Travel Tips for First Time Flight Journey

Flight journey for first-timers can be quite exciting. You will be viewing the world below while you cruise through the beautiful white clouds. It is quite an exhilarating experience for first-time flyers, and it also makes for a great tale to tell your folks! Right from your first flight booking online to your first-time flight journey, there are many new things that you will come across. The process can get a little confusing and might even make you a little anxious. But you don’t have to worry. There are a few necessary things that you should know about as you plan your first flight journey. These tips for first-time flyers would be quite beneficial. We take you through the process of making your first flight ticket booking online and all the important protocols that need to be followed during your first-time flight journey.

How to book your flight tickets?

- To book your flight tickets, there are several ways or rather mediums that you can pick. If you wish to do it on your own, you can check them out online.

- For online flight booking, you can visit the official website of your most favoured airline and book tickets. Or you can also go through a travel search engine with a proper listing of flight ticket prices as stated by multiple airlines. Checking out the travel search engine would help you get an idea about the price structure and which airline is giving away cheap flight ticket for your desired destination.

Tip for when you plan to travel- Visit InterMiles to book your flights for yourself and your loved ones and earn miles. You can earn InterMiles when you book flights across multiple airlines not just in India but worldwide. These miles when accumulated can get you free flights or hotel stays, merchandise, fuel, gift vouchers and a lot more- hence more value!

- You can also approach a third-party travel agent and ask them to book flight tickets on your behalf. They will take a certain commission out of the ticket booking from you for their services. However, if that isn't a concern for you, you can opt to get it done from a professional. They will help you through all the processes, including acquiring a visa and travel insurance.

- If you already have a loyalty programme with a specific airline, you can get some additional perks such as baggage allowance, lounge access, in-flight services and more. Further, some airlines also have tie-ups with hotels for accommodation. You can get yourself some extra perks by going through the airlines

First-time flight journey tips to remember

Do not leave packing for last minute

Last-minute packing is as hectic as it sounds. Often people tend to leave packing for the last minute, but it is recommended that you don't do that. Last-minute packing is chaotic as you scatter around to get all the essentials for your trip and sometimes are unable to pack all the things that you had planned to carry. It is quite anxiety-inducing, not to mention how it can also leave you exasperated by the end of the whole process. If you pack in advance, it will leave you with more time to peruse through everything that you have packed and give you time to make purchases and pack them as well. The scope missing out important things such as passport, travel papers, etc., is comparatively less when you pack in advance.

Label all your luggage with a tag

A very important step to follow when packing and getting ready to travel is to label all your luggage. Airlines and airports tend to misplace luggage during transit or that someone else gets hold of your baggage. Hence, it is best to label all your luggage and ensure that your number and important contact details are mentioned. In case a luggage misplacement does occur, you will at least get a call back from the person who accidentally took your luggage.

Similarly, it would help if you also put the same label for all your luggage for identification purposes. Don't be surprised that at the airport, there might be many travellers who carry similar luggage as you do. To avoid mixing and displacement of your luggage, you can label them with perhaps the same ribbons or luggage tag. That way, you will be able to recognise your luggage when it comes on the conveyor belt.

Pack light and avoid check-in concerns

Airport check-ins, especially when you have a handful of luggage often results in delay. To avoid losing excess time in the check-in line, you could go through some of the restrictions of airline luggage policy. Packing light always helps as it reduces the time you would be spending in the check-in line. Not to mention how it also keeps the line going so you can quickly head to the security check. Packing light would help reduce the baggage cost that you might incur at the check-in.

Generic baggage allowance rules of airlines

Before you even start packing or planning how many luggage you will carry, you should go through the airline's official website and learn more about their baggage allowance rules. Every airline has specific baggage allowance rules that are usually generic depending on the type of cabin. If you have booked first-class flight tickets for yourself, the baggage rules will change as you will get some additional benefits. However, if you have booked an economy class, the baggage allowance would be reduced. In case you do exceed your baggage allowance depending on your ticket type, you can purchase additional baggage. The prices would be exorbitant, so it is recommended that you avoid carrying too much. Or you can make the extra baggage purchase from home. By doing this, you will be reducing your time at the airport's check-in line.

Further, learn about the baggage dimension specifics too. If your baggage exceeds the specifics mentioned by the airlines, then they might ask you to ship the excess baggage or the said luggage. And you wouldn't want to go through that stress.

Reach the airport ahead of time

If you are planning for a trip and especially an international one, you must reach the airport at least two hours ahead of the boarding time. Many possible reasons could lead to a delay starting from road traffic to the long check-in lines at the airport. To avoid having to run for your flight, it would be best to reach the airport at least two hours in advance. With your emigration and other processes complete, you can always chill at the boarding area in the departure section. Not all airlines wait for their passengers, especially if the flight is on time and the departure is as per the schedule.

Opt for web check-in

The safest way to approach check-in is to conduct an online check-in at the official website of the airline. All the airlines have now enabled online web check-ins to reduce the crowding at the airport as well as to make it less cumbersome for the passengers. Online web check-in completes all the necessary check-in processes and even provides the passenger with the required boarding pass. With everything done online, you simply need to use the bar code impressions on the boarding pass at the airport to get to the security checkpoint and eventually the boarding area. If you think you might get late and wish to avoid any further delays, web check-ins are the way to go for you. It is best to be prepared.

Do not misplace your boarding pass

A boarding pass is very important as it is required until you board the flight. Even if your security checking and other important steps are complete, you would be asked to show your boarding pass before entering the flight. As long as you keep it in your hand luggage, you do not need to worry about it. But do not displace it at any cost. If you have a copy of the boarding pass on your phone, then that would do the trick as well.

Guidelines to handle hand luggage onboard

When you're carrying hand luggage, there are a few guidelines that you need to follow. These guidelines are concerning how many hand luggage you can carry, how you place them on board and the dimensions of the luggage. In case they surpass the specific luggage dimension as specified by the airlines, you will be asked to push it as a check-in suitcase. To avoid any such problems, you should simply go through the official page of the website and understand the rules of baggage allowance. The contents that are carried in hand luggage are also mentioned and something you should follow. Failing to do the same would result in some actions taken by the airline and even the airport.

Be nice to your travel counterparts and the cabin crew

The best behaviour to portray in-flight is to be patient and polite. The cabin crew have your best interest and hence, expect certain things from you. These include wearing your seatbelt when asked, avoiding using the flight restrooms for shady activities, lighting a smoke in the cabin, causing a scene and more. Travellers should be well behaved and empathetic in-flight. At the end of the day, it is important that you and your travel counterparts have a good and safe journey.

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