What to do for the first time on a plane. How your luggage will be delivered to your final destination. Why being late for check-in leads to a missed flight

If you've never flown on a transit flight, then you're probably nervous and have a whole bunch of questions on your mind. To stop worrying, let’s try to figure out how a connecting flight works. In fact, everything is not as scary as it might seem at first glance. Take some time to read this article, and then you will be able to take advantage of all the advantages of such flights.

Firstly, Transit flights are often cheaper than direct flights - they really give you the opportunity to save a decent amount.
Secondly, There are simply no direct flights to some places. This means that in order for a traveler to get to such places, he must be able to fly in transit.

Flight with transfer. How does transit happen?

So, let's figure it out from the very beginning. First of all, let's understand the differences direct flight from a transit flight.

What is a direct flight? This is a flight where you fly on one plane from the departure airport to the destination airport.

What is a connecting flight? This is when you fly to your destination on several planes, usually two. Otherwise, we can say that during your journey there is an intermediate stop at a transit airport, during which you transfer from one plane to another and continue your flight.

Now let's look at the details. The fact is that there are several types of transit flights. And when you buy a ticket, you should clearly understand what type of transfer you have.

Types of transit depending on what we are flying on

1. Flight on planes of one airline or partner airlines

All parts of the flight are operated by one airline or partner airlines that cooperate with each other.

For example, you board the first Aeroflot plane and arrive in transit airport, where there is a transfer to the second plane, which also belongs to Aeroflot airline.

Another example. You fly to the transit airport on the first plane belonging to Aeroflot and transfer to the second plane belonging to Aeroflot’s partner, Air Berlin. These airlines cooperate with each other.

Advantages such a transit flight is that it is not you, but the airlines that are responsible for your transfer: for example, they lay enough money exact time to move from one aircraft to another. And if for some reason the transfer did not take place (for example, the first plane was late, but the second one had already departed), then the airlines will have to put you on the next available flight.

With such a transit, you have one itinerary receipt in your hands, which includes both of your flights.

2. Flying on planes of different airlines that are not connected to each other

How does a connecting flight work with this option and what is its main disadvantage? The first flight is operated by an airline that is not affiliated with the airline operating the second flight. In other words, these two flights are independent of each other, and airlines do not cooperate with each other on this route.

With this type of transit, you have two itinerary receipts in your hands for each composite flight separately.

Flaws such transit flight The fact is that it is not the airlines that are responsible for connections and transfers, but only you. Fortunately, as a rule, the search engine does not show such flights, but you can arrange it yourself if you wish.

Types of transit depending on “where we transfer”

We have dealt with the first very important point. Now let's try to figure out the second point - the type of transit. How the transplant will proceed in general depends on this.

3. Transfer at the same airport terminal

How does a connecting flight work in this case? Everything is simple here. You stepped off the first plane into the airport terminal. Now from the same terminal you board the second plane. Such a transplant requires little time.

4. Transfer to another terminal

This option is a little more complicated. You left the first plane at the airport terminal, but boarding the second plane takes place in another terminal, to which you still need to move. It will take a little more time to get your bearings and move (move) to another terminal. But in general, this option is quite common and well-established at airports.

5. Transfer to another airport

How does a connecting flight work with this option? The most difficult transit. To board the second plane, you will need to move to another airport. You need to budget a lot more time, and find out in advance in detail how to get to the airport, and ask how it works.

Types of transit depending on whether “to leave or not to leave the transit zone”

6. No need to leave the transit zone

To board the second plane, you do not need to leave the transit area. There are many advantages to such a transplant. Firstly, it takes less time to transfer. Secondly, there is no need to do transit visa, if you are flying through a visa country.

7. You are required to leave the transit zone

How does a connecting flight occur when leaving the transit zone? This case is much more complicated and requires special attention and preparation before the flight. This option is possible if, for example, you need to move from one airport to another airport. Do not forget that in addition to all this, you need to pay special attention to the visa rules of the transit country and, possibly, apply for a transit visa.

There are countries that have special transit rules. For example, in the USA, for any international transfer, passengers are required to leave the transit zone, for which they must have a transit visa.

