Here are a few tips for the next stage of
your journey.
Dress suitably for your destination –
especially if it is a winter destination. Wear your most robust shoes as you
will do a lot of walking at airports and it will save some weight in your
suitcase. Wear your jacket – it gives you extra pockets and aircraft
temperatures tend to be cool.
The highways are congested for most of the
day so leave early. Even a small accident en route could cause delays and will
put you under undue pressure – at worst you might miss your flight.
Most airlines will allow you to pre-seat
yourself but it is still advisable to check in early as they have the right to
change your seats. The early bird is more likely to get their chosen seats.
Weigh your luggage in advance so that there
are no problems with overweight luggage.
Make a mistake and you could pay heavily
for it. Check the rules in advance for the allowable size and weight of hand
luggage or you could end up having to repack your bags or worse.
You might consider carrying a moon bag for
your valuable documents, credit cards and money. You will be asked for your
passport and boarding pass countless times before you board the flight so it is pointless dropping them into your hand luggage every time.
Security at all airports is strict so be
prepared to co-operate with the staff and comply with their requests. Becoming
irritable will only delay you and aggressive behaviour could land
you in big trouble. It is a thankless job so I always greet the security staff
with a smile and a friendly word.
Purchase chocolates, alcohol and general
gifts for overseas relatives and friends at the airport as these parcels do not
form part of your luggage weight allowance. Generally the prices are reasonable
and if you check in early you can shop at your leisure – just don’t miss your
flight.
Make sure you know the directions to the
gate for your flight and watch the boarding time on the overhead sign boards.
Some gates are a 10 minute walk from the duty-free area. Airlines do not make
announcements and do not call for individual passengers who are late – they
simply unload your luggage and leave without you.
By boarding the flight early you are more
likely to find suitable space in the overhead lockers – late-comers battle to
find space near their seats and sometimes their bags are scattered around the
plane wherever there is a space available.
‘Bon
Voyage’
By
John Ridler, Thompsons Holidays - www.thompsons.co.za
