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| *Travel Tips>>>Air Travel Travel Tips |
What is the best way to help me stay calm while flying? I've never been on a plane and i'm terrified!? |
Travel Info What should i expect during takeoff and landing? Travel Tips 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). Also make sure that you are not taking any forbidden items with you. http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/p... 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. 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. (chewing gum, drinking something, swallowing, or yawning will alleviate the pressure.) 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. When you are approaching landing, your ears will pop as you descend through the altitudes (remember: chewing gum, drinking something, swallowing, or yawning will alleviate the pressure). You will feel the plane slow down and the cabin crew will prepare you for landing. 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) - Try talking to the people next to you. Sometime you will meet some really interesting people, and forge friendships. Here are some pictures of the last time I flew in the cockpit with my husband. Maybe seeing the pilots work and remembering that they have families will help you. Here's the blog about the trip: http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-5ksvju47e... Here's the pictures of the trip: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamie_hasse... If you need someone to talk to, or need more advice, I'll be happy to help, contact me anytime. Source(s): My husband is a pilot Frequent world traveler http://360.yahoo.com/jamie_hassen... http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/p... http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-5ksvju47e... http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamie_hasse... Other Travel Tips Expect to feel a lot of acceleration during takeoff, and braking at landing. Just relax, you're safer up there than driving ;) just relax. there is no reason to fear flying. Its the crashing you should fear. lisn to music or sleep ... there is nothing scary about landing or takeoff actuale i realy see that cool....i like it when it takeoff :-D Here's my (growing) list of FAQ's for newbie travelers: Q: What can I do on the airplane so I'm not bored? A: My experience is to bring a few things, but I strongly belive that "less" is "more" in this case. Must haves: book, spiral notebook (not a pad) and pen. MP3 Player loaded with music and/or books on tape is also very valuable. Got a good Palm Pilot and Keyboard? Go for it. Portable DVD player or Laptop Computer if you must (i.e. for kids or for work) but I say to you--that's it! Don't overburden yourself with carry-on luggage, especially if you are changing flights somewhere. Stay light and ready to move, not burdened down. Q: Where do I get my baggage? A: You go to "baggage claim" to get it. There will be places well marked at every airport and the airline (plus monitors) will tell you exactly which one you should go to so you can claim your bag. Q: Are there a lot of people in baggage claim? A: At Chicago O'Hare or Los Angeles International, it's full of people. At Wichita or Little Rock, it's pretty much empty. It just depends on the volume of traffic and time of day at that airport. However, there will almost always be at least one person from each airline on duty (the smaller airports might let them go home after the last flight of the night). Q: How long does it take to get my luggage back? A: Anywhere from 5 minutes to 8 hours, depending on the airport, the flight, the ground crew, amount of traffic at the time, and your luggage. Average travelers should have luggage within 15-20 minutes of landing. Q: Will the airline lose my luggage? A: I've been flying for 20 years and no airline has ever "lost" my luggage. On three occasions, the luggage didn't make the same "tight" connection that I was able to make and it had to come in on the next flight. Two of those times, the next flight was the next day. They brought it out to my hotel at no charge. So I got my luggage, but it was never "lost and gone forever." Q: Will the flight make me sick? A: Probably not. Some people suffer from something called "motion sickness" but if you have that you would probably know already if you had it. Yes, there's something called a "barf bag" or "air sickness bag" with every seat. I've been flying regularly since 1987 and I've never seen it used except to put chewing gum or garbage in. Q: What can and should I take with me on the plane? A: My experience has taught me that the less I carry, the better. However, I also find that carrying nothing is a mistake. I personally do best with a book, a spiral notebook, and a pen. MP3 player is a big help, too. Longer flight? Laptop computer and/or DVD player. Q: Would it be ok if I drank a couple of alcoholic drinks before I board the plane? A: I suppose but I wouldn't advise it. If you want a drink, go ahead. Two? Sounds like you're trying to use alcohol to muster up courage and that's never a good idea. Instead, I recommend having a big glass of good old H2O (water). It will prepare your body for air pressure changes and stress of being in a confined place. Alcohol will only make that worse. Q: What can I take on my carry on bag...cell phone? Camera? Purse? A: Most women carry a purse on the plane (I've found that women can't live without a purse). Cell phone is okay, but you cannot use it during flight except during taxi after landing. Camera? Yeah, I see people bring cameras but using a camera in the confines of the airplane will most definitely make other passengers uncomfortable. Q: What does it feel like to fly? Is it like being on a roller coaster? A: Mostly, it feels like sitting in a chair--because that's what you'll be doing. There is the momentum and accelleration during takeoff and landing, the elevation angles during ascention and descention, but that's really it--roller coaster rides are much, much more extreme. Q: Give me some suggestions please. I am nervous and heard the take off and the landing are the worst part of the whole trip. A: Who says that? Takeoff and landing are just a part of the trip. The worst part is finding a parking spot at the airport! As just said, the takeoff and landing are the only real action points. The takeoff is actually fun. The breaking from landing is not that bad, but probably the least enjoyable. I understand fears. Flying is actually safe and fun. Try to get a mind set that you are not going to be afraid. I know - easier said than done. If you think you might get sick, call you doctor and ask for a recommendation to settle you nerves. Don't take anything that will make you drowsy if you are traveling alone. Look forward to the flight and enjoy the experience. |
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