Tips before flying.....
Reaching the Counter
1…Reach the check in counter before 60 / 120 minutes of schedule time of departure:
To maximize the profit, most of the Airlines in the world try to overbook seats by 20 % , expecting that approximately 20% passengers may cancel/postpone their journey or may not turn up before departure. This strategy reduces the chance of flying empty seats to minimum if about 20% passengers do not turn up on over booked flight.
Thus, during rush seasons, if more than 100% confirmed passengers report to the counter, the rule of 1st come 1st go applies. Once the seats are full, even if it is a confirmed ticket, the boarding card may not be issued and such passengers, very humbly, may be offered the next flight or the flight of other operators or cancel/ postpone their journey. Check in counters are closed 45 minutes for domestic sector and 60 minutes before international sector, before scheduled departure time and if you do not reach in time, even if you have confirmed ticket, the boarding card may be denied due late reporting, without any liability.
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| Typical check in counter ,courtesy : aviationknowledge.wiki.com) |
2…Do not blame your Airlines operator for airport inconveniences:
Airport Terminals do not belong to the airlines and so your airlines is not responsible for any inconvenience, being faced by passenger at the terminal. Airlines are operators only and they hire the space in a terminal for facilitating their passengers from counter to the aircraft. Toilets, shops, escalators, staircases, drinking water, conveniences of entry/ exit, etc… are provided by the local Airport Authorities.. As such any complaint in this regard should be lodged to the Airport Director/Airport Manager/Terminal Manager of the Airport Authorities. The airlines authorities have no direct role to attend such complaints.
3…Your Baggage:
A passenger carries two types of baggage. One is cabin baggage (hand carry) and the other is check in baggage (carried in baggage hold area or cargo hold). Check in baggage is inaccessible during the flight. The size of cabin baggage should not be more than 55cmx40cmx20cm or 22” X 16” X 8”. For security reasons, both cabin and check in baggage are required to be X- Rayed, screened by security personnel before loading to the aircraft.
For cargo hold baggage, in modern airports, this screening is done centrally after the check in is done (boarding card handed over and baggage collected) and then the baggage is sorted out for the particular flight.
However, in small airports this screening is carried out before the cargo hold baggage is accepted at the counter. So, please ensure from airlines personnel for the screening system at that airport, else at the time of check in, you may have to come out of the long Q for screening your cargo hold baggage if at that airport centrally screening for check in baggage is not available.In case of suspicion, in centrally screening system, an announcement is made in the name of the passenger and the passenger is asked to clarify and if required about the suspicious item. The passenger may be required to open the baggage and identify item for investigation, even after the check in is over or during the screening before check in. Even if the personal security is done, in such cases passenger is asked to go to restricted area with a staff and get the baggage checked for any suspicious item. Please note that no check in baggage is uploaded unless its clear from security screening process.
Free baggage allowance varies from airline to airline. There are no charges if total weight of your baggage is within this allowance. However, for extra weight of baggage, payments are to be made before check in process is complete. Volume of the baggage also matters in case of check in baggage and charged extra, even if the weight is within limit. The reason for this charge is that, large volume items cover a lot space in the cargo and thus the cargo hold area becomes limited for others baggage or revenue cargo. This reduces the revenue of the airlines.
Its advisable to check your baggage weight at home before proceeding to the airport. Also, ensure that your weighing machine is calibrated and not reading underload. because in such cases, the weight of your baggage, measured by you at home, may not tally with the weight taken by the weighing machine at the airport. To avoid any excess payment, better to keep the weight of luggage less by 2 Kg, if weighed at home and you are uncertain about the machine reading.
For safety reasons, all types of items cannot be taken along with the cabin baggage. These are categorised as items which can be harmful to either the aircraft or fellow passengers, if misused on board. As items in cabin bag can be accessed any time easily while flying, the security personnel are very strict. they may ask you to dispose off such items which are restricted or prohibited in flight. If dangerous goods are found in cabin baggage's, you may be interrogated also. Such items can be carried in cargo hold (checked in) baggage only. These may be Personal items (like scissors, lighters, replica of toy weapon), Sporting goods(like Bats, sticks, bows and arrows etc..),Guns,Tools,Marital Arts/self defense items etc...
