Airplane Stuff

[thenastyjbenny]

Hey all,

 

Sorry I'm a bit of a noob in this area...

 

I've been to Canada, All over America (east, west, south, and midwest), but all of these places I've been driven to (mainly with family). We never take airplanes.

 

However, a best friend of mine is moving to Georgia, and I would like to visit him periodically throughout the summer, and the easiest way to do that is by plane. He told me that tickets from Philadelphia to Atlanta (I live just outside Philly, he'll live in Marietta, which is super close to Atlanta) are around $120 bucks round trip. The preliminary research I've done confirms that, but I wanted to know if you guys could find a better price (I don't care about luxury, just get me there) or just plane (see what I did there?) give me advice of how to go about doing things. I'm pretty sure no one in my family has ever taken a plane anywhere so, I'm about as clueless as it gets. I literally know nothing. Even the obvious stuff to someone who travels by plane is gonna be news to me, so don't assume I know anything.

 

If nothing else, a link to a resource about how to learn more about this sort of travel would be great, thanks.

 

Cheers!

[TopDollar]

$120 for a round trip is extraordinarly cheap. The reason for that is both Philly and Atlanta are major hubs (PHL for American Airlines and Atlanta for Delta). They are also a short distance away from each other (less than 2 hour flight time). Getting direct flights between these two hubs is very likely. I like to look at Google Flights for a baseline, then go to the individual airline websites to narrow it down. Like I said though, American Airlines and Delta are going to be your best bet on prices for these two airports.

 

I've done a lot of commercial flying both within CONUS and some international traveling. I've also done quite a bit private flying as well, but that's neither here nor there (low key disappointed this thread isn't about general aviation ). As with anything though, it's a lot easier to answer specific questions rather than trying to speak in generalities. So fire away with your questions and I'll do my best to answer! If I don't respond right away it's because I'm currently at work. I'll answer for sure when I get home however. Air travel can feel really daunting to someone who hasn't done it before. I felt exactly the same way before I did it the first time.

[thenastyjbenny]

Ok, I'm at school so the same applies to me haha. (tagged so you see this @TopDollar)

 

So here are some questions:

- What exactly is a direct flight? And what are some other types of flights?

- What do you look for when selecting a flight?

- What does walking into an airport look like? What do you do? Is there any sort of direction?

- What would a checklist look like before you leave for the airport (Not traveling essentials obviously, but like airport specific stuff. If that's a thing. If it's not you can just say that  )

- I heard security is rough and takes a long time. I heard. What does security at an airport look like, and what should I expect (little bit of a repeat of the above question).

 

If you could answer all that, it would be great. I appreciate your time and response!

[Mira Yurizaki]

23 minutes ago, JR8 said:

So here are some questions:

- What exactly is a direct flight? And what are some other types of flights?

A direct flight means the airplane is traveling straight to your destination. Anything other than that means the airplane is making stops, either to drop off and pick up passengers, you have get off to transfer to another airplane, or the airplane needs to refuel or something.

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- What do you look for when selecting a flight?

Price is the first one obviously, but make sure to look at the rules and restrictions, like if you reschedule or refund the flight. The cheapest tickets are usually all-in, you cannot change your schedule or refund the ticket. Some of them do let you pick your preferred seat, but this is generally for larger airplanes like Boeing 747/777/787 or Airbus A380

 

Also figure out what the airline's luggage rules are. The standard is two checked-in luggage up to 50 pounds / 22kg (you can bring in heavier ones, but it'll cost you), one carry-on no more than 20  pounds / 10 kg and a certain size (they usually have something at the check-in counter to make sure what you're carrying on meets the physical size limit), and one "personal" bag like a backpack or purse.

 

Cheaper carriers will restrict how much luggage you can bring for free.

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- What does walking into an airport look like? What do you do? Is there any sort of direction?

You should plan to arrive at the airport at least two to two and half hours before the departure time if traveling internationally, about 90 minutes or so for local travel.

 

First figure out what terminal (or building) you need to go to. These are separated by airlines. For example over at my local airport, Terminal 1 services primarily Southwest Airlines, while Terminal 2 services United, Delta, Alaska, and some other carriers.

 

Second you need to go to the check-in counter. If you're traveling internationally, you will need to present your passport. Then you give your check-in luggage to the people at the counter and once you have your boarding pass, you can be on your merry way. The people at the check-in counter will usually point out which gate you need to be at for boarding. It'll also be printed on your boarding pass and it'll be posted on the time tables.

