Tell you 9 things you need to know when flying for the first time

Airplanes are a popular means of transport today; however, for those who are flying for the first time, they do not have any flying experience, so they are confused and do not know what to do and what not to do. Therefore, in the article below, HoaBinh Airlines will share with readers the experiences you need to know when flying for the first time!

1. Book flight tickets

To fly, you need to do the following necessary tasks:

- Choose the date and time to fly to the destination you want.

- Buy air tickets: If it is a domestic flight, you can book tickets on the airline's website in Vietnam or buy tickets at an agent. If it is an international flight, you can order it from official agents of reputable airlines.

- Book air tickets early to get good prices because ticket prices change constantly and you cannot predict them.

- Choose the airline and ticket class you will travel with.

- After purchasing a ticket, you will receive a reservation code consisting of a few characters (usually 6 characters).

2. Prepare your luggage when flying

When you fly for the first time, you probably don't fully understand the luggage regulations. Therefore, the information you need to understand is:

For domestic airlines, customers will be entitled to 7kg of free carry-on baggage (for Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific) or 20kg (for Vietnam Airlines), and customers can purchase additional checked baggage if required.

Checked baggage, according to regulations, will have dimensions of 158cm (total length, width, and height)/1 piece and weigh 23kg/piece.

The carry-on baggage that customers are allowed to carry must measure 45 inches (22 x 14 x 9 in) or 115cm (23 x 36 x 56 cm).

At the check-in area or airport lobby, there will always be a frame to measure the size of the passenger's luggage. If the passenger's luggage is overweight or oversized, the airline requires the passenger to switch to checked goods or refuse to transport that baggage.

The airline will allow passengers to carry a personal belongings bag that is smaller than hand luggage, which can include items such as laptop bags, wallets, small backpacks, personal belongings bags, jackets, books, and newspapers; blankets or pillows; duty-free goods; or assistive devices such as wheelchairs and portable oxygen ventilators.

Airport security will allow customers to bring liquid products purchased at duty-free counters through security when packaged according to STEB standards.

Some notes when preparing luggage

When preparing your luggage, you should leave out the following items in your hand luggage: electronics, rechargeable batteries, cosmetics, light jackets, wallets, and documents for check in and check out. If you have small children, you should proactively put the necessary items for your child into a small bag, such as: bottles, milk, towels, wet wipes, diapers, thin coats, etc. All items must be arranged as neatly as possible. The rest of the things you don't use on the flight, you put in your luggage when you get off the plane.

3. Choose clothes when flying

For the safest and most comfortable flight without any unnecessary inconvenience, you should pay attention to your choice of clothing when flying. You should choose clothes that are safe and convenient for you to operate and relax on the flight. 

There are a few suggestions for you, as follows: do not wear clothes with metal attachments because you will have to waste time with security staff when going through the magnetic door. Estimate the climate of your destination to avoid shock or illness due to temperature differences. You should wear minimalist, comfortable clothes and not wear high heels, etc.

4. Documents to prepare

To fly successfully and quickly, you need to prepare the following documents: ID card if you are an adult, and an original birth certificate for children who do not have an ID card for domestic flights. To go abroad, you need a plane ticket, a visa, a passport, and cash to pay taxes.

Once you have prepared all the necessary documents, passengers move to the check-in area of the airline where you booked your ticket:

- Arrival area: This is where passengers flying in from other places will exit.

- Departure area: This is where passengers check in to take the plane to another place.

Passengers should pay attention to each note at the airport to avoid making mistakes and delaying their time. Or if you can't find it, you can ask for help from airport staff.

5. Go to the airport to check-in

You should go to the airport 1 and a half to 2 hours before your flight to check in because:

- The airline will require passengers to be present 20-30 minutes before the boarding gate to begin boarding, so passengers need to arrive about an hour early to complete other procedures.

- It will take a lot of time to line up to check-in during peak hours or on weekends. Therefore, completing procedures to receive baggage tickets and change information when there are errors will take a lot of your time.

- The customs check also takes a lot of time to get inside the boarding area.

- If calculated, the total convenient time to complete the procedures is 1 hour, but to avoid unwanted situations, you should arrive 2 hours in advance to be comfortable.

6. Instructions for reading information on airline tickets

- Ticket class (class): Each airline will have different ticket class classifications, but popular ones include Economy, Business, and First Class, with Economy class having the cheapest price.

- Ticket status: OK/Confirmed: flight date and time are official. This section will clearly state the date and time the aircraft takes off at the departure location and lands at the destination according to local time

- Non-stop or transit flight: is a flight that goes directly from where you are to where you need to go. Transit is a flight that will have a stop (possibly one or several points) before arriving. the last point you need to reach.

Some note:

Passengers should pay attention to information such as: aircraft number, boarding window, flight time, or travel information announced by the loudspeaker to avoid confusion.

When sitting on an airplane, passengers need to listen and comply with the safety regulations for the flight disseminated by the flight attendant to all passengers on board. Do not arbitrarily take actions such as opening windows, pulling life jackets, etc. If you need them, you should ask the flight attendants for help.

7. Customs inspection

At the airport, there will be a way for passengers to line up for customs inspection. You can observe the instruction board or ask airport staff for help finding this area. When meeting customs officers, passengers must take off their hats and masks and present their airline tickets and ID cards or passports. Then, at the security screening area, passengers must put their belongings and accompanying items into a tray to be taken through the security screening conveyor belt.

And security staff will conduct checks on guests to see if they are carrying prohibited items.

8. Board the plane

The airline requires passengers to be at the boarding gate 20-30 minutes in advance so that staff can guide them onto the plane and do a final check before boarding.

- Boarding gate (gate): This information has been recorded on the passenger's ticket, so the passenger sits in a seat waiting to board the plane before there is an announcement or the staff gives the order. The airport is very large, so you need to pay attention to each announcement to avoid flight delays.

- Entering the plane: Passengers will be guided by the staff to get on the plane and find their correct seat. If you are not sure, you can ask the flight attendant to avoid sitting in the wrong position, causing seat controversy.

If you have hand luggage, it will be placed in the cabin above or below the seat, depending on the airline. Passengers need to strictly comply with the orders of the announcement system, aircraft, and flight attendants. Guests can use the restroom and purchase snacks and drinks from the flight attendants.

And especially to ensure safety, you must wear your seat belt throughout the flight unless you need to go to the bathroom.

To avoid affecting other passengers, you should talk quietly, or it is best to keep order during the flight.

9. During the flight

- Buy food and drinks: During the flight, if passengers want to buy food on the menu provided by the flight attendants, they can call them to come and buy that food. Or you can pre-order food or drinks when buying tickets online, and the flight attendant will bring you food according to your seat number.

- Going to the bathroom: There are usually more than 2 bathrooms on the plane, and customers can freely go to the bathroom without having to ask anyone. Note Except for takeoff and landing for about 5 - 10 minutes, passengers must sit still in a position where they are not allowed to move to ensure safety.

- Landing - getting off the plane: After the plane has landed safely, passengers must wait for the system's signal before removing their seat belts, picking up their luggage, and waiting to get off the plane.

Above are the basic steps of a flight as well as things to note when flying for the first time at each stage. We hope that through our sharing of experiences flying for the first time, you will gain knowledge about safe flights and limit unwanted things that can happen. HoaBinh Airlines wish you enjoyable and safe flights.