help with first time traveler!?

Question

I have leaving from long beach airport in CA. I have a stop at Phoenix to my destinatio,which is Salt Lake City Utah. I have never been on a plane. Do not know the step by step process! Please it would be so wonderful if someone can tell me their step by step process! I really have know clue..Can I wear sandals?? lol Pleaseeeeeeeee somebody give me some advice. Can I bring a purse on the plane?? And what do you do during a stop waiting for another flight to destination?
I am flying with US airways to delta dec.4th

Answer 1

Before you leave home, get information on where you will be staying on your trip - address, phone number - make copies and put this information along with your name in each piece of checked baggage and keep a copy on yourself in case your luggage gets lost. 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. You are usually allowed to bring 2 suitcases that weigh no more than 50lbs (23kg) each, plus one carry-on per passenger. All airline rules differ on this, so you need to verify this with your specific airline.

When packing your carry-on bag, make sure that you have all your documents with you (picture ID, ticket). The key to packing a carry-on is to pack light; think less is more. For myself I like to pack one change of clothes, a few toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, deodorant, and lip balm), any medications I might need, a book, and an iPod. When packing, make sure that you are not taking any forbidden items with you and that all liquids are in containers less that 3oz (100ml) and in a one clear zip-top bag no bigger than 1 quart (1 liter).
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm
http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm

Make sure you get to the airport with plenty of time to check in, go through security, and find your concourse and gate. Rule of thumb is to allow yourself 2-5 hours before your flight. It is always a good idea to call the airport ahead of schedule to see what their wait time for security is for that specific day. Be prepared to do a lot of waiting - in line at the ticket counter, in the security line, in the terminal - you will wait. As long as you know you have given yourself plenty of time though, you shouldn’t panic, and can relax (as much as possible).

I found that the easiest way to navigate the airport is to go directly to the ticket counter and check my bags and get my boarding pass. Since you have a connecting flight, as long as you can produce a ticket that verifies you are on the next flight, you can request that the airline forward your bags to your final destination. This is great because it will save you time while in transit.

When the ticket agent presents you with your boarding pass, you will also be given you claim ticket for your bags. Keep this is a safe place and do NOT lose it – if anything should happen to your bags, you will need it.

All airports are clearly marked with plenty of signs designed to direct you in the right direction. If you are not sure of which way to go, look UP and there will be plenty of signs to guide you.

Security isn't that bad. Wear slip on or other easily removable shoes, and have your coat or jacket off when you reach the front of the line. If you are bringing prescription medications, drinks for small children, or anything else that is over the 3oz (100ml) limit, do not forget to inform the security officer. These items must be outside of your bag, and must go on the conveyor belt in a separate bin from your other things. If you have nothing forbidden on or with you, you will speed through the process.

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 usually get a free round-trip ticket to use in the future, or some other form of compensation. Be sure to find out what the incentives are before agreeing to give up your seat, and don’t be afraid to ask for what you want – the worst they can say is no. .

They also use announcements to board the plane. Most airlines will seat you 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 the window exits, they are generally about 65 pounds - 29kg), being able to hear and see commands from the flight crew, etc.

Now for your flight itself!

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. All the instructions the flight crew will give you are all on the safety card which is in the pouch on the back of the seat in front of you. 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 take off, it starts to go really fast down the runway, and then within a few 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 might "pop" as you climb through the altitudes.

Your ears pop in air planes because the air high above the surface of Earth is less dense than air near the surface. As you ascend in an airplane and the air pressure decreases, the air trapped in your inner ear will cause your eardrums to push outward. This expansion causes not only the discomfort you feel before your ears "pop," but also a decrease in hearing ability, because the pressure on your ears drums makes the sound harder to transmit. Your body can equalize the pressure between your inner ear and the atmosphere by allowing some air from your inner ear to escape through the Eustachian tubes, two small channels that connect the inner ears to the throat, one on each side. When they open, you feel the pressure release and you hear the change because it’s happening in your ear. This equalization of pressure is the "pop."

On the way down from an air plane flight, the air pressure increases, while your inner ear is still at the lower pressure it has adjusted to. Now, the extra pressure pushes the eardrums inward. Eventually, the pressure will equalize again, but many people don’t like to wait, they want to "pop" their ears

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
*Place hot damp towels (usually like the ones distributed to first and business class before take-off and landing to freshen up with - just ask a flight attendant for them) or paper towels that have been soaked in hot water and wrung out at the bottom of two paper or styrofoam cups, then hold the cups over the ears.
*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 (usually up and down) but remember, planes are designed to withstand this, so take a deep breath and try not to think about it. It might give you a few butterflies in your stomach though. After a few minutes, you will hear a ding. This is the captain letting the flight attendants know that the plane has reached the cruising altitude. 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.

To entertain yourself:
*Read a book, magazine, the paper, or do a puzzle (such as crosswords or Sodoku if you like those).
*Listen to music using an iPod, MP3 player, or CD player.
*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 friends

When you are approaching landing, your ears again might "pop" as you descend through the altitudes (remember the techniques above to help 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 turn the engines to idle 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.

When you land in your final destination, simply go to baggage claim and get your bags. If anyone is meeting you at the airport, this is usually where they will pick you up.


I wrote a small article that gives more in-depth information, security rules and regulations, plus tips and tricks for travel: http://jamiehassen79.angelfire.com/plane_travel_basics.html

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