Flying alone...

[Basia]

Yes, that is right. I'll be flying on my own for the very first time this comming november. Am I scared? You can bet your butts I am. Any tips for a new solo flyer?

 

[Jim_Henson]

Its not that bad, the first time ever in a big plane... so I fly overseas.

Take food.

 

[april-wine]

Keep flapping your arms...........



Wow you are much braver than I......Concetrate.....and enloy every minute........

 

[Cheyenne]

Don't sit next to a business person and keep yaking about the clouds and how far up you are, about how the buildings look like ants. And don't scream when you land. The wheels are SUPPOSED to touch down on the ground first.

 

[Guest]

I flew solo for the first time on Monday.
It was relatively pain-free. Security is tight. It seemed everyone was more tolerant and friendly, than in my past experiences. Just make sure you have no security violations in your carry-on. And, I would suggest getting there an hour or more before hand.
You'll be just fine.

 

[Purrde Flower]

sleep. Sleep most of the way. It will make the flight easier. Bring a book to read. Make sure it isn't about poket knives of how to assemble a bomb. It might also be good to stay away from any 9/11 material also.

 

[april-wine]

Hmmmm so are you flying by yourself????? or actually flying solo???as the pilot??? I'm so confused......

 

[Basia]

Its not that bad, the first time ever in a big plane... so I fly overseas.

Take food.

It's not my first time on a plane, it's my first time on a plane with out my mom...

I don't think I'll have enough room in my carry on for food. I'll be carrying school books too.

 

[Basia]

Keep flapping your arms...........



Wow you are much braver than I......Concetrate.....and enloy every minute........

*snickers* I'll keep that in mind, hun. and no, I'm not going to be the pilot (Can you get that lisence at 19?), just going down to visit the in-laws for thanksgiving. I just realized that it's only a few weeks away...

 

[Basia]

Don't sit next to a business person and keep yaking about the clouds and how far up you are, about how the buildings look like ants. And don't scream when you land. The wheels are SUPPOSED to touch down on the ground first.

LoL. The second a business person thing sits next to me, out will come American History, A Survey or Physical Geology: The Landscape of Our World.

 

[Basia]

I flew solo for the first time on Monday.
It was relatively pain-free. Security is tight. It seemed everyone was more tolerant and friendly, than in my past experiences. Just make sure you have no security violations in your carry-on. And, I would suggest getting there an hour or more before hand.
You'll be just fine.

Yeah, My flight is at 4, I was planning on getting there by 10 or 11 at the latest.

 

[Basia]

sleep. Sleep most of the way. It will make the flight easier. Bring a book to read. Make sure it isn't about poket knives of how to assemble a bomb. It might also be good to stay away from any 9/11 material also.

Like I said, I'll be doing homework the whole time. I do have a dumb question though... The bag that I'll be checking, do I have to get it from the baggage claim in my layovers, or not?

 

[peachykeen]

Totally feel your pain, Basia. I HATE flying. Thing is I do it all the time, have flown 10 times in the past year and Monday I fly from South Bend to Cinnci, and then Cinnci to Newark. Then the following Monday I fly Nwk to Cinnci, and then Cinnci to London. Just suck it up and bear it, is how I deal with it. At least on the international flight I'll get free booze.

Incidentally, my flight Mon is also at 4, EST. I'll be thinking of you.

 

[Texan]

I'm an old guy that has made a living by flying on business for the past 20 plus years. There are a lot of guys like me on every flight. I recently calculated that I've flown a bit over 3.5 million miles.

On a rare occasion, I get to sit by someone who is on their first flight. It gives me a chance to remember how exciting those first flights were when I was a kid.

When you fly somewhere almost every week for years, it's easy to think of the flights as a miserable but necessary part of making a living. I dread going through airports and sitting for hours on planes in seats that are too small. Many of the flights I take are over 9 hours, and I absolutely hate sleeping on a plane.

Someone posted that you should try not to sit next to a business person. With assigned seating, you probably won't get to choose. But just keep in mind that many business travelers really enjoy sharing your excitement. Most business travelers are good people, who would just prefer to be almost anywhere except sitting in another cramped plane seat. Be nice to them, and they are good company.

 

[kotori]

You only have to claim your bag at your final destination. If it's there. Just kidding, 99% of the time, it's a breeze. Just remember to keep your ticket folder--some airports are stricter than others about showing proof that the bag is yours.

The first time I flew was 1958: trans-Atlantic. I slept most of the way. I was only fifteen months old. hehe.

 

[Texan]

Like I said, I'll be doing homework the whole time. I do have a dumb question though... The bag that I'll be checking, do I have to get it from the baggage claim in my layovers, or not?

