Are you flying for the first time or has it been too long since you last flew? Do you not know or are unsure about the procedures for flying now? Check out this article about guidelines for flying procedures. It won’t waste 5 minutes of your time.
Airplanes are also known as the safest means of transportation in the world. That’s why more and more people are flying. Some people who have never flown before are very confused about the new procedures when going through the flight process, while frequent flyers are often faced with updated regulations to enhance flight safety. So in this video, the blog will provide detailed and concise guidance on how to go through the flight procedures for first-time flyers and those who have flown many times.
Check your reservation before heading to the airport
Before heading to the airport, make sure you have purchased your plane ticket. You can contact the airline’s hotline or email confirmation upon ticket payment. Many first-time flyers do not know that buying cheap plane tickets at the airport is not possible. However, once you are at the airport, cheap plane tickets are not available. Why is that? Because last-minute plane tickets are usually very expensive as the cheap seats have already been sold, leaving only the expensive seats available. So contact cheap flight ticket agents to book your plane ticket in advance, the earlier the better. The earlier you book your plane ticket, the more chances you have to get a cheaper fare.
Check your personal documents before heading to the airport
The next important thing to prepare before heading to the airport is your personal documents. If you forget to bring your booking code, you can easily handle it by contacting the flight ticket agent to request a code, also known as a flight ticket code. But if you forget your personal documents, it’s a big deal.
If you arrive at the airport hours before your flight, you can run home to get your documents or ask a family member to bring them for you. But if you arrive too close to your flight time and forget your personal documents, you may have to go through procedures to reschedule your flight. Depending on the airline, there will be different fees. Some airlines only apply a fare difference, subtracting the fare of the new flight from the fare of the old flight. Some airlines require an additional fee called a flight change service fee, plus the fare difference. It can cost a lot, so before heading to the airport, check all your personal documents once again without wasting too much of your time.
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Regulations on personal documents when flying
The personal documents you need to bring are your national ID card or citizen identification card for Vietnamese passengers aged 14 and above. Or a Passport is also applicable to all individuals, including children and infants.
For Vietnamese passengers who are children under 14 years old without a passport, they need to bring their birth certificate, the original birth certificate or a certified copy from the local ward, from the age of 14 onwards, children must have a national ID card, the birth certificate is no longer valid at this point.
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What to do if you don’t have the required documents?
Cuong Du Lich knows that there are many cases where children over 14 years old do not have a national ID card or passport, and parents of these children are confused about how to proceed with boarding the plane. If you are facing this issue, don’t worry, you just need to bring your household registration book to the local police station to request a confirmation of the child’s residence in the area. This confirmation paper will have a photo and seal of the local police station with a statement explaining the reason for requesting the confirmation to serve the purpose of flying.
This confirmation paper is valid for 1 month. This means that within one month, this confirmation paper will serve as a temporary identification for children. After flying, it is also advisable to apply for a citizen identification card for the children. For adults over 14 years old who unfortunately lose their identification card or citizen identification card, they should also go to the local police station to request a confirmation paper as mentioned above. Cuong Du Lich has encountered many cases, many elderly people buy plane tickets and when they arrive at the airport, their identification card has expired for more than 15 years or has some parts blurred, torn, or faded, so when their identification card encounters such issues at the airport, it means they do not have personal documents. At this point, the airline security staff have the right to refuse to process the flight procedures for these passengers.
Carry-On Baggage Check
Regarding baggage, especially for domestic flights. If you buy tickets from Vietjet, Jetstar, and Bamboo Airways, each person is only allowed to carry 7 kg of carry-on baggage without checked baggage. For passengers who buy tickets from Vietnam Airlines, they are allowed to carry 10 kg of carry-on baggage and 20 kg of checked baggage.
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This is a regulation that many people are still facing, which is that Vietnam Airlines has changed the baggage calculation from a system based on pieces to a system based on weight. This means that with 10 kg of carry-on baggage, if in the past you could bring two or three bags as long as they added up to 10 kg, now you are only allowed to bring one bag under 10 kg. The same goes for checked baggage. Many people used to bring back many gift boxes as long as they were under 20 kg, but according to the new regulations, you are only allowed to bring one single piece of checked baggage. So, please take note of this issue.
You absolutely must not exceed your designated weight limit, as this can affect your wallet because you will have to pay a fine if security personnel find that you are over the weight limit, no matter what procedure you use, you can easily be detected. Because right at the airport exit, there will be random security personnel re-weighing your luggage, called random but 90% will be re-weighed.
Procedures at the Airport
After you arrive at the airport with all your personal documents and your flight ticket, you start the check-in procedure at the airport. Currently, there are 3 online check-in methods offered by airlines to optimize your waiting time for boarding, Cuong Du Lich will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each method and advise you on when to do which procedure.
Procedures at the airport check-in counter
The most common method is checking in at the counter, which is usually applied by first-time flyers because it is the easiest way to complete the boarding procedure. Just bring your flight ticket code and personal documents to the airline check-in counter outside the airport, the check-in staff will instruct you what to do, and that’s it. However, this method will be very easy if the airport is not crowded, you fly on weekdays, but if you go to the airport during holidays, try waiting in line and see, you may not even get to check in for your flight. Note that you must be at the check-in counter 40 minutes before the flight. If you arrive after this precious 40 minutes, it means you are late for the flight, you will have to go to the airline information counter to reschedule your flight, pay extra fees, and it’s quite a hassle.
Completing procedures at the self-service kiosk
The second way is slightly more convenient than the first. You can proactively choose your seat on the plane, complete the boarding procedures much faster by checking in at the kiosk. With this method, you just need to go to a stand that looks very similar to an ATM, enter the code, select the passenger to check in, choose the seat, print the boarding pass, and you’re done, super simple and easy. By checking in at the kiosk like this, you won’t have to weigh your luggage, but make sure your luggage meets the weight requirements, as they may still be checked at the airport exit.
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Doing the procedures to board the plane this way is faster and more convenient, but it has some drawbacks. Passengers with checked baggage still have to go to the check-in counter to drop off their luggage. Also, if your ticket includes a newborn baby, you cannot do the check-in procedure at the kiosk. This method is quick and efficient, but if there are many passengers checking in on that day, you may still need to wait in line. Additionally, because the machine is touch-sensitive, many people touching the screen can lead to hygiene issues.
Doing the procedures online on the airline’s website
There is a third and most convenient way to do the check-in procedure, which is online check-in. You can do it from home without waiting in line. However, for online check-in, you need a computer or a device with internet connection. The first time you do online check-in, it may be a bit confusing because some people are afraid of making mistakes and missing their flight. Just follow the instructions carefully before pressing ok or cancel. The process of online check-in is similar to using a kiosk, where you enter your name, select the passengers for check-in, choose your seat, and finally print the boarding pass or download it to your phone.
You cannot do the check-in online in cases of checked baggage or infants, similar to the second method. In these cases, you must be present at the check-in counter to follow the regular procedure.
When at the airport, make sure to have your boarding pass with you, carry your identification documents, and your only task is to proceed directly to the security checkpoint.
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Through the Airport Security Checkpoint
Continuing with the boarding procedures outside the security checkpoint. First, remember that all accessories on your person, except clothing and jewelry, must go through the scanner. These accessories include shoes, belts, watches, phones, laptops, bags, backpacks, hats, umbrellas, etc. Electronic devices such as mobile phones, cameras, laptops, in general, all electronic devices must be placed in a separate tray for scanning. You will also pass through a body scanner, and if the machine beeps indicating metal objects on you, a security officer will conduct a more thorough check. If everything is normal, you have completed the airport security check.
Notes when undergoing security screening
Many passengers encounter situations during luggage scanning because the X-ray machine displays items in black and white, blue, red, etc. If the security officer sees an item in blue (indicating low temperature) or red (indicating high temperature), they will ask for an explanation. Once, Cuong Du Lich forgot a wheel lock in the suitcase, so had to explain, and another time carried 10 battery-operated candles in the suitcase, which looked like cylinders resembling fireworks, so had to explain as well. If you have any unusual behavior, the security officers will investigate further.
Find the boarding gate
Once inside the waiting area, you are very close to your first flight. For many first-time flyers, it can be a bit confusing to find your gate among the many entrances and exits. Stay calm, look at your boarding pass to find the gate number, then look slightly above eye level to see the sign pointing you towards your boarding gate. Oh, and if you checked in at a kiosk or online, your boarding gate won’t be displayed on your ticket. Don’t worry, just look at the electronic board to see your flight number and which gate to go to. Look slightly above eye level and you’ll see directional signs.
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Pay attention to the boarding time, line up on time to board the plane either by bus or via the stairs. You don’t get to choose this, as ground security at the airport will take care of it. Just follow the instructions of the airport staff, find your seat according to the number on your ticket, listen to the safety instructions, and you’re ready to take off.
Simple, isn’t it? In fact, many people are a little scared the first time they fly because airports are crowded, they hear only English, and they hear others say that the procedures are complicated, so they get scared. The first time I flew, I was also scared to death, but I just followed the instructions, asked about things I didn’t know, and every staff member was willing to help because it’s their job.
Have you been able to do the airport procedures by yourself yet?
I hope that with these brief shares, Cuồng Du Lịch believes that you will be able to do the airport procedures for the first time more easily, without feeling confused or worried like Cuồng Du Lịch did before. If you need Cuồng Du Lịch to answer any more questions about doing the airport procedures for the first time, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below for Cuồng Du Lịch to guide you further. And now, don’t forget to like, share, and follow to receive more up-to-date information on the latest airport check-in procedures, thank you for following, goodbye and see you again.
