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 Quite often we are asked about the procedures to be followed at an Airport.
We've put together a few notes which may help a little.
First of all; before you set off to the airport remember Money, Passport, Tickets - also remember to have access in your hand luggage to any medications. You will need your passport and tickets readily at hand - don't stick them in your suitcase... Watch the weight of your cases - an easy way to check is to stand on your bathroom scales holding the case and again without the case, then work out the difference. Over weight baggage is normally charged at a high rate.
Security measures have increased at all airports and you are advised to arrive up to three hours before your departure time, It's a good idea to have a bottle of water or other drink in your hand baggage (but current restrictions are that liquids cannot be taken through to the departure area)..
Check in your Baggage
On an outward journey the first thing you do is check in your baggage. Your suitcase will be weighed at check in and taken from you to be placed in the aircraft’s hold. You are only allowed to take one small bag on the plane - remember to keep money, passports, tickets and medication with you. There are restrictions on what your hand luggage can contain. Do not carry any sharp objects - knives, scissors, tools, sports bats and, of course imitation guns, are all banned.
At the end of the check in process you will be given a boarding card for each member of your party. This will show your seat number and you will need it several times before you get onto the aircraft.
NB It is also a good idea not to make any jokes, comments or references to bombs on aircraft while you are in an airport. (It does happen, I’ve seen and heard it recently - luckily for the man involved the police didn’t hear him...).
Passport Control
After check in you can go through to passport control where your documents (your passport and your boarding card) and hand baggage will be checked. This involves putting your hand baggage through an x-ray machine, along with any jacket, buckled belt, hat, walking stick - you will then walk through a metal detector unit for personal inspection. You are likely to be offered a tray on which you can put your watch and loose change together with any other metallic object. Travellers who are fitted with a pacemaker need to follow a different procedure.
Once you're through passport control in the departure area you cannot come out. These areas do not have access to the outside - but they do have bars, restaurants, cafes and shops. They can get quite busy, particularly in high season and the prices can very high....
Throughout the departure area you will find clearly displayed monitors giving details about departures. Your flight will be allocated a specific departure gate number where you will need to be about 30 or 40 minutes before departure. Keep checking your flight details on the monitors for any changes. Your boarding card and passport will be checked again at the departure gate.
Some of the shops will need to see your boarding card when you buy goods.
On arrival at your destination you will go through a passport and immigration control section where they check passports and visas.
Then you make your way to the baggage reclaim which can be quite an interesting experience - just because all of your party’s luggage went onto the aircraft at the same time it could be that there is a 15 minute wait between getting your first suitcase and your last one..!!. Then it’s through customs and on to find your holiday rep and the coach, to the car hire section or the taxis.....
Bad news for the smokers. There are just a few areas inside the terminal buildings where you are able to smoke (and this is likely to disappear altogether in 2007). There is no smoking at all anywhere on an aircraft - with smoke alarms fitted in all toilets.
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