If you are flying inside the U.S. you don't have to get your bags until you arrive at your final destination. (In fact, you can't get them until your final destination.)

If you are flying internationally, it depends on the country you are flying into. Some countries will check your bags through to your final destination (especially in Europe). Some countries (like the U.S.A.) require that you get your bags and clear customs at the first stop in the country; then you re-check them to your final destination.

Whatever the case, they will announce it on the flight before arrival. They will also usually announce the baggage claim carrosel where you can find your luggage.

 

[Texan]

Totally feel your pain, Basia. I HATE flying. Thing is I do it all the time, have flown 10 times in the past year and Monday I fly from South Bend to Cinnci, and then Cinnci to Newark. Then the following Monday I fly Nwk to Cinnci, and then Cinnci to London. Just suck it up and bear it, is how I deal with it. At least on the international flight I'll get free booze.

Incidentally, my flight Mon is also at 4, EST. I'll be thinking of you.

Is that a Continental flight? Newark and Cinn are hubs for Continental Airlines. The reason I mention this is because less than a month ago, Continental started charging for alchol on international flights.

 

[Cheyenne]

The first time I flew was 1958: trans-Atlantic. I slept most of the way. I was only fifteen months old. hehe.

Me, too! Only I wasn't yet a year old at the time.

 

[Silverlily]

My first real solo flight I was enroute to the UK and hooked up with a dozen or so National Guardsmen on their way to Oslo.

We had a blast.

 

[Weird Harold]

Yeah, My flight is at 4, I was planning on getting there by 10 or 11 at the latest.

Unless you like being bored and want the extra time to worry, plan on getting to the airport no SOONER than One o'clock for a Four o'clock flight.

Even with the added security, three hours is more than enough time to get checked in and through security. If you get there too soon, you're going to wind up standing around for the check-in counter to open so you can check your bags and get your boarding pass.

Don't be afraid to ask questions, but airports are fairly easy to get around in once you figure out where to look for the signs -- they're designed to accomodate people who have never been there before.

 

[Xander]

Its been said before. Sleep, or just sit and read and do your homework.

Its no biggy really. You go up, get your complimentary meal of some undefinable sort, and then you come down again

If you are flying over the atlantic and is in the air for minimum 8 hours...I sure hope you're flying with British airways or something non-american, not that American Airlines are bad by any means, But as soon as you get over international waters, The drinks are free, INcluding the alcoholic ones. And you cant get that on a US plane cause of the US booze laws

A drink, watch the inflight movie, and fall asleep during it, usually does it for me

 

[Angel]

Hey I have a totally random question.

If you buy tickets like... via travelocity.

Say you're flying from New York to LA.

You're flying Delta from NY to Chicago. You then have a 30 min layover, after which you board your American flight for the second leg of your trip.


If you are using two seperate airlines (Which Travelocity tends to do to get you cheaper trips) do you have to recheck in? Get your bags and recheck them? WHY DONT THEY TELL YOU THIS SHIT ON THE WEBSITE?

 

[seXieleXie]

Hey I have a totally random question.

If you buy tickets like... via travelocity.

Say you're flying from New York to LA.

You're flying Delta from NY to Chicago. You then have a 30 min layover, after which you board your American flight for the second leg of your trip.


If you are using two seperate airlines (Which Travelocity tends to do to get you cheaper trips) do you have to recheck in? Get your bags and recheck them? WHY DONT THEY TELL YOU THIS SHIT ON THE WEBSITE?

you don't have to recheck your bags, your baggage is checked to your final destination.

as soon as you get off the plane be sure to ask a ticket agent to direct you to the gate for your next flight. once i had a layover in laguardia and had to get from terminal a to terminal c in like 15 minutes. if i hadn't known that the other airline was in another terminal i probably would have wandered around lost and missed my connecting flight.

 

[seXieleXie]

i love to fly. i think it's fun and interesting. i've never been scared of it. the first time i was on a plane i was 10 and flying to washington dc. i was alone. actually, now that i think of it i have never gone on a plane trip with a travel companion.

anyway, two hours is plenty early. an hour is okay if it isn't a huge busy airport or a peak travel day. i always sleep on planes but some people have trouble with that so homework is a good idea.

don't wear an underwire bra. don't carry a lot of stuff in your pockets (it becomes a pain when you're going through security check). don't forget your passport or driver's license.

relax, stay calm, stay alert have fun

 

[TWB]

Yes, that is right. I'll be flying on my own for the very first time this comming november. Am I scared? You can bet your butts I am. Any tips for a new solo flyer?

My biggest problem was radio communications in solo x country flight. If you are doing touch and go s at your airport, you will find it exciting and not scary at all, likely.
A little fear is good. You will likely feel freer than you ever have.

have fun!