General instructions for flights with a transfer

Unfortunately, it is impossible to write one instruction for all cases, because each specific transplant requires separate consideration. This depends on many factors: transit country, airlines, airport, connection time, etc. However, we can offer instructions that will help you figure out how a connecting flight works in your particular flight case.

So, you have found a temptingly priced ticket, but it includes a transfer. How to proceed now.

1. Determine who serves connecting flights

One airline (Excellent).
Partner airlines (Excellent).
Airlines not affiliated with each other (Not the best option).

2. Determine how the transplant occurs

In the same terminal (Excellent).
In another terminal (Good).
At another airport (Not the best option).

3. How many route receipts will you have on hand?

One, there are two in it connecting flights written together (Excellent).
Two. Each connecting flight is listed on a separate receipt (Not the best option).

4. How will your luggage be delivered to your final destination?

We have included questions regarding luggage in a separate article.

5. We contact the airline that operates the flight to clarify details: how a flight with a transfer occurs specifically for this flight

In order to find the coordinates of the airline, you need to click the “Buy” button in the line with information about the ticket you selected, which the search engine gave you. After which you will be redirected to the airline's website. If the seller is an agency, then it is wise to call them. Typically, the agency cannot give you information about connecting flights, but you can ask them for the phone number or email of the airline operating the flight.
The airline staff will tell you in detail how the transfer process will take place and what your actions should be.
We recommend that you write down all the necessary information about the flight, as well as the questions you want to ask, on a piece of paper before the conversation so as not to miss anything important.

For those who want to fly in transit for the first time, please be sure to read our recommendations.

For the first time do not choose difficult transit flights. Start with simple transfers: for example, do not consider flights where you have to move from one airport to another on your own. Over time, you will get the hang of it, gain enough experience and be able to plan difficult routes yourself.
For the first time, To ensure peace of mind, only consider flights where parts of the flight are fully operated by one airline or partner airlines. In fact, most of the transit flights returned by the search engine are just like this.
For the first time only consider flights with sufficient time between connections. For example, look for ones where the transition takes more than two hours. And if you are still worried, then look for those that have a break between flights of three or even five hours.
For the first time, for example, only consider transfers in countries where you do not require a visa, or you are absolutely sure that a visa is not required for your transfer.

Traveling by plane is very simple and comfortable. Sometimes it is much better to buy a plane ticket and spend a couple of hours in the air than to be on a train for 2 days. What to do if you are flying for the first time? How to calm down and tune in to the flight? What do you need to consider if you want your trip to be successful?

Tips for passengers flying on an airplane for the first time:

Check the check-in time for your flight. Each airport installs it separately. On average, check-in begins 2 hours before departure. It is better to arrive exactly at this moment in order to choose a place and go through all the necessary formalities without any problems.
In front of the entrance to the airport there is a large board that displays all upcoming flights. There you can also find information about where check-in and boarding gates are. If you have any questions, please contact airport staff.
So, you've found the reception desk. Get in line, have your passport and ticket ready. You will be given a boarding pass at the counter. It will indicate the exact time and gate number, as well as your seat on the plane. At the same time, all suitcases are weighed and sent for loading.
If you are flying outside the country, you must go through passport control, and then a personal search. The procedure for passing through the authorities different airports may vary, so if you are not sure what to do, ask airport staff for assistance.
Boarding is usually announced approximately 30-40 minutes before departure. By this time, you can hide your passport and take out only your boarding pass. Then find your gate and you'll soon be on board.
If you do not find a pillow and blanket on your seat (this applies to long-distance flights), immediately ask the flight attendant for these items. It’s more comfortable to fly under a blanket, and you can put a pillow under your lower back.
On an airplane, most passengers experience slight swelling in their legs due to poor circulation. Therefore, it is better to immediately take off your shoes and change your socks.
Some people get stuffy ears when flying. To combat this problem, you can use earplugs, lollipops, and chewing gum. On many flights, all this is given out by flight attendants before the flight.
Please note that in last years There is a ban on smoking on airplanes (this even applies to electronic cigarettes). The toilets located on board the aircraft are equipped with special smoke detectors, and therefore, do not even try to smoke there - you will pay a huge fine.
During the flight (depending on its duration) you will be offered breakfast, lunch, dinner, and soft drinks. All this is included in the ticket price.
When you arrive at your destination, you will need to go through all the same formalities.

