| Airport
Procedures During Departure |
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| 1. Depending on the country air port officials
will ask you to be present 2-3hrs before your flight. Depending on the
traffic situation (queus) for the entire process it might take 30mins to
2hrs; so better be at air port at least 2.5hrs before your flight.
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| 2. You are allowed to take 20-30kgs as your
baggage. You can hand carry another amount. Some airlines consider weight
as the combined (baggage+handcarriage). Typical size that one can hand
carry is 1.5x2.5x1 feet cubic sized bag. |
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| 3. Before you start the process of check-in
take whatever local calls required. There can be situations that you won't
find coin/card boxes at the middle of the process.
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| 4. In most of the air ports there is a display
terminal available giving information each flight status(eg. checkin
counter, time, terminal, gate ..etc. ). Your flight
number is available from your ticket. From that display terminal
understand the counter number you should go at. Most of the counters will
open only 2hrs before your flight (time). |
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| 5. Air port proceedings contain 4 main
sections in the following order
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| 5.1 security check-in : This can involve
x-ray checks, baggage openings...etc depending on the country. In some
countries officer in charge paste a "security cleared" sticker
on your baggage. |
| 5.2 get a boarding pass : Your baