretch your legs. Window seats are great too, as there’s nobody to climb over you. You have a built-in corner to rest your weary head on, and you are well away from the drinks cart and other passengers milling about in the aisles.
Comfort is Key
Dressing comfortably will make the whole experience more comfortable for you. Wear loose-fitting or stretchy clothes that will also stand the test of flight time. Whatever you wear boarding the plane will most likely be the outfit you end up leaving the airport in too.
As feet and ankles notoriously swell up at high altitudes, kick off your shoes and replace them with a pair of warm socks to beat the cabin chill.
Pack your Entertainment
Noise and announcements are part of the travel industry, but you can pack a pair of good earplugs for your flight so it doesn’t drive you crazy. If you would rather read, but a traditional paperback is not your thing, upload some literary relaxation onto your smartphone or Kindle. Long-haul flights are also a great opportunity to learn a new language or pick up a few key phrases before you land
Bring Snacks
Aeroplane food is the luck of the draw. Sometimes you’ll be served incredible dishes and sometimes you won’t know the difference between dinner and the cardboard container it’s served in. Also, if you like to graze between meals, it’s always a good idea to keep plenty of healthy snacks on hand.
Moving
Deep vein thrombosis is a real thing and a scary thing at that. Aside from giving you something to do, a bathroom break or walking around the plane is essential for stretching your muscles and boosting circulation mid-flight.
Stay Hydrated
Cabin air-conditioning seeks to leave you feeling parched and with desert-dry skin. Drink plenty of water, preferably from a bottle that you can get refilled regularly, and pat a little moisturizer onto your skin at intervals.
Travel Tips
Pack less
Travelling with just hand luggage should be your goal. Take less and you’ll travel cheaper,
faster and easier.
Never join the security queue with kids in
Go for the one with the ‘suits’. It will move much quicker.
Never wear flip-flops (on a plane)
In the unlikely event of an emergency, it’s best to have a good set of shoes that will
protect your feet from heat or sharp objects.
Choose your seat-mate carefully
If you get the choice of a plane seat, always sit far away from babies and groups who will chat.
Learn a little lingo
Memorize a handful of words of the local language, and have the courage to use them.
Keep your mouth shut
If you are in a country where it is unsafe to drink the water, keep your mouth shut in the shower
Choose the Asian-vegetarian option on the plane
Avoid anything too greasy it helps the jet lag allegedly, more niche meals are much better
quality as they’re made in smaller batches.
Bring earplugs
Being able to sleep in a noisy plane is a very valuable skill, not to be underestimated whilst travelling.
Pre-book an airport lounge
If you’re flying long-haul, pre-book yourself into an airport lounge. There’s an up-front fee,
but it provides a quiet environment with complimentary drinks, food, magazines, newspapers, WiFi, etc.
Bring an internet-ready device
Take your device that can pick up WiFi, like a smartphone or tablet. There is free WiFi in places all around the world, and you quickly realize how often you need to tap into things like bank accounts or travel bookings.
Bring a DVD player for the kids
When flying with small children, bring a laptop/DVD player/tablet.
Invest in noise-cancelling headphones
For the perfect long-haul trip, invest in some good quality noise-cancelling headphones.
Kindles are made for travel
No more dragging multiple books around while travelling.
Bring a money belt AND a wallet
There’s a dual purpose to this: if you get mugged you can calmly hand over the wallet and carry on your holiday with minimum hassle. If you meet new friends, use the wallet, as it can
be a bit insulting to go into a money belt to pay for something.
Don’t carry (too much) cash
All the countries in the world have ATMs, so there’s no need to carry more
cash than you need for a couple of days.
Get travel insurance
Always take out travel insurance (and don’t rely on credit card insurance alone).
It sounds obvious but lots of people don’t bother, and end up losing a lot of money when things go wrong.
Sit back & relax Enjoy your Flight