Prohibited items are not at all allowed at airport e.g. poison, radioactive material, fire works, inflammable gas, mercury, acid battery, weapons etc…and can't be carried even as check in baggage. A detailed list is appended below:
For cargo hold baggage, in modern airports, this screening is done centrally after the check in is done (boarding card handed over and baggage collected) and then the baggage is sorted out for the particular flight.
However, in small airports this screening is carried out before the cargo hold baggage is accepted at the counter. So, please ensure from airlines personnel for the screening system at that airport, else at the time of check in, you may have to come out of the long Q for screening your cargo hold baggage if at that airport centrally screening for check in baggage is not available.In case of suspicion, in centrally screening system, an announcement is made in the name of the passenger and the passenger is asked to clarify and if required about the suspicious item. The passenger may be required to open the baggage and identify item for investigation, even after the check in is over or during the screening before check in. Even if the personal security is done, in such cases passenger is asked to go to restricted area with a staff and get the baggage checked for any suspicious item. Please note that no check in baggage is uploaded unless its clear from security screening process.
Free baggage allowance varies from airline to airline. There are no charges if total weight of your baggage is within this allowance. However, for extra weight of baggage, payments are to be made before check in process is complete. Volume of the baggage also matters in case of check in baggage and charged extra, even if the weight is within limit. The reason for this charge is that, large volume items cover a lot space in the cargo and thus the cargo hold area becomes limited for others baggage or revenue cargo. This reduces the revenue of the airlines.
Its advisable to check your baggage weight at home before proceeding to the airport. Also, ensure that your weighing machine is calibrated and not reading underload. because in such cases, the weight of your baggage, measured by you at home, may not tally with the weight taken by the weighing machine at the airport. To avoid any excess payment, better to keep the weight of luggage less by 2 Kg, if weighed at home and you are uncertain about the machine reading.
For safety reasons, all types of items cannot be taken along with the cabin baggage. These are categorised as items which can be harmful to either the aircraft or fellow passengers, if misused on board. As items in cabin bag can be accessed any time easily while flying, the security personnel are very strict. they may ask you to dispose off such items which are restricted or prohibited in flight. If dangerous goods are found in cabin baggage's, you may be interrogated also. Such items can be carried in cargo hold (checked in) baggage only. These may be Personal items (like scissors, lighters, replica of toy weapon), Sporting goods(like Bats, sticks, bows and arrows etc..),Guns,Tools,Marital Arts/self defense items etc...
Prohibited items are not at all allowed at airport e.g. poison, radioactive material, fire works, inflammable gas, mercury, acid battery, weapons etc…and can't be carried even as check in baggage. A detailed list is appended below:
- Gases such as compressed gases, liquefied gases, refrigerated liquefied gases, dissolved gases, adsorbed gases, flammable, non-flammable and poisonous gases such as butane oxygen and liquid nitrogen, avalanche rescue backpacks, medical oxygen, oxygen spray bottles, canned oxygen, oxygen canisters, and oxygen aerosols
- Corrosives such as acids, alkalis, mercury and wet cell batteries and apparatus containing mercury
- Explosives, munitions, fireworks and flares, ammunition including blank cartridges, handguns, fire works, pistol caps
- Flammable liquids and solids such as lighter refills, lighter fuel, matches, paints, thinners, fire-lighters, lighters that need inverting before ignition, matches (these may be carried on the person), radioactive material, briefcases and attache case with installed alarm devices
- Oxidizing materials such as bleaching powder and peroxidesPoisons and infectious substances such as insecticides, weed-killers and live virus materials
- Anything that possesses and/or is capable of possessing and/or emitting a conspicuous and/or offensive odour
- Other dangerous articles such as magnetized materials, offensive or irritating material
However, following items are prohibited in cabin baggage but can be taken in "Check in Baggage"
- Knives, scissors, Swiss army knives and other sharp instruments
- Toy replicas of fire arms and ammunition
- Weapons such as whips, nan-chakus, baton, or stun gun
- Electronic devices which cannot be switched off
- Aerosols and liquids*
- Any other items which are deemed security hazards by local law
- Passengers can carry one clear transparent resealable litre sized plastic bag containing small quantities of liquid items / gels / pastes/aerosols or items of a similar consistency. Liquids / gels / aerosols include but are not limited to beverages, shampoos, suntan lotions, creams, toothpastes, hair gels and hair sprays. The contents will be subject to screening and security checks and must comply with IndiGo's security guidelines about permissible objects.