We wish you a successful trip!

Will you be flying on an airplane for the first time in your life? Are you worried and worried? How we understand you! Those who fly for the first time on an airplane are immediately visible, and sometimes newcomers only cause irritation or laughter from other passengers.

The newcomer, of course, arrives at the airport later than necessary, having decided, by analogy with the train, that half an hour before the departure time is still a car of time. Meanwhile, the departure time on the schedule is the time the plane doors close, and before this moment you need to go through security at least twice (once at the entrance to the airport terminal, the second time before boarding), passport control, and also check in your luggage. Beginners need to arrive at least 2 hours before departure - then you will have time to figure everything out.

In this case, the first thing a newcomer to the airport does is go to the queue at the check-in counter, where there are newcomers like him. After all, he had never heard of online check-in, and if he had heard of it, where had he seen it, so that they would be allowed on a plane using a piece of paper printed on a home printer? What if they don’t let me in? No, it’s better to go to the counter - where there are more people, it’s more reliable. This is to let all sorts of advanced air passengers check their luggage at the drop-off counter without a queue. Self check-in kiosks? Nope! It’s too difficult to enter your last name and reservation number.

The beginner, of course, carries his luggage exclusively on himself. The fact that luggage trolleys are mostly relatively major airports a) are present and b) are provided free of charge, he does not know.

Then the newcomer finally runs to passport control, and then look at the duty-free store. Your eyes are wide open, you want to try everything, everything, everything, and the prices seem to be attractive... Girls, as usual, go to the right for perfume, boys - to the left for alcohol. It doesn’t matter that everything except a certain small limit such as 2 liters per person will be taken away by customs officers upon arrival, and the cost of what you buy in a regular store abroad may be lower - here, apparently, the process itself is more important.

There it is, the plane, very close! At the boarding gate, the newcomer immediately takes a turn, glad that there is almost no one in front of him. But - bad luck - it turns out that you will need to go to the plane by bus (the smaller the plane, the greater the probability), and so the passenger finds himself in the very middle of the cabin and waits, waits, waits until everyone else comes to board, including those who are late - the bus will leave only after that. However, some people are lucky: when the plane is large, there are several buses, and boarding the first few speeds up getting on board. True, those who boarded the bus last will still be the first to board the plane.

Of course, by the time the newcomer approaches the boarding ramp, he has already put his boarding pass somewhere away, and now, when asked to show it, he begins to frantically rummage through his things. Fortunately, today, most often, the tear-off coupon is confiscated at the gate, so the process is no longer repeated near the plane. But even here, the newcomer manages to hide the stub somewhere (or even leave it in the pocket of the seat in front), providing himself and others with many fun minutes when collecting luggage upon arrival: it’s good, of course, when luggage tags are not checked, but in Russia this is , rather an exception than a rule.

In the cabin of an airplane, a first-time passenger is very upset when he sees that there is very little space left in the overhead bin above his row of seats. Of course, now he's trying his best to stuff his carry-on luggage in there. It’s good if other things don’t fall out and fall on your neighbors’ heads: a newbie has no idea that hand luggage can be placed not only above your own shelf, but anywhere. And if you want to have it with you, it fits perfectly under the chair in front.

Having sat down in the chair, the novice passenger immediately reclines the back and gets comfortable. If the same newcomer is sitting in the back, a chain reaction occurs, after which the flight attendants have to approach everyone and ask them to lift it back - after all, you can only recline after turning off the “Fasten your seat belts” sign.

Immediately after touching the runway during landing, the newcomer begins to clap furiously. Absolutely all of them give themselves away by this: an experienced passenger knows that pilots still don’t hear applause, and certainly not the developers of the glide path system, who themselves clap every time they get out of the elevator at home. Only the automatic brakes tense up a little at this moment - the passengers are already clapping, what if, God forbid, we roll off the runway? But again no one notices his work and he is quietly sad while the plane taxis to the parking lot.