 

After getting your boarding pass, you need to go through the security check point. This can take a long time which is why you should arrive at the airport way in advance. After you get through the security check point, head over to your gate and chill until boarding time.

 

As for getting to where you need to go at an airport, there should be signs everywhere telling you where to go.

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- What would a checklist look like before you leave for the airport (Not traveling essentials obviously, but like airport specific stuff. If that's a thing. If it's not you can just say that  )

It would be a good idea to see if you can find out the layout of the airport so you know where to go. Even if there's nothing specific, at least knowing where parking is, which terminal you need to be at, etc. should be helpful. Also if you plan on eating, see if the airport has restaurants you want to eat at. You generally cannot bring food (except snacks) or drinks across the security check point, so keep that in mind.

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- I heard security is rough and takes a long time. I heard. What does security at an airport look like, and what should I expect (little bit of a repeat of the above question).

A long line with scary looking people and equipment

 

Anyway, first thing: be calm, be courteous, be honest, do not argue with them. The more you make their jobs easier, the less of a chance you'll have an incident.

 

Otherwise the standard procedure for security checkpoints is put your carry-on luggage through an x-ray machine, walk through a scanner, and stick around until they say your clear to go. If you are pulled aside, again, do as they say, do not give them a hard time. If you do feel you need to dispute something, do so in a calm, orderly manner. Do not give them an excuse to escalate the situation.

 

When traveling internationally, on arrival you then have to deal with customs before you're allowed to go further on your trip. Same rules apply: be calm, be courteous, be honest, and do not argue with them.

 

There's probably some other course of action you should take if things escalate in security situations, but I do not know what those are. And I've been through some pretty tough security before (Israel, I can tell you more about that trip if you want).

Edited May 2, 2017 by M.Yurizaki

[thenastyjbenny]

1 hour ago, M.Yurizaki said:

-snip-

Thank you!

 

That really cleared up a LOT of my questions. Super helpful. A++

 

As for your trip to Isreal, I'm all ears...

[Mira Yurizaki]

20 minutes ago, JR8 said:

Thank you!

 

That really cleared up a LOT of my questions. Super helpful. A++

 

As for your trip to Isreal, I'm all ears...

The fun began as soon as I got off the plane. There was a security agent there who pulled me aside (just me) to ask me questions about why I was visiting the country. So I told them I was there on business (which I was, demoing a product). They did probe further about what kind of work I do, what company, etc. But it only took like 5 minutes before they let me go. Customs wasn't so bad from what I recall.

 

Now leaving the country, that's another level. To all the people who think trying to leave the US (or maybe even enter) is bad, they have nothing on Israel. The standard procedure is to give you an exit interview. Which again, they ask why you were visiting the country and probe you on your activities. Since my work involved interacting with the Israeli government, they probed really hard, to the point where I had to give technical brief on product we were demoing. All the while, they took my luggage and started digging in for anything suspicious. They were at least mindful of keeping things tidy, but this is standard procedure in the country (everyone had to go through this) and I'm pretty sure this would be considered unlawful searching in the US or EU.

 

Granted, this is before you can even check-in and get your boarding pass.

 

Also I heard that you are interviewed several times by different agents, who ask the same questions. If you answer any question differently, they will pull you aside for further questioning and you will miss your flight. I didn't have to go through that part, due to having connections.

 

But hey, as I said, keep your cool, be honest, be polite. Sure I was nervous as heck. This is Israel we're talking about and their security does not screw around.

 

However, it's a nice country to visit otherwise.

[Thunderpup]

I agree with what everyone above has said but will add some extras that i don't see mentioned.

 

When looking at prices you need to check to see if the air liner charges baggage fees.  Some do, and some don't, but these are fees you pay at the airport when checking your bag in.  Depending on the length of the visit you may be able to just have a small carry on and be done with it. Those are rarely charged for but there are size and weight restrictions.

 

Security: you will be required to take off your shoes, belt, and empty your pockets.  Some airports require you to empty your bags as well. So keep that in mind when you dress for travel day.

 

Layovers: As top dollar stated you will likely end up with direct flights (this is good), but if for some reason you can't get one and have to deal with a layover then try to pick a place you wouldn't mind being stuck in for a while.  I'm partial to Charlotte personally, but that's just me. 

 

Gum: even though the cabin is pressurized you are likely going to have some pressure build up in your ears. You could pop them periodically but chewing gum seems to work best.  