(list has been taken from Indigo site)
4…Security Check before boarding :
Put all undeveloped films and cameras with films in cabin baggage, as cargo hold (checked in) baggage screening equipment may damage undeveloped films. Cabin baggage is limited to one carry on bag plus one personal item like Lap top, camera, small bag, purse, briefcase, camera case etc..i.e. handy item. The weight of total cabin baggage is also limited and so do not make it too heavy and normally 7 to 8 kgs. normally for economy class travel. However for premium class or business class, more allowances can be given by the airlines as per their policy.
Keep all the metallic items in a tray before going for personal screening. Clothing items and other accessories that contain metal will alarm the metal detector during personal checking and as a result the screener may ask you to undergo further checks which may include removal of articles from pocket and shoes/waist belt watch bangle etc…
4…Security Check before boarding :
Put all undeveloped films and cameras with films in cabin baggage, as cargo hold (checked in) baggage screening equipment may damage undeveloped films. Cabin baggage is limited to one carry on bag plus one personal item like Lap top, camera, small bag, purse, briefcase, camera case etc..i.e. handy item. The weight of total cabin baggage is also limited and so do not make it too heavy and normally 7 to 8 kgs. normally for economy class travel. However for premium class or business class, more allowances can be given by the airlines as per their policy.
Keep all the metallic items in a tray before going for personal screening. Clothing items and other accessories that contain metal will alarm the metal detector during personal checking and as a result the screener may ask you to undergo further checks which may include removal of articles from pocket and shoes/waist belt watch bangle etc…
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| personal security system, courtesy: WikipediaShoes, |
It is better to put identification tag on your lap top before screening, as there is chance of getting it exchanged, for most of the laptops look alike. All valuable items like jewelry, currency and important documents etc should be kept in cabin baggage only. The airlines do not take any responsibility for loss of such items from cabin baggage. Carry all metal items in your carry on (cabin) baggage including loose coins, keys, mobiles, jewelry, watch, belt, pagers and other personal data assistants (PDAs). It is recommended to put your wallet also in the carry on bag or the tray to pass through the screening. This will avoid unnecessary harassment when you are being frisked in person with metal detector.
If you are using tray at cabin baggage security end, do not forget to take the identification card of the tray in which you are keeping your items. Carry this card in person and after frisking is done, collect your items from the tray against this card.
During security check, after your cabin baggage has been rolled down through screening, there may be a long Q. Please be patient and do not jump the Q. There is a yellow line at every entry of the security gate for personal checking/frisking. Do not cross the line as by crossing, you may be near to the metal sensing gate. It may sense metal in your possession and will sound alarm continuously till you are standing there. It will be an an embarrassment for you as all security personnel will become attentive to you only.
Your baggage may have been screened well before you reach there to pick it up. Now a days most of the cabin baggage are branded and look alike. Take care for not exchanging the cabin baggage unknowingly or getting cheated at the other end of the screening before picking up your baggage.
Earlier, in India ,cabin baggage tags are stamped by security personnel after screening. Although gradually this stamping is being done away with and in some metros cabin baggage tag is not required at all. Even boarding cards are also stamped after frisking is not being stamped now a days.
In advanced security system, cabin baggage and personal checking is done at boarding gate only. The baggage tag and stamping is not required in such system.
Please remember that Flying crew have priority and so allow them to proceed before you on security checking points.
Also, please do not leave your baggage unattended. If kept unattended for long, a baggage may be considered as a security threat. Also do not accept any item from any stranger for carrying along with you in the flight. It may be a danger.
5…Boarding Gate:
Boarding Gate Number for the flight is normally printed on your boarding card but due to non availability of particular bay or parking area for the plane, sometimes the gates are changed. To avoid missing the flight due to‘No
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| typical boarding gate, Courtesy: Delhi airport.in |
