Preparing for my first plane trip?
I've never been on an airplane, or even at an airport. What do I bring, how do I pack, what can I bring on the plane? Can someone just give me the basic steps that lead up to the day of the flight???? *I'm only flying from Chicago to Anaheim, CA. So no international information.
Packing & Preparation - 3 Answers
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1 :
First off get there really early. The first time i was at an airport i was with my brothers, i was 16 and had to figure out where were going. Its just better off getting there early in case you run into any problems, even if you have to wait, just bring a book or something. Don't bring any perfume in your bag, because my brothers girlfriend (my age) brought 100 dollar bottle of it on the bag to go onto the plane, and we had to leave it behind (never used) because we were running late, and could not go back to put it in the other bag. Maybe bring gum or something, Though it might get taken away (when flying from ny to florida they allowed it, but when we flew from florida to ny, they said it was illegal, and we could not have it for some reason, but being at a high elevation makes your ears pop (and chewing gum helps) (when i go down on an air plane my ears hurt when i don't have gum). If its not an assigned seating flight, try to get on first, because then you may have a spot between 2 annoying people like i did, becasue we were running late on a full plane, there was no room. (If you think you want the window seat sit there, but if you are going to be getting up alot i suggest the aisle seat, and i think the middle is the worst spot so maybe don't go for that if possible. I don't know all the things you can and can not bring (because my luggage actually went in a family members car that was driveing back, but the down sider of that was i had no cloths besides the ones i brough on carry on, and were already at home.) But i would call your airport for that. I will be 17 and i am about to go on my first flight with no one (even though my brothers were no help at the airport). Its really no big deal flying. Bring stuff to entertain you if your going on a long flight i have went on a 5 hour flight with nothing, and was really bored, and i went on a 11 hour flight with a bunch of things, and could have staid on longer, because i was entertained. Brong magizines, music stuff like that. Hope i helped. Good luck =)
2 :
First of all, on the plane your allowed to have 2 carry-ons- one small suitcase or back pack and one purse or similar small bag. So if your suitcase is bigger than about 18 inches in height I would recommend checking it, when you go to the check-in/ticket counter for your airline (they are right inside the airport doors and there are plenty of signs to direct you to your airline) you will get your ticket printed there and you can check your bags there too. Checking luggage is nice so that you won't have to carry it around and that's one less thing to go through security with. But if you do check your luggage there is a risk that they will lose your luggage and you might not get it back for a few hours or up to a week. If you do check luggage, make sure nothing really important that you will need as soon as you get to California is in there and make sure you have a change of clothes just in case it take a while for them to find your luggage. The next thing: NO LIQUIDS. In your carry on bags, you are allowed to have court sized bag of liquids/gels/aerosols that are 3 fluid ounces or less. So anything bigger than that needs to go in your checked bag or you will be forced to throw it away. You can purchase water bottles and other drinks past the security check point that you will be allowed to carry onto the plane, but if you buy or have a drink before you get to security you will have to throw it away. Another security tip, wear socks, you will be asked to take your shoes off and they will go through the x-ray type machine while you walk through the metal detector, so for sanitary reasons, some people are more comfortable with socks on. At the security check point have your boarding pass ready to show the officer. Also have your liquids out, you will be asked to put liquids, cell phones, car keys, shoes, jackets, wallets, coins, or any other metal on you in a tub to be examined. So be ready with all metal items handy so you don't have to dig around before your turn and hold up the line. Also, if you are taking a lap top, portable DVD player, gameboy, etc. you will be asked to take them out of your backpack, and out of their case. When going through security just remember to take all liquids out of your bags, make sure you have no large metal objects in your suitcase or backpack, and no metal on your person, and the obvious: no scissors, knives, guns, fireworks, bombs, or other explosives or weapons. If you follow these guidelines, security will be a breeze. Next, plan transportation before you. The parking tolls at the airport are very expensive, so it