Reading Time: 3 minutes

Flying somewhere isn’t as simple as going to the airport, climbing onto the aeroplane, and getting off at your destination. There are many steps that come before, after, and in between those three simple-sounding steps. But we’re sure you can learn about those step-by-step procedures from friends or online. So here we’re including some crucial tips those friends or online blogs won’t tell you about. Here we go.

  1. Be Prepared with Your Paperwork

Most travellers are paranoid when it comes to paperwork. They’re never sure if they have everything they need before leaving for the airport and keep checking their documents like maniacs. There’s no need for that.

First, secure your passport. It’s the most important piece of paper when it comes to air travel. Make sure it’s up to date and has at least three months to go before its expiry if you’re travelling internationally. Next, book your travel insurance before leaving. Print all the documents related to the policy and keep the emergency numbers with you.

first time flyer

First-time flying can be scary for many reasons. But we can help. So here are 4 our more crucial tips to get where you want to go without turbulence.

If you’re booked online, you’ll have an e-ticket on your tablet or your smartphone. Your confirmation email will have all the information you’ll need to show the staff at the airport. After the check-in is done, you’ll get your physical boarding pass from the staff. Do not lose it!

  1. Take a Hold of Your Luggage

Baggage allowance can be ridiculously hard; even for seasoned travellers. So read your airline’s rules carefully. You’ll come across terms like hold luggage and cabin luggage. Usually, cabin luggage is the one you can carry with you on the flight and hold luggage is the one you’ll have to check in on one side and collect it on the other side of the trip. This is more likely to happen if you’re travelling long-haul, that is, flying for six hours or more.

On short flights, you may be allowed to take carriers that should be big enough to take most of whatever you’ll need for a long weekend or city break. This way, you get to keep your belongings with you for the duration of the flight. Additionally, if you don’t want to pay extra for baggage, you’re advised to travel light.

  1. On the Flight

Phew! So you’ve managed to navigate the puzzle that is the airport and made your way to the airplane. Now, you’re almost ready to fly. First, you need to find your seat and set your cabin luggage carefully. Your seat should be assigned a number which will be marked on your boarding pass like “15 D”. The number indicates the row you’ll be sitting in and the letter represents whether the seat is an aisle, window, or middle seat.

Now that you’re safely tucked into your seat, here come the instructions. You’ll be shown how to buckle your seat belt, what the different lights mean, and the procedure to be followed in an emergency. Just sit back, relax, and watch your city or town get smaller and smaller as you climb into the clouds.

  1. In-flight Etiquette

But wait! The flight isn’t over yet. Like everything that involves more than one human being, flights have an etiquette you should be aware of as a first-time flyer.

Depending on the plane you chose, you’ll be served one or more meals during the flight. You may even get drinks and snacks. If they were mentioned during the booking, then they’re included. If they weren’t, you’ll have to pay extra.

Regarding entertainment, don’t expect a lot if you’ve booked a budget flight. Your best bet is to bring your own books, music, movies, HotMobileCasino online games and anything else as long as it’s allowed on the plane.


This content is a joint venture between our publication and our partner. We do not endorse any product or service in the article.