We took a family member to the airport the other day and were quickly reminded that not everybody flies on a regular basis. Some hit the skies rarely, if at all. That was that case with this family member, who in his 47 years of life had flown maybe a handful of times. He had a lot of questions about the process.
It is easy for those of us who are frequent flyers to take travel for granted. But if we are facilitating the travel of others—whether it is as travel agents, mission trip sponsors or humanitarian project leaders—we need to look at travel through the eyes of the infrequent traveler so that we can help them have a great travel experience.
Here are three tips for the infrequent traveler. If you fall into that category, then you will find these especially helpful. If, on the other hand, you have more frequent flyer miles than you can track, then pass this along to a travel novice.
Give yourself plenty of time. Having to rush—whether it is packing, getting to the airport or finding a gate—is stressful, especially for the infrequent flyer. You can avoid a lot of anxiety simply by allotting extra time. Start packing for your tip several days ahead of time. Plan to arrive at the airport at least three hours ahead of time for an international flight and two hours for a domestic flight. In fact, you may even want to pad that time some and plan to arrive in time for a leisurely meal at the airport.
Be prepared for security screening. For many people, this is the most stressful part of the trip. Visit the Transportation Security Administration’s website at http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/index.shtm to find out the latest rules and tips for getting through airport screening. Basically, you should be prepared to show a government issued picture identification (like a driver’s license or passport) and your boarding pass. You will be asked to remove any laptop computers from your carry-on bag and have it screened separately. You also are limited to the amount of liquids that you can take through security. They must be in 3 ounce or less bottles and all bottles must fit into a quart-size clear plastic bag. Have this bag where you can easily pull it out of your carry-on as you approach the X-ray machine. You also should be prepared to remove your shoes. The biggest thing is to just pay attention as you go through the line and do what you see everyone else do!
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t know how to find your flight’s gate, have a question about the boarding process, or just need general guidance, ask an airline employee. The same is true once you are on the plane—if you need help, ask the flight attendant. Also, many airports have information desks and personnel on hand who are more than happy to help you. At the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, for example, these people are called Airport Ambassadors and you can easily spot them by their green vests and wide-brimmed hats. Most airline and airport employees are glad to help answer questions.
So if you are an infrequent traveler, following these three tips should make your next trip go much smoother.