Tips about
Airports and Flying
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Note: Always take a doctors certificate list of all your medications, carry any certificates with you and carry your passport and visas in your hand luggage.
Put $50 into a sock whenever you wear the socks - you never know when you might need to use this emergency trick especially if you lose your wallet or purse.
Be aware of carring bags losely over your shoulder they can be snatched quickly, put then over your neck and shoulder
When enjoying a coffee at a cafe, if you put your bag on the floor, put your feet through the strap on your shoulder bag, it then is much harder to steal.
1. Not knowing your limits
Check and double-check your baggage allowance before you pack, you don’t want to get stung with massive excess baggage fees.
Each airline is different and most will state what you’re allowed, if anything, with the fare type you buy. As a general rule, you’re not allowed more than 7kg as hand luggage or 23kg as checked luggage. Bags over 32kg may be refused on health and safety grounds.
2. Packing liquids in your hand luggage
If you want to zip through security, pre-pack your less-than-100mL liquids and gels in a clear plastic zip-lock bag before you travel. Have these (as well as metallic and electronic devices like laptops) out of your luggage when you put them on the conveyor belts for scanning.
3. Winging it
Make sure you plan your journey. Check any traffic jams, road works, events or other factors which could slow you down.
Most of the major airports in Australia have apps to help keep you on track and Skyscanner has a free-to-download app that gives updates on flight departures.
4. Leaving it to the last minute
You should arrive at the airport 3 hours before international flights and at least 1 hour before domestic flights. While you may be able to breeze through before this, if you face any delays or long lines it can be the difference between making your flight and having to rebook for a later departure.
5. Not signing up for frequent flyer points
Even if you rarely fly, frequent flyer programs are often free, with benefits like extra baggage allowance and free access to lounges. Some airlines offer cheaper flights to members as well.
6. Checking in at the airport
One of the biggest airport mistakes is to wait in unnecessary queues. Checking in online is incredibly easy. For domestic flights without checked luggage, you can waltz straight through to security as soon as you arrive, allowing you to skip a queue and claim the best seat by the departure gate.
7. Not being prepared
For international flights, keep a pen handy and have all your documents ready when you get to customs. You may be lucky and find one at the airport or a friendly traveler willing to lend you a pen, but you shouldn’t count on this.
8. Wearing headphones
Always take headphones, sound canceling are better in flight but you do not need to disturb other passengers with music blasting from your iphone or ipad.
Airport mistakes continue once you’ve gone through security. Airlines often announce gate changes over the airport PA system – don’t get too engrossed in that YouTube video as you could miss your flight!
9. Not drinking enough water
We don’t want to sound like your mum here, but keeping hydrated is so important! Drinking enough water will keep you feeling comfortable, especially on long-haul flights.
Okay, we all know plastic water bottles are bad for the environment, and at the airport they’re also bad for your wallet. Take an empty bottle and fill it at a bubbler once you get through security.
10. Not keeping your charger handy
Almost all airports and planes offer free charging points. Keep your charger in your hand luggage for easy access, especially if you’re planning to pass away time by playing games or watching videos on your own device. (If you forget your charger but have the lead you can plug your phone into any laptop or TV USB socket and the phone will re-charge),
11. Not making use of the facilities
Next time you have a stopover, don’t just plonk yourself down in your gate lounge. Your next leg will be much better after a shower, a massage or even a nap.
12. Not wearing a scarf (even in summer)
A big, light-weight fabric scarf is your best friend in an airport. Airports can be like cinemas – way colder than you’re expecting. Scarves can also double as blankets on chilly flights.
13. Wearing jeans
Jeans and other restrictive clothes make flying unnecessarily uncomfortable – think loose and floaty. Despite the runway, an airport is not a fashion show so make comfort your priority.
14. Losing your luggage
You can also commit airport mistakes at the other end of your journey. We’ve all had that moment of “is that my bag..?” at the baggage carousel, especially if you have a dark case. Make your bag standout with a bright sticker, belt or ribbon.