At this moment, of course, the newcomers are already jumping up from their chairs and starting to take their luggage from the shelves. After all, they are flying for the first time and do not yet know how painful it is to fly through the cabin, hugging a backpack, all the way to the door to the cockpit during a sudden sharp braking or, even more so, a collision with an obstacle. They want to sit on the bus longer again...

Want more details? Read the section

Some people don't fly on airplanes just because they've never done it before. This is not a fear of danger, not a fear of heights, but simply panic in front of something unknown. And many do not understand what pleasure they are depriving themselves of, because flying is very pleasant and interesting, and most importantly - fast. And in many cases, this is the only way to get to the right place. Do not neglect technical progress, because horses and carriages, weeks and months of travel are already far in the past.

Personally, at first it was not the planes that scared me, but the airport. How to get into it, where to run, how not to confuse anything, and in general... Let's imagine that you find yourself at the airport for the first time. The procedure will be approximately the same, except that inspection and passport control in some cases change places.

First time at the airport

What time do you need to arrive? Check-in for the flight begins two hours before departure. Why so early? You need to have time to go through a large number of time-consuming procedures. You can arrive even earlier just in case. But it’s better not later, especially if you’re flying for the first time.

Entrance

In our country, unlike many others, anti-terrorist security has been strengthened. Therefore, try to budget for the time you will spend... going inside the airport. There are often queues there. You will already be examined there and your things will be scanned, even if you just came as a guide. You can go back out, but you can only get back to the airport through security again.

Scoreboard and registration area

The departure and arrival board is perhaps the most romantic object at the airport, and it has even been praised more than once. The board indicates the number, destination, and departure time of the flight. Be sure to check your flight number. Once we almost got confused with flights that departed 15 minutes apart.

Sometimes several flights may depart at the same time, so keep an eye out. What makes it even more confusing is that airlines often operate codeshare flights. Do not rely on the name of the airline, and even sometimes time is not an indicator. The direction and number are what you need to see. The board also indicates which registration desk you need to go to and what state the registration is in: whether it is open or, God forbid, has ended. Check-in for the flight, as I already said, begins 2 hours before departure and ends 40 minutes before it.

Baggage preparation

I haven’t found any useful information about preparing luggage on any “good” portal.

Usually, “smart” life hackers write about prohibited items and the weight of luggage somewhere in paragraphs about inspection, not taking into account the fact that we part with luggage much earlier, and this implies a completely different sequence of actions.

Your luggage flies separately from you

You can fly without luggage and put all your items in hand luggage if the airline allows it. This is what I usually do, it significantly speeds up leaving the airport upon arrival. In this case, your suitcase or backpack must fit certain dimensions and not exceed the weight limit.

Oversized and oversized luggage

Dimensional - suitable for standard sizes. In Russian, a standard suitcase or bag. Oversized fits in weight, but not in size, and is issued separately. By the way, it is oversized luggage that is most often lost.

If you are concerned about this topic, then feel free to go to the airline’s website and check what they can and cannot do. No other way. For different airlines They treat luggage differently. It is clear that items such as a guitar, a huge box or a plasma TV can hardly be called oversized luggage. For registration oversized luggage They will not ask for separate money.

Extra bed

You can purchase additional luggage space, it costs extra money. But no one has canceled cheating, for example, the Aeroflot gold card allows you to carry two pieces of luggage at the same time for free, and, in principle, such a card is rubbish and envy.

Package

Suitcases are usually thrown onto planes in a rather barbaric manner, so if you want to extend the life of your traveling friend, you can pack it for a fee. Luggage will be wrapped with special film by specially trained people in special places. They are not difficult to find.

If you are carrying something valuable, it is advisable to wrap your luggage. At the airport there are usually several packages with different prices. Naturally, the most expensive ones are located closest to central entrance. They will wrap you for about 700 rubles, or 10–15 EUR. In addition to official packers, there are also “spider-men” who will offer the same service at 2-3 times cheaper. Wander around the airport a little, looking meaningfully at the packing sheds, and these enterprising cunning people will find you themselves.

