Write a guiteline for your website on important things to know before boarding in an airplane.
Answers
1. Download and Use Your Airline’s App
Unless you’re checking a bag, there’s no reason to queue up at the check-in desk or deal with a fingerprint-smudged kiosk at the airport. Download your airline’s app ahead of time, make sure your reservation details are in, and then use it to check-in.
2. Get The Airline Credit Card
Don’t fly enough to earn elite status? Airline credit cards like the United Explorer and American’s Citi / Advantage Platinum Select offer cardholders perks similar to elites, including free checked bags and priority boarding.
3. Have a Status Strategy
Speaking of airline status, if you are going for gold (or silver, or platinum) this year, make sure your frequent-flier number is attached to all your airline reservations. Even if you’re not flying your usual carriers, chances are the airline you’re on is partners with another you fly more frequently thanks to alliances.
4. Check Aircraft Alternatives
Seats and amenities can vary dramatically, even from plane to plane within a single family of jets in a particular airline’s fleet. Once you settle on an airline, double check the aircraft type and seat map on the carrier’s site to make sure you’re flying the plane you want.
5. Assess Your Seating Situation
Whether you like a window or an aisle, it’s worth checking Seat Guru‘s detailed seat maps to confirm your chosen place on the plane won’t be too close to the galley or the lavatories, with their associated noises (and smells!).
6. Stay Organized
Keep all your information in one place by using App in the Air or TripIt, two apps that do things like consolidate your flight statuses, check-in times, gate numbers, and nearby lounge locations, and will update you on schedule and gate changes.
7. Check Real-time Reports
Like a jilted lover, airline apps are usually the last to know when things are going wrong. Use Flight Stats to track flight statuses, on-time performances, weather conditions, and even the flight history of your specific aircraft, all in real-time so that if your plane is delayed.
8. Remember the Liquid Lowdown
Remember, any liquids you’re carrying through TSA checkpoints must be less than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) and placed in a see-through bag no larger than a quart.
9. Sign up for Pre Check, Already
Keep those shoes and belts on, leave the liquids and laptops in your bag, and forgo the full-body scans by getting TSA Pre Check. You could pay $85 for Pre Check itself, or spend $100 for Global Entry, which also confers Pre Check (usually) as well as expedited immigrations and customs access.
10. Investigate Security Speed
Bypass the worst security checkpoints at over 200 airports around the globe by tapping into the Flight app’s crowd-sourced, real-time checkpoint waiting times.
11. Size Up Your Bag
Sighting a new revenue source, many airlines have instituted strict size limits for carry-on bags, which are stringently enforced by eagle-eyed gate agents.
12. Gather Your Gadgets
Phone: check. Laptop: check. Tablet: check. Camera: check. Spare charger: check. Power cords: check. Travelers are carrying more electronics than ever. Luckily, there are organizer cases galore to keep all your devices and cables within reach and ready for security screening.
13. Remove Those Batteries
Due to fears of onboard fires, airlines have instituted smart luggage battery bans since January 2018. If your bag has a battery pack, be prepared to show that it is removable in case your bag has to be gate-checked. But don’t leave that battery pack at home, necessarily. 14. Grab and Go
Hate airplane food, but afraid you’ll miss boarding while waiting in a line at an airport restaurant? Use the Grab app to pre-order and pay for items at participating restaurants and vendors at over 30 airports in the U.S. and U.K. Place your order on your ride to the airport and pick it up on your way to the gate without breaking stride.
15. Connect for Less
Many airports offer free Wi-Fi, but beware of hackers. Using a VPN offers a measure of protection.