 

Size Matters: the size of the plane plays a big part in your personal comfort.  The small commuter planes, which typically have 2 seats on each side of the isle, can be very cramp if you are tall.  I'm 6'2 and my knees hit the back of the chair in front of me in these.  Also during the summer the AC on these small planes can't keep up while on the ground.  This is not likely something you will ever be able to control, but keep that in mind when you are choosing your flight attire.

Lastly if there are any sort of medications you need to take make sure they are in your carry on and not in your bag.  you don't want to be in a situation where your bag is lost and you are without your meds.  Just make sure any prescription meds are in their bottles, and those bottles have your name on them.  I also apply this to headache meds if you are like me and are headache prone.  Last thing you want is to be 25,000 feet in the air with a raging headache lol.

 

If i can think of more i'll add to it later, but overall it isn't that bad of an experience and is quite enjoyable for the most part.  

[TopDollar]

4 hours ago, JR8 said:

Ok, I'm at school so the same applies to me haha. (tagged so you see this @TopDollar)

 

So here are some questions:

- What exactly is a direct flight? And what are some other types of flights?

- What do you look for when selecting a flight?

- What does walking into an airport look like? What do you do? Is there any sort of direction?

- What would a checklist look like before you leave for the airport (Not traveling essentials obviously, but like airport specific stuff. If that's a thing. If it's not you can just say that  )

- I heard security is rough and takes a long time. I heard. What does security at an airport look like, and what should I expect (little bit of a repeat of the above question).

 

If you could answer all that, it would be great. I appreciate your time and response!

Thunderpup and M. Yurizaki already provided some excellent answers, but I can put my spin on it.

 

- What exactly is a direct flight? And what are some other types of flights?

As was already said, it's a flight straight to your final destination with no stops in between. Often times you have to fly to one of the airline's hubs in order to get to other smaller airports. In order for me to fly really anywhere out of my little airport in Norfolk for example I usually fly to either Atlanta, Detroit, or La Guardia before heading to my destination if I take Delta. For AA, the hubs are usually Philly and Dallas. United is through Newark.

 

- What do you look for when selecting a flight?

I generally look at 3 factors when selecting a flight. In order of priority for me is cost, flight timing, and then which airline. It's kind of a crap shoot for what will be lowest cost on any given day, so I like to look at google flights which gives you a calendar and has the lowest cost flights highlighted. I'm pretty flexible when traveling for leisure, so I can adjust days off around flights. I look at layover times as well. I personally don't like long layovers and I find the 1:00-1:20 layover timing to be a good sweet spot. Although I have had 30 minute layovers in both Atlanta and Detroit and never had a problem getting to the gate on time. Flights are usually early because the airline factors in extra time for headwinds, long taxiing times, other airplanes blocking the ramp or gate, etc. Over 1.5 hours and I head straight for the bar haha.

 

I also have some rules of thumb that I usually go by unless there are extenuating circumstances. Firstly, I always buy a verified seat. I have no interest in dealing with being on standby. I had a flight get delayed last time I flew, and re-booking through a different hub was a breeze on the Delta app for this reason as I ended up getting priority. For flights over 4 hours, I'll go for an aisle seat; otherwise window. Most airlines let you choose what seat you want long before the flight. I also hardly ever bring a hard carry on bag. Small airplanes like CRJ-200s and Embrear 145s have very limited overhead space so just having a backpack or soft dufflebag is a lot more convenient. I'll check a bag if I'm staying more than a few days.

 

- What does walking into an airport look like? What do you do? Is there any sort of direction?

Others already gave good answers on this one haha. Signs everywhere though. Navigating an airport is pretty easy. Just pay attention to what terminal, concourse, and gate your flight is leaving from. Airline apps help as do the screens. Concourses almost look like shopping malls though. Lot of little stores and restaurants. I'll usually grab a beer or 2 if I have a longer layover.

 

- What would a checklist look like before you leave for the airport (Not traveling essentials obviously, but like airport specific stuff. If that's a thing. If it's not you can just say that )

I probably do more than most people to be honest haha. I actually take the time to look at the airport's website to gather information on airport layouts, parking situation, concourse transit options (train, walking, bus, etc). When I get to the airport, I head over to the airline's kiosk to print my boarding pass. If I'm checking a bag, I'll pay at the ticket counter and drop it off. If not, I'll just go straight to security. I usually like to show up to the airport about an hour prior to the flight. Big hub airports usually take a bit longer to get through though.