Overweight

If you (oh horror!) have an advantage, then prepare some money. Well, time for registration extra baggage and the advantage will take from 20 to 40 minutes exactly.

Your luggage should be of the dimensions and weight, as I already said, acceptable in a particular airline, and it is also advisable to put in it everything that cannot be taken on board, that is, liquids, aerosols, and sharp objects.

Feel yourself. Money, passport, other documents and boarding pass must be literally glued to yourself. Under no circumstances leave money in your luggage (there are such cases), and without a passport you, in principle, will not fly far. It is best to keep such necessary items in a small bag or pocket, generally with you.

Registration

You can check in for your flight from home in advance. This provides certain advantages. For example, you can choose best places in airplane.

Registration is easy, Watson. When checking in for a regular flight, they usually don’t ask for anything other than a passport: the employees already have all the data, because Big Brother has been watching you for a long time... Only once did the Spaniards ask for a printout of my electronic ticket, because in their database my name was written with the wrong letter. But this is the exception rather than the rule. At check-in you temporarily say goodbye to your luggage. The luggage is placed on the belt and weighed. After all this, you are given a boarding pass indicating your gate (exit), your seat on the plane and a baggage claim tag. Never lose your boarding pass. Now he is your king and god.

You may be asked what you take on the plane. Any belongings you bring on board are called carry-on luggage. Here's what shouldn't happen hand luggage:

Liquids. Some people think that in principle nothing liquid can be brought on board, but this is not true. You can safely carry up to 100 milliliters of any liquid substance with you.
Sharp, piercing and cutting objects. If you have scissors, corkscrews and knives in your hand luggage, you will most likely be asked to part with them at security. We learned about diabetics. Syringes are possible. But if you have (quote) “a free-form doctor’s certificate.”
Aerosols. All varnishes, sprays and sprays must fly in the luggage compartment.

Hand luggage can weigh up to 10 kilograms. All airlines have approximately the same size requirements. There are even special suitcases that fit the size of hand luggage. In fact, if you are flying regular flight, you can bring almost everything on board. One day we were carrying a huge basket, a giant hoop the size of a hula hoop and... sheaves of straw. They were light, but voluminous, and we were almost invisible behind them. However, Aeroflot employees treated the sheaves with loyalty and even wished us to have a good event.

In addition to a special suitcase, you can take a fairly large bag or backpack on board. Since we carry a lot of props on business trips, all personal items usually fit in a small handbag.

Search

You can lose quite a lot of time at the security check, as there will be people there who are not only in a hurry to catch your flight. You take a special tray and put everything on it: hand luggage, things, gadgets, a laptop (in Europe they ask you to take it out of your bag and call it a laptop, for a moment!), all metal objects and shoes, if they have thick soles or heels. It is easy to part with liquids or aerosols here if their volume exceeds the norm. For example, if you are trying to smuggle a liter of shampoo, it will most likely be confiscated. Creams, gels, toxic substances, sharp objects - say “adios” to them if you haven’t put them in your suitcase. So we parted with Enterosgel at Heathrow airport, it was very strict there.

This whole story is connected, again, with anti-terrorist security; similar rules were introduced in 2007. On board (once again) - no more than 100 milliliters of liquid in total, that is, you can take with you a small cream, a spray for a runny nose, a perfume sampler and liquid for lenses, in general, a bunch of liquids, but the main thing is that there is not a total of them more than a hundred ml. Yes, and it is advisable to forget about jokes about drugs and weapons. They don't understand jokes at the airport.

If you don’t want to waste a lot of time and make yourself nervous, and also embarrass women with sad faces and scanners in their hands, then, in principle, you shouldn’t hang all the iron jewelry left over from your gypsy grandmother, belts with massive buckles, and put on shoes thick soles or heels: they will strip you and take them off like there’s nothing to do. And this, you see, is not the most pleasant procedure. Here, by the way, is a link to a wildly funny video where a friend did not understand what they wanted from him and was scanned along with his luggage.

