Buzz
Necessary Documents for Air Travel
For domestic flights, you need to arrive at the airport at least 1-2 hours before your flight to complete check-in and baggage inspection procedures. You need to bring your ID card and flight ticket. For children under 14, you need to have a birth certificate or an extract; in case you lose/forget to bring your ID card, you need to have personal documents such as a driver's license, a certificate of relationship certified by the local police where you reside stamped to replace it. Additionally, you can also use a passport (if available and valid) instead of the above documents.
For international flights, in addition to your ID card and flight ticket, you'll need to have a passport and visa. A passport is a document certifying your permission to travel to other countries, while a visa is a document certifying your permission to enter and exit the country you're visiting. For more details on personal documents required for air travel, I've written a more detailed article that you can refer to here.
Necessary documents when going to the airport
Basic procedures at the airport when taking a flight
Basic airport procedures are not difficult to follow, depending on whether your flight is domestic or international, you will have different procedures.
1. Check-in Procedure
Completing the check-in process is the first thing you need to do when you arrive at the airport, whether it's for a domestic or international flight.
Let me talk about the procedures for domestic flights first. Firstly, the check-in process: upon arrival at the airport, you need to go to the check-in counter corresponding to the airline you've chosen to purchase your ticket. You'll need to present your flight ticket and personal documents for the staff to check and weigh your baggage.
Checked Baggage Weighing
2. Boarding Pass Collection
After completing the check-in process, the staff will give you a boarding pass, which is used instead of a flight ticket.
3. Security Check Procedure
During the security check process, your carry-on luggage will also be scanned through the X-ray machine. Please remove all items from your carry-on luggage for visual inspection by security personnel. Regulations for boarding prohibit carrying more than 100ml of liquids and metal objects. Similarly, checked baggage will undergo security screening using X-ray machines, metal detectors, explosive detection machines. Once cleared, your luggage will be tagged corresponding to the passenger's boarding pass to prevent loss and transferred to the conveyor belt in the baggage sorting area.
Security Check Before Boarding
After completing the check-in and security check procedures, if there is still time before departure, you should sit in the waiting area corresponding to the gate number indicated on your ticket and pay attention to announcements at the airport to ensure that your flight is not delayed/canceled. The waiting area always has amenities for you to use while waiting, such as wifi, charging areas, beverages, and convenience stores.
4: Moving from the Waiting Area to the Aircraft
When it's time to board, you need to go to the boarding area to enter the aircraft according to the order of ticket class, disabled persons, women, children, etc. Flight attendants will assist you in finding your seat and provide safety instructions before takeoff. Depending on the distance from the waiting area to the aircraft, you may need to walk or be transported by an airport shuttle.
5. Boarding the Aircraft
After boarding the aircraft, look at the seat number printed on your boarding pass to move and find your correct seat. Typically, seats are labeled by row and column for easier navigation.
6. Ending the Flight
After the aircraft lands, you need to queue in order to disembark, prioritizing cases of connecting flights at the airport to catch the next flight (for international flights) or cases of patients, disabled persons, etc.
Upon exiting the aircraft, proceed to the conveyor belt where your luggage is delivered. Ensure to check your luggage thoroughly to avoid confusion or mistakes. Once you have confirmed that you have retrieved your luggage, if you are on a domestic flight, you can proceed to the exit as usual. However, if you are on an international flight, you need to reclaim your luggage and continue with the immigration procedures before leaving the airport.
Exit Gates for Domestic Flights
Additional procedures for international flights or connecting flights
Immigration Procedures (for International Flights)
Immigration procedures are carried out when you fly international routes; besides personal documents such as ID card, flight ticket, you need to present your passport and visa to the check-in staff and customs officers. If your immigration documents are valid, you will be stamped on your passport and visa, issued a boarding pass, then security checks and boarding pass issuance procedures will be carried out as I mentioned above for domestic flights. After the flight ends, you need to continue with the departure procedures before retrieving luggage and leaving the airport. Proceed to the processing counter and prepare all relevant documents for your connecting flight. In some countries, additional documents such as round-trip flight tickets/flight tickets for the next leg, invitation letters for sightseeing or conference invitations may be required, you will need to provide all documents to customs officers for inspection and answer their questions. Maintain a calm attitude when communicating with service counter staff and customs officers if you do not want them to suspect any wrongdoing.
Transit Procedures at the Airport (for Connecting Flights)
Additionally, for transit flights (connecting flights), meaning you have to go to a new intermediate airport to continue your journey to your destination. At the transit airport, you need to find the corresponding gate for your next flight and pay attention to electronic information boards in the waiting area for your flight information. Transit procedures at the airport are similar to boarding procedures, you will retrieve your checked baggage to continue with security checks for passengers and luggage similar to when you went through the procedures on the previous flight. Transit time at the airport can last for several hours, you can rest in the lounge or visit souvenir shops, duty-free shops to pass the time. Note not to wander too far to avoid getting lost from the area needed for the next flight.
Some Notes on Airport Procedures
- If you have purchased your flight ticket online as well as checked in online for your flight beforehand at home, you can skip steps 1 and 2 and proceed directly to the customs gate. However, if you have checked baggage, you will still need to go to the counter to check in your luggage.
- Usually, check-in counters will open about 3 hours before the flight takes off. Make sure to arrive at the airport for procedures at least 90 minutes for domestic flights and 180 minutes for international flights.
- When checking in at the airport counter, if you prefer to sit by the window or near the aisle, inform the check-in staff to arrange for you. However, requests are only accommodated when there are available seats on the plane; if seats are already taken, you'll have to accept the situation.
- A small tip for those booking international flights and have to queue at the immigration counter, stand near the priority area, and I bet the check-in process will be significantly faster.
- Finally, if you unfortunately arrive at the airport late and the check-in counter is closed, immediately inform airport staff for assistance. At this point, if the flight has not taken off yet, you may still be assisted with check-in. Otherwise, you'll have to buy a flight ticket for the next journey.
- Airlines all stipulate that only 7kg of carry-on luggage is allowed. If you have more than 7kg of carry-on luggage, purchase additional checked baggage. To avoid wasting time and trouble, you should estimate or weigh your luggage beforehand and then purchase additional checked baggage when buying your flight ticket because buying checked baggage at the airport will take up a lot of time for both you and airport staff.
So, that's how you resolve the question of airport procedures, right? To best address common questions when flying, visit here when booking your flight ticket for a smooth and enjoyable journey.
Author: Thao Chi
Image Source: Internet