 

- I heard security is rough and takes a long time. I heard. What does security at an airport look like, and what should I expect (little bit of a repeat of the above question).

It's not all that bad. Honestly it's people not paying attention or listening to TSA that cause problems. For the standard security line, you need to remove your belt, shoes, take laptops/tablets/liquids out of your carry on, and step into the body scanner when they direct you to do so. I'd recommend poking around the TSA website which gives guidelines for airport security.

 

I'm probably not the best person to ask about airport security though since my job allows me to be automatically enrolled into TSA Pre-check. That's similar to the security checkpoint crew go through. The line is much shorter, you don't have to take anything out of your bag (just put it through the xray scanner), keep your shoes/belt on, and walk through a regular metal detector. I think the longest amount of time the security line has taken for me was about 10 minutes at a large airport. Generally though it only takes me a few seconds if the line is empty.

 

Hope this kind of demystifies air travel for you a little bit. I asked a lot of the same questions, so no worries if they sound "dumb" or simple. Let us know if you have any other questions! 

[thenastyjbenny]

@M.Yurizaki @Thunderpup @TopDollar

 

All of your guys' advice (and story in @M.Yurizaki's case) gave me incredible insight into airports and have been a great help. I appreciate all of your replies, and I'll rest easier knowing I'll basically have an instruction manual of what to do in an airport thanks to this thread.

 

Cheers all!

[TopDollar]

1 minute ago, JR8 said:

@M.Yurizaki @Thunderpup @TopDollar

 

All of your guys' advice (and story in @M.Yurizaki's case) gave me incredible insight into airports and have been a great help. I appreciate all of your replies, and I'll rest easier knowing I'll basically have an instruction manual of what to do in an airport thanks to this thread.

 

Cheers all!

Number 1 tip: Never refuse any free service onboard the aircraft. Eat the shit out of those peanuts, pretzels, and cookies. I'd stay away from the aircraft's potable water though (i.e. the coffee).

[Mug]

Is the train not cheaper?

Alternatively,, can you not get a coach?

[TopDollar]

1 minute ago, Mug said:

Is the train not cheaper?

Alternatively,, can you not get a coach?

Philadelphia to Atlanta via train? That shit would take 16 hours travel time and cost about the same if not more haha. Less than 2 hour flight time.

 

Only time I ever heard of someone taking an epic train ride like that was when I was working in San Diego on official travel and we had to send someone back to Virginia via train because they couldn't fly due to a medical emergency that happened while on travel.

[Mug]

6 minutes ago, TopDollar said:

Philadelphia to Atlanta via train? That shit would take 16 hours travel time and cost about the same if not more haha. Less than 2 hour flight time.

 

Only time I ever heard of someone taking an epic train ride like that was when I was working in San Diego on official travel and we had to send someone back to Virginia via train because they couldn't fly due to a medical emergency that happened while on travel.

Jeez that's bad, didn't know it would be that bad. I guess the distance is similar from Edinburgh to Paris (which can be done in 6.5 hours here by train) but didn't realise it'd be that slow.

[TopDollar]

1 minute ago, Mug said:

Jeez that's bad, didn't know it would be that bad. I guess the distance is similar to Edinburgh to Paris (which can be done in 6.5 hours here by train) but didn't realise it'd be that slow.

6.5 hours wouldn't be all that bad. Most all other forms of transportation outside of air travel kind of sucks here in the US. One of the things I loved about traveling in Europe or Japan though was how awesome the rail service was. At least in Japan, you could quite easily get around the surrounding cities of Tokyo by train relatively quickly and cheaply. 

[Thunderpup]

@Op something i forgot to add earlier.

 

Don't be afraid to consider upgrading to first class.  On short trips it usually isn't terribly expensive, like $50 per leg, but that usually also covers the cost of your baggage fees too; which tends to be $25; in addition to having adult beverages included as well as priority boarding and exiting.  So it turns out to be a decent deal especially if you are fairly tall.

 

59 minutes ago, Mug said:

Jeez that's bad, didn't know it would be that bad. I guess the distance is similar from Edinburgh to Paris (which can be done in 6.5 hours here by train) but didn't realise it'd be that slow.

Here in the states the trains move as slow as the cars but cost almost as much as a plane ticket.   right now the only time a train makes any sort of sense are the commuter trains in the north east, or the trains that let you bring your car; except there are limited amounts of those.