Passport control

Keep your passport and boarding pass with you, preferably in your hand. It is also better to avoid stupid jokes at passport control. Taking photographs of the passport control area is prohibited. Therefore, if something suddenly seemed funny to you (for example, your own face and you sawed yourself), you will be asked to delete the photos.

The official in the booth may ask questions. For example, about the purpose of the trip. He will leaf through your passport looking for visas and stamps. I was remarked several times that, they say, I don’t look at the border guard all the time, but fiddle with my phone (it’s better not to be distracted by anything extraneous from this important process), and that my passport is dirty (yes, I dropped it once to Kuru in , and several seals blurred). And you just might not like you. By the way, if you have a biometric passport or visa, you may be asked to place your finger on an infrared reader.

The waiting area

When re-reading my own text, I quickly replaced the word “desirable” with “required.” You absolutely must immediately find your gate (exit). Sometimes it can be difficult. Sometimes special trains run between gates, as in Madrid Barajas or London Heathrow. Sometimes they write scary numbers: how long to get to the exits. Sometimes this is the number 15, that is, minutes. But exhale: in Russian airports this has never happened before. Your ticket will indicate the gate number and boarding time, that is, the start time of boarding. It’s better not to go too far from the desired exit, otherwise you might miss important information. The gate may change, the flight may be delayed, or who knows what else. Take control of the situation.

There is usually something in the waiting area. For example, Duty Free. What “Duty Free” is does not need to be explained to the Russian tourist, who usually begins to prepare for a vacation by drinking alcoholic drinks from this shiny, delicious-smelling and shining market. The belief that it is cheaper at Duty Free is just a belief. For example, alcohol and snacks are often more expensive than in supermarkets, cigarettes are sold only in blocks, and cosmetics correspond to the market price. However, what should not be doubted is the quality of the products. It is better to buy good perfume, professional cosmetics, and gift packs of chocolates at Duty Free. By the way, when purchasing you will be asked to show your boarding pass, so don’t take it too far away.

And, of course, there are all sorts of cafes in the waiting area. Unless you're in Berlin's Tegel, for example, which is more like an Ikea place to pack your groceries. It's not cheap to eat there, but I usually get water from the machine. The air on the plane is dry and you feel thirsty. Anything purchased in this area is suitable for bringing on board.

Boarding the plane

Depending on the airport, your route from the gate to board may be like this:

telescopic ladder,
bus,
on foot.

If the airport is small, you can walk, usually a short distance. Sometimes you have to wait for the bus; it’s hot and cramped. Ideal if you are walking along a telescopic ramp - this is an air bridge from the airport to the plane.

If you have a lot of hand luggage, it is better to get in line at the gate early so that you have time to occupy the luggage racks. Sometimes there may not be someone near you free seats, so you’ll have to look for an empty shelf away from your chair. At smart airports, there is a division into groups to avoid queues at the gate. In this case, your group number is also indicated on boarding pass. But personally, I like to wait until the last minute: I jump at the gate when the bulk of people have already boarded the plane.

First time on a plane

And here you are sitting so happy on the plane and, perhaps, shaking with fear that this colossus is about to take off into the air. This won't happen instantly. You'll be packing for a while. The crew will be preparing for some time. Then the beautiful flight attendants will begin to show how and what to do in emergency situation. At this time the plane will begin to move towards runway. Previously, I always loved the moment of takeoff, when the iron bird accelerates so much that it presses you into the chair, and then takes off from the ground, but now I often fall asleep even before takeoff. The main thing is, if you are scared, take a comfortable position. Good luck if you have a pillow under your head, because external and internal comfort are inseparable.

Places

When it comes to seats inside an airplane, a simple law applies: the closer you are to your head, the less you will be shaken by turbulence. Turbulence, or bumpiness, is the vibration of an aircraft caused by vortex wind flows, downward and outward. It's not scary. The usual bumpiness that occurs when flying through some types of clouds is not dangerous. The aircraft is designed to withstand the resulting overloads. In general, when a plane shakes, it is not a technical failure, and the pilot is not crazy, it is just a temporary phenomenon that needs to be accepted and forgiven. And don’t set yourself up for horror: I’ve flown many times without shaking at all. Since there is less vibration at the front of the plane, business class is located there.