might be better to arrange for an airport shuttle to pick you up at your house, or you can get a taxi or bus, or arrange for a family member or friend to drive you there and pick you up. Next, unless you are sitting in first class, no meals are provided on the plane for free, coach gets a small bag of peanuts or pretzels and free water, juice or soft drinks. You are able to pay for snacks such as candy, fruit boxes, cheese and cracker boxes, and chips and you can pay for alcohalic drinks. But don't depend on the airplane food, they don't have a wide variety of murchandise. Eat a pretty big meal before flying ( they have fast food restruants in the airport or eat at home before). I recommend packing your own snacks, such as granola or protein bars, crackers, sandwhiches, etc. Its also good to have saltine crackers to help settle your stomach if you get motion sickness. Gum is also a very good thing to have on your flight because it prevents ear popping (especially during take off and landing). Another thing, since this is your first airplane ride, you probably don't know if you'll get airsick or not so it might be a good idea to have motion sickness medicine with you just in case. (In your seat pocket on the plane will be an airsick bag also just in case). Next, your flight will probably be around 7 hours so you'll want something to do such as a book, portable DVD player and movies, an I-pod, etc. THe airplane ride is also a good time to rest and catch up on sleep before your trip. A tip with entermainment, I find that normal headphones don't work well for the plane, you won't be able to hear your music or movie at all. So I recommend getting some noise blocking headphones (Bose ones work very well) or make sure you have earbud phones (apple ones that come with I-pods work the best). For packing clothes, look up the weather for Anaheim right before you leave and pack accordingly. Pask as light as possible so you don't have to carry as much. And make sure you have a light jacket for Anaheim and for the plane. The plane can get pretty cold (or really hot) so wear layers that you can take off or add to fit the temperature. Blankets and pillows are provided on the plane, but some people are more comfortable with their one blanket. (If you are bringing your own, make sure it is small and light such as a fleece one). Another first flight precaution is wearing comfortabbagAnother first flight precaution is wearing comfortable shoes beacuase the airport can involve alot of walking, but make sure you have socks or flip flops that you can put on because many people's feet swell up while flying which makes tennis shoes or other closed in shoes very uncomfortable. For airplane attire, wear clothes that are comfortable for sitting for hours in. If you are in first class, check out your airline's website to see if there is a dress code for first class, often times there is. And like I said earlier, make sure you have a jacket and shoes that you can change or will still be comfortable if your feet swell. Thats pretty much all you need to know, just make sure you get to the airport early, at least 2 hours before your flight leaves just in case there are long security lines or other conflicts. Don't worry about finding your flight, there are tons of signs everywhere that tell the gate and departing times of flights and signs that direct you to each gate. Have fun on your first flight and your trip!
3 :
I saw your question and thought you might need a little help, in regards to not only packing but possibly finding a good hostel and saving money in general. Here are some resources for packing things you might normally forget. They will also help you minimize what you take, saving you time, weight and frustration. List of packing related articles: http://www.vagabondbible.com/packing.sht... Ten Items To Never Forget While Traveling http://www.vagabondbible.com/tenitems.sh... Organizing Tips For The Packing Challenged:Roll http://www.vagabondbible.com/rollingclot... Pre Departure Checklist http://www.vagabondbible.com/prechecklis... This article is about keeping your toiletries and amenities to a minimum, saving you time and weight http://www.vagabondbible.com/toiletries.... This article pertains to the downsides of taking cotton with you while traveling http://www.vagabondbible.com/cotton.shtm... If you’re looking for lodging, why not try hostels? While hunting for a good hostel, there's a few things to take into account. Make sure and check out the place before you commit. Always ask to walk around and investigate before you sign up. If your interested in finding out some more about hostels I've provided some links to help you find a good hostel while you travel, which can help you save money, time and frustration Hosteling 101: Finding The Perfect Hostel Part 1 http://www.vagabondbible.com/hosteling101.shtml Hosteling 101: Finding The Perfect Hostel Part 2 http://www.vagabondbible.com/hosteling1012.shtml Good luck and have a fun, safe trip, Collins http://www.vagabondbible.com/
