First flight by plane. What do you need to know?

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Airplane take off

Sooner or later, each of the tourists decides to try to be a little further from their home. For many, a train is a way to travel over short distances, but for long distances it is much more convenient to use an airplane. Modern airlines offer flights to almost anywhere in the world - everything will depend on your desire.

But few tourists know how to behave during the first flight, what to do at the airport, and what is the order of getting on board. There are many nuances in this seemingly simple matter, and now we will tell you about the main stages of travel by air.

Registration

Any flight starts at the airport terminal, namely at the check-in counter. The check-in counter always has the logo of the airline in which you bought or booked tickets, so it will not be difficult to find it.

It is best to arrive for check-in a few hours before departure. Each airline has different check-in times, but passengers are generally advised to arrive at the airport 3 hours before departure.

Check-in

A number of companies begin to check-in their passengers on special online services 12 hours in advance, but doing it remotely for the first time is not recommended.

To receive boarding pass you will need to present an itinerary receipt, which serves as a confirmation of payment for tickets, and a passport. At this stage, you will be able to choose a seat in the aircraft cabin. Many first-time passengers choose a window seat, although an aisle seat is much more convenient for Economy Class.

IMPORTANT: The boarding pass must be kept until the end of the flight, and better until you return home.

At the check-in counter, among other things, you check in your luggage, or hand luggage. They differ in that you can carry hand luggage with you into the cabin, but this must be a bag of limited weight (usually up to 7-10 kg, depending on the airline), and limited dimensions.

If you are traveling with luggage, but your boarding pass has a luggage number tag, which you can use to find your belongings later.

The boarding pass also indicates the gate from which you will board your plane, but before that you will have to wait for the most important stage of pre-flight security.

Pre-flight security

Domestic flights

For movements within the country, the pre-flight screening from the airport security is performed in a somewhat simplified form. Although for many who are flying for the first time, even such a scheme may seem exhausting.

Before entering the security checkpoint, you show your passport and boarding pass to a security officer. After checking your data, it lets you go further, where the most serious stage will await you.

Passport control

As a rule, at this stage you will see a metal detector frame and a conveyor belt with baskets. In these baskets you should place all metal objects (including wallet and jewelry), mobile phone, as well as outerwear and carry-on bag. On the conveyor belt, your things will go into a special scanner, where an airport employee will see on the monitors if there are any prohibited items.

Passing under the metal detector frame, you need to wait for a few seconds and go further only on signal from a security officer. After leaving the frame, you can pick up the basket with your belongings.

If you have any questions about your belongings, you will be invited to the personal search table. During it, you just need to open the bag and show what is in the department that the security specialist will indicate. If nothing prohibited in the bag is not found, you can safely proceed further.

IMPORTANT: Do not forget that at the stage of personal search you should behave as correctly and calmly as possible. They don't understand jokes about the bomb, drugs and weapons at the airport, and for them they can be removed from the flight, and even delayed for several hours.

International flights

International flights will differ from domestic flights by the presence of customs corridors. It must be remembered that each country has its own rules for the import of certain things, so we will only talk about general points.

Green corridor is a passage for those passengers who do not have with you things that must be included in the customs declaration. As a rule, these are alcohol, cigarettes, perfume and other goods.

Red corridor is intended for those who have things with them that need to be included in the customs declaration, or for which pay the import duty to another country.

IMPORTANT: Customs clearance for international flights is carried out BEFORE the check-in procedure.

Lounge

Once you have successfully passed security, you can safely enter the Lounge. At major airports, numerous cafes, Duty-Free shops and other establishments will operate here for passengers. But the first thing to do in the waiting room is to check the information with the scoreboard.

As a rule, electronic scoreboards are found here in large numbers. You will need to make sure that your flight will be boarding through the same gates that are indicated on the boarding pass. In addition to the scoreboard, this information is duplicated by speakerphone.

If it so happens that the gate has changed, follow the signs, to find the exit you want. As a last resort, you can contact the information service officer for help.

Boarding the plane

Before leaving the gate, you will be met by an airline employee who will ask you to show your boarding pass. Tearing off the control spine from it, you will be shown on the door, which you will need to go through. There you will already have a bus waiting for you, which takes passengers directly to the plane.

In some cases, passengers go to the plane through special telescopic bridges, but there are not such bridges in every airport.

Telescopic bridges

Climbing aboard, at the gangplank you will see friendly stewardesses or stewards, whom you should say hello to - no one canceled mutual politeness. If you cannot find your seat in the cabin right away, you can ask them.

Flight attendants, after all passengers have taken their seats, can give a small blanket and a pillow. It is your right to refuse it or not.

Before takeoff, the flight attendants will give instructions in case of an emergency landing. They will show you how to use oxygen masks, where the emergency exits are, and in what order you should leave the plane.

Takeoff and landing

The most dangerous and responsible stages for pilots and passengers are takeoff and landing. If everything is clear about the responsibility of the pilots, then mandatory requirements will also be imposed on passengers.

At the time the aircraft engines are running, the seat backs must be brought to a vertical position, and the passenger himself must be fastened ... Flight attendants at this stage from smiling girls and boys turn into strict mentors who check every seat.

Before takeoff and landing, all electronic devices will need to be turned off. This is done for the safety of the dispatcher's radio signal - mobile phones create perceptible interference.

The window blinds must also be open. This is another safety requirement in the event of an emergency landing.

IMPORTANT: When climbing or descending, people with pressure problems may experience discomfort. Most often, this is ear congestion; bears or chewing gum can save this from - chewing movements relieve tension. Sometimes feet swell - loose shoes will save you from this.

Flight

During the flight, passengers can be offered a number of pleasant bonuses for free.

The main bonus is food. Depending on the departure time, it will be called breakfast, lunch or dinner. Before that, drinks are served - carbonated water, coffee or tea. Meals are usually dense and well prepared.

Also, local airlines often offer to read newspapers or magazines on the flight.

The rest of the time you can read a book,