As for “by the window or not by the window,” the point is controversial. If you have never flown, then it may seem to you that a fascinating picture is created in the window throughout the entire flight. However, it is not. The most interesting thing is the takeoff and landing, when you see the city that has turned into a toy city. And then the plane gains altitude and rises above the clouds. Outside the window there will be monotonous blinding white clouds if you are flying during the day, or endless darkness if at night. If you are not a big fan of sticking your forehead into the wall and snoring, then there is no need for a window. There is nothing wrong with choosing a seat near the aisle - it is convenient to go to the toilet without stepping over your sleeping neighbors.

Great if you're flying on a half-empty plane. After takeoff, when you are allowed to wander around the cabin, stop by tail section: There may be three empty seats there. I call it "reserved seat". You can stretch out on them, cover yourself with a blanket and sleep. No one will say a bad word to you - it’s been verified.

A special chic during check-in is getting seats at the emergency exit. Ask and they will give if they are still available. On most planes, the distance to the next seat is very far, and the table extends out of the armrest. Of course, you will have a great responsibility - to save passengers in case of emergency evacuation, since you will be the very first one to the exit there. But you can stretch your legs and have fun.

Food

It all depends, of course, on the airline and the specifics of the flight. If you are able to register in advance, you may also have been asked to select a menu. Major international airlines offer special menus: kosher or vegetarian. I haven’t tried ordering the menu in advance, but I know it’s possible.

I once had a vegetarian lunch on board British Airways. The quinoa, avocado and tofu salad was much tastier than the usual lunch that included a stale bun with mayonnaise. However, in any case, do not expect culinary delights from economy class. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance to fly business class, but insiders know that it’s delicious, especially if it’s Aeroflot. Fortunately, the latter’s food is delicious even in economy, and sometimes there was also red fish.

The funniest airplane meal of my life was organized by the German subsidiary of Lufthansa, Air Berlin. Unfortunately, they stopped flying from Moscow. For the rest of my life I will remember a wonderful packed lunch consisting of very spicy chips and a glass of juice. And the worst lunch was at Air Moldova: some kind of indistinct sandwich.

If you fly during the day or evening, your chances of eating better are much greater: at night and in the early morning, you can count on a bun at most. Of course, a lot depends on the flight time. The usual proportion is that the longer the flight, the more food they will give. In any case, airplane food doesn't pretend to be anything incredible, so if you have the opportunity to bring something on the plane, grab it. There are usually no complaints about chocolate and cookies.

And, of course, it is worth saying that at altitude we eat and drink completely differently than on earth; food seems tastier. By the way, there is a whole stereotype that people most often drink tomato juice on a plane. They say it tastes better to us than on earth and quenches our thirst better. On a plane you always want to drink because, I repeat, the air in the cabin is very dry. Plus, rich tomato juice has a richer flavor that we love. It is always better to stock up on a bottle of water, most importantly, not before the security check area, but after: you can bring water purchased in the waiting area on board. As for alcohol, almost all international flights have wine, champagne, and beer. The flight attendants may simply not offer you this. But if you have a strong desire to get tipsy, ask, and they will organize a can of good beer for you - tested by British Airways.

Takeoff and landing

If your plane takes off and everything goes well, you can relax until you land. According to statistics, 90% of aircraft malfunctions occur during takeoff and landing. That is why singer Elka passionately wishes that the pilot “takes off well and lands extremely successfully.” During takeoff and landing, you are asked to fasten your seat belts, bring the seat to an upright position, remove the tables and open the curtains. All this is done so that in an emergency there are fewer obstacles to the implementation of the rescue program.

When an acquaintance flew with me for the first time, he really did not like the maneuvers of the plane, when the side turns and turns out to be one wing lower and the other higher. If you saw this and got scared, know that nothing terrible is happening at this moment, the plane is just turning.

If you are flying to a resort, you will most likely begin to descend directly over the blue waters. Again, panic in this case is unnecessary; the resort airports are really located right on the shore. Land will appear, don't worry!

Some people believe that the softness of a landing depends on the airline or type of aircraft. Nothing like that, everything is controlled by a pilot, or rather pilots, since control is usually divided equally between them. Best of all, I was put in Montenegrin unloved, ruined and sad in every way famous airline"Kogalymavia" when they had a contract with the operator TUI.

Important detail: time it correctly. As soon as the plane lands, it will travel along the runway for some time, circling around the airport until it stops. It will be some time before you are allowed off the plane. Passport control will take about another half hour (or more) international flight and baggage claim at any. Therefore, you should not order a taxi before your arrival.

Don't immediately jump up and run out of the plane. You don't even have to get up. You will be waiting for some time for the doors to open. new country».

At the airport of the country of arrival

Next, you will find almost everything the same as upon departure: boarding ramp or bus, passport control and baggage claim. Get in the line that says All Passports and they'll give you a stamp (finally!) with the name of the airport. Next, we follow the arrows to the luggage, which probably already misses you as much as you miss it. Above the baggage belt they usually write the flight number and where the plane came from, so it’s difficult to make a mistake. Moreover, it very rarely happens that two and more plane They arrive minute by minute, so you are probably going to where the most people are standing. If the airport is very large, then there is a board indicating where to look for luggage.

If the tape has already scrolled a hundred hundred times, and your suitcase still hasn’t appeared, and all the passengers have left, then something is wrong here. Then you go to the representatives of your airline with your boarding stub (it is on it that the tag with your baggage number is on it) and most likely everything will be resolved safely. Well, then you, stamped, enriched and happy, can head to the exit (following the arrows) and begin to conquer new lands!

I hope you were able to learn something new about air travel and are now looking forward to the moment when the flight attendant announces that your plane is ready for takeoff.

My first plane flight was very memorable. Since it was the first time, I remembered it for the rest of my life.
The flight did not last long, a couple of hours. Before the flight, I was very worried, I was overcome with fear, and the panic began to intensify. My hands began to tremble and my voice became weak. I never thought it was possible to be so afraid. Thanks to the people who were flying with me, I calmed down; they told me various funny stories. And it became not so scary. Then curiosity began to overcome me. How is it up there in the sky? The clouds are probably very close.

After checking in, boarding the plane began. This is a large corridor through which everyone goes to the plane. It’s a very bright room, and as I walk I feel such a feeling of delight and fear at the same time. It seemed to me that I was alone on this entire plane. Everyone else has such calm faces, it seems as if they weren’t on a plane, but just went for a ride on a bus. Entering the plane, it seemed even bigger to me. There was so much space, very comfortable seats and wide aisles between them. My anxiety didn't go away. I couldn't wait for him to take off and be in the sky. The flight attendant warned everyone about seat belts and talked about the rules of behavior on the plane.

A few minutes later the engine started to start and there was a slight noise in the aircraft cabin. In general, not as scary as I thought. When the plane began to gain altitude, my ears started to clog, and this lasted for quite a long time. I tried to calm down and started eating sucking refreshing candies, they help a lot in such situations. And now we are already in the sky, the weather is beautiful, it’s simply impossible to express it. It's like walking on clouds. I was sitting right next to the window. Small roofs of houses became smaller and smaller visible through the white clouds. The vibration in the aircraft cabin became more and more intense as it ascended. Having gained its altitude, the plane began to fly calmly.

You could relax and enjoy the height and beauty of the blue sky. A few minutes later, reading a very interesting book, I fell asleep, although I didn’t even think about it. On the contrary, I wanted to see and feel everything. But sleep turned out to be stronger than me and took possession of me during the flight. I woke up to the flight attendant saying something about landing. In a panic, I started checking the belts, drank some water and took out my candy again. As we approached the landing, vibration began again and the noise intensified. I closed my eyes in fear. This didn't last long. Our plane landed safely and everyone was happy with the flight.

I really enjoyed this flight because I slept and felt almost nothing. But just this fear of flying, I think I can somehow cope with it.

Ivanova Elena Alexandrovna

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