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Step-by-step Guide for First-Time Flyers

Whether you’re between jobs, school, kids, or relationships, travel can ease the transition into your next great adventure. Let these epic exploration quotes ignite your wanderlust and inspire you to take a big trip!

Get to the Airport Early

There’s no doubt that flying can be stressful and that first time travelers are often anxious about how their trip will go. Luckily, there are many ways to calm those nerves and make your flight as stress-free as possible. One way is to get to the airport early.

How early you should arrive at the airport depends on a few different factors: How far you are from the airport, what mode of transport you will use, if you’ll be checking any luggage, and whether or not it is during a busy travel season (like holidays or school vacations). The best advice is to leave yourself plenty of time for parking, traffic, and other unforeseen circumstances.

It’s also important to factor in how long it will take to walk to the check-in counter and security line, if you’re going to have to. Checking in early is always a good idea, as is arriving at the gate before the agent starts calling out groups of passengers to board.

If you’re worried about getting lost, check out the terminal maps online or ask a staff member for directions. The last thing you want is to miss your flight, which can derail your entire vacation or scuttle your business trip. Missed flights can also cost you a lot of money in airline rebooking fees and extra charges for reserving hotel rooms, rental cars or transfer services.

Once you’re through security, find a seat and relax. The flight itself shouldn’t be too long, and if you’re feeling restless, buy some earplugs or read a book to help you fall asleep during the flight. It’s also a good idea to prepare for any turbulence that may be coming, so check the weather forecast and tuck away any valuables you have in your carry-on.

Board the Plane With Caution

If you’re planning to fly this summer and are a first-time traveler, patience and flexibility will be key. As a general rule of thumb, you should show up at the airport at least two hours before your flight departs for domestic and three hours for international. This will give you plenty of time to get your boarding pass, check bags and go through security before the plane starts boarding.

Once you’re through security, you can make your way to the boarding gate and wait for an announcement that boarding is about to begin. Most airlines start boarding passengers 30 minutes before takeoff, usually in groups or rows. You can find your boarding group on your ticket or by checking a monitor near the gate. People with priority boarding (first class, seniors and infants) board before all other passengers.

Before the plane takes off, the cabin crew will walk you through a few important procedures that you’ll need to know about, including safety and how to fasten your seatbelt. This will also be your chance to ask any questions you have about the flight.

Once the plane reaches its cruising altitude, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your trip! But remember, despite all the comforts of modern airplanes, flying is still an experience that’s filled with risks. If you’re prone to motion sickness, it might be a good idea to bring some medicine just in case.

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Be Open to Inflight Entertainment

A big part of traveling and exploring the world is letting go of your expectations, and learning to be okay with what comes your way. When you travel, things often don’t go exactly according to plan – and that’s what makes it so rewarding! So, be open to the journey and allow yourself to be surprised by what you see. That’s how you truly experience a destination. Did you know that working with an in-person travel agency is beneficial for you and for other people as well?

When it comes to inflight entertainment, most airlines are now shifting away from seatback video systems and relying on passengers to bring their own devices with them onboard the aircraft. With this new approach, airlines can save money on installation costs for inflight entertainment systems and still offer passengers a variety of content options. Additionally, the personal devices allow passengers to choose their own entertainment, which reduces stress and conflict between seatmates.

Many airlines have a large selection of films, TV shows, music, and podcasts to choose from so that passengers can enjoy themselves on the plane. Moreover, some airlines also offer games that encourage passenger interaction and engagement. However, it’s important to remember that the use of inflight entertainment can cause discomfort for fellow passengers. If you are playing loud music, wearing a strong perfume or cologne, or eating smelly foods, you could upset the person sitting next to you and create an uncomfortable flying environment.

There are plenty of other ways to experience the world and foreign cultures while staying in your own home. For example, you can travel virtually through websites and online applications that provide immersive virtual tours of popular destinations and landmarks around the globe. Likewise, you can read books, magazines, and newspapers about international destinations and foreign cultures.

Check Your Luggage

One of the most common mistakes that first time flyers make is rushing to get up and retrieve their carry-on luggage from the overhead bins once the plane has safely landed and started to approach its arrival gate. This slows down the deplaning process, and you will most likely be asked to remain seated by the cabin crew.

After landing, you’ll need to go through immigration and customs, as well as claim your checked luggage once the flight has finished and you’ve made it through the gate. To avoid any hassles, ensure that you’ve correctly tagged your luggage before you boarded – and this is especially important for first time travelers. You want to be sure that the agent who was handling your luggage correctly printed all of the necessary information, such as your destination and departure dates, the right airport and code, your name, frequent flyer number and a clear barcode.

You can also mark your luggage to help it stand out from the rest. This is especially helpful for first time flyers, as you can use anything from a brightly colored ribbon or belt around the bag to a piece of luggage paint that will allow passengers to identify it easily. You should also remove old baggage tags from previous trips as they may contain routing information that could send your suitcase to the wrong location.

Finally, don’t forget to keep in mind your fellow passengers during the flight. It can be easy to forget that others are traveling to their destinations as well, and it is not a good idea to disturb them with loud music or talking over them, and this goes for first-time fliers as well as the most experienced passengers.

Disembark the Plane

Traveling can be a bit overwhelming, but if we let our inner explorer take over, our experience will be a lot more enjoyable. It’s important to prioritize a burning curiosity and to embrace the spontaneity of exploration, especially when things don’t quite go according to plan. After all, some of the most memorable experiences happen when we don’t know what’s around the corner – and that’s exactly why we explore in the first place!

One of the biggest issues that causes deplaning delays is passengers attempting to retrieve luggage from overhead bins. According to Louise Vadeboncoeur, flight attendant for WestJet, this is the most common reason people get stuck on planes after landing.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to follow the etiquette of deplaning. Once the ding of the seatbelt sign goes off, pop up out of your seat and allow passengers in front of you to disembark before you make your way towards the exit. This will help to ensure that everyone is able to exit the aircraft without delay.