15. Download lots of music or movies (before you leave home)
Download your favorite movies or music onto your iPad or phone just in case the ones in flight are not suitable, at least you will have something to listen to, also maybe a game like Bakers' game or any free Solitaire or Sudoku games.
Purchasing a iphone or android mini hard drive(32gb or 64gb) will give you lots of extra space for movies or music.
Greeting people
Because of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), (2020) it may be more appropriate to elbow tap rather than shake hands
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Mar 6, 2020 - Social media is here for the elbow bump trend, and so are top health officials. ... And so far, elbow bumps seem to be catching on as the go-to greeting. ... all over the world of people doing the foot taps and elbow bumps
The first rule of meeting people is never disrespect the intellectually disadvantaged, especially when you feel that you are in a position of authority, be nice, smile, be polite to everyone, the bar staff, wait persons, door men or bouncers and you will usually get better service, do not use a superior attitude it will work against you. You may even get served first!
When meeting people for the first time it's important to remember their names so when you meet somebody repeat their name to yourself three times and then try to associate then name with something familiar. Then you will be able to recall their name and recognise them as being important. For instance on the golf course when you're introduced to your other players that you've not met before you would shake hands and say to yourself the names of the people your meeting and immediately use their names when replying to them thank you John thank you Dave welcome Fred.
When meeting people for the first time you should always shake their hand or elbow bump, and if it's a lady you have met before then you should offer to kiss their right cheek and the lady should offer their cheek to be kissed. If you have not met the lady before a simple handshake is acceptable, this is standard welcome procedure and even if you do not know the people your meeting it is wise to offer your hand in a gesture of friendship. see Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidelines.
When people shake hands they are showing they have no weapons or offer any threat to the person. Meeting this way is a traditional that has happened over the years however it depends upon the person you are meeting for instance some other people from other countries have a different way of greeting so you must be aware of the traditions of people that you might meet for instance Japanese, Eskimos or Islamic people.
The people you meeting on the most important people at that particular time in your life.
Make other feel important, try always to dictate the conversation towards what these people are about, try not to talk about yourself too much but make them feel that they are the point of the conversation.
When you meet people for the first time you must always assume that they have no colour that they are neutral in everything they do and you must make your own decision as to what sort of person they may be always send people to be at zero and then assess them either as a positive or negative this way you can form a judgment without bias and always look at the person smile and try to make eye contact in general conversation you should generally look at the persons upper lip or nose.
Starting a conversation with a stranger or strangers can difficult
Other people to greet
Japanese
When dealing with non-Japanese people, many Japanese will shake hands. Since many non-Japanese are familiar with the custom of bowing, this often leads to a combined bow and handshake which can become complicated. Bows may be combined with handshakes or performed before or after shaking hands.
Thai
The Thai greeting referred to as the wai consists of a slight bow, with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion. ... The wai is traditionally observed upon formally entering a house.
French
Kiss the cheek on their right - your left - which is the one most commonly kissed. If you are the one being kissed, offer your right cheek automatically. In most cases, men and women or women and women cheek kiss. Men hug or extend a hand to shake with other men.
Asians
Bows are the traditional greeting in East Asia, particularly in Japan, Korea, China, and Vietnam. In China, and Vietnam, shaking hands or a slight bow have become more popular than a full bow. However, bowing is not reserved only for greetings. Bowing is a gesture of respect.
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Email Peter Faulks
Applied Information Technology * AITStage1 * AITStage2 * AITStage3 * Cert II Business * Cert II Information Technology * Multimedia
Subjects * Art * Computing * English * Geography * Hass * History * Mathematics
Miscellaneous * Acronyms * Accreditation * ICT_Homework * Naplan * Lessons * Quizzes * Relief Lessons * Proverbs * Sayings * Simile
Exams & Tests * Student Survival Kit * Web quests * Worksheets * Home Page * Peters Site * Soccer
Page last updated 23rd April 2020
© Peter J Faulks
