I have never been on an airplain!?

Jim’s Girl: I have never been on an airplain!?
I am terrified to fly, and this is my first flight in only a few days, any suggestions on what to expect?

Answers and Views:

Answer by tunisianbelle
First off, try not to worry or be nervous. I know that seems hard not to, but the more you worry and the more nervous you are, the scarier it’ll be. I believe that knowledge is key, and once you know the procedure it’ll be a lot less scarier for you.

Make sure you get to the airport with plenty of time to check in, go through security, and fine your concourse and gate. Rule of thumb is to allow yourself 2-5 hours before your flight. Call the airport ahead of schedule to see what their wait time is for that specific day.

Make sure you have all your documents with you (picture ID or passport, visa if needed, and ticket). Before you leave home: get information on where you will be staying on your trip – name, address, phone number – make copies and put this information in each piece of checked baggage and keep a copy on yourself in case you baggage gets lost. Write down your home address, etc. Do the same for the return trip. Also, do not pack anything that you will need (medications, contact lens stuff, etc) in your checked bags. Put this in your carry-on. Also make sure that you are not taking any forbidden items with you.
https://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

You are usually allowed to bring 2 suitcases that weigh no more than 50lbs each, plus one carry-on. All airline rules differ on this, so you need to verify this with your airline.

Security isn’t that bad. Wear slip on or other easily removable shoes, pack light, and don’t bring forbidden items. You may wait in line a while, but as long as you have nothing forbidden on or with you, you will speed through the process.

Be prepared to do a lot of waiting – in line at the ticket counter, in the terminal – you will wait. A lot. Unless you are flying first class, in which case you will have a special line at the ticket counter and will get to get on the plane first.

Pay attention to the announcements. They may change your departure gate, or need you if there is a question with your ticket. Also, if the plane is overbooked, they will announce a request for volunteers to be bumped – if you volunteer, you will be put on the next flight and you get a free round-trip ticket to use in the future.

They also use announcements to board the plane. You will be seated by row or “zone” – this will be printed on your boarding pass. When they call out your row or zone, you may board the plane. If you are seated in an exit row, make sure that you are able to do the things that would be required of you: being able to lift a certain weight (if you have to open they window exits, they are generally about 65 pounds), being able to hear and see commands from the flight crew, etc – this will all be on the safety card which is in in the pouch on the back of the seat in front of you.

Now you are ready for your flight!

When you taxi, you barely feel the plane move at all. At this point the cabin crew will tell you all you need to know about what to do in case of emergencies and such. They will do a demonstration or show a video of where the exits are, how to fasten your seatbelt, when portable electronics can and can’t be used, etc. The captain will come on and give a little speech about the flight and what to expect – something about how long it will take until you take-off, what to expect weather wise in your destination city, and how long the flight should take.

When the plane prepares for liftoff, it starts to go really fast down the runway, and then within 45 seconds you are up in the air. Things may seem a little wobbly at first, but that’s just because of moving through the different altitudes. Your ears will pop as you climb through the altitudes also. The best ways are to alleviate the pressure are to:

*chew gum
*drink something
*suck on a hard candy or mints
*yawn
*pinch the nostrils shut, take a deep breath in through the mouth, then force the air into the back of the nose as if trying to blow your nose
*Another trick that used mainly on babies and small children, but can be used on anyone, is to gently but with some pressure, rub your neck repeatedly from the chin to the base of the neck. This will cause a swallowing motion that will relieve pressure build-up in the ears.

Once you are in the air, things will feel smooth. You will hear the humm of the engines, but that’s normal, nothing to worry about. I actually find it relaxing. If there is turbulence, you might feel the plane wobble a little bit, but remember, planes are designed to withstand this, so take a deep breath and try not to think about it. After a few minutes, you will hear a ding. This is the captain letting the flight attendants know that the plane has reached 10,000 feet. At this point, the rate of ascent will decrease. You will also get an announcement that it’s OK to use portable electronic devices at this time.

When you are approaching landing, your ears will pop as you descend through the altitudes (remember: chewing gum, drinking something, swallowing, yawning, etc will alleviate the pressure). You will feel the plane slow down and the cabin crew will prepare you for landing. As you get close to your destination, the captain will come back on and tell you how much longer until you land, and what the weather is like. When the plane touches down it kind of feels like a short jolt, and then you hear them cut the engines off and the plane slows down pretty fast.

From there, the plane will taxi to either the gate or the designation where a bus will pick you up. You wait for the plane to decompressurize a few moments before they start letting the passengers out. That was your flight.

To entertain yourself:
– Bring along a few book, magazines, puzzles (such as crosswords or Sodoku if you like those).
– Bring along an iPod, MP3 player, or CD player to listen to music.
– A laptop is good to have as you can play games on it, connect to the internet, and get any work done that you may have. (You have to have a WIFI card in your laptop and the airline will charge you to connect to the internet) or watch DVDs.
– Try talking to the people next to you. Sometime you will meet some really interesting people, and forge friendships.

If I can be of any more help, please feel free to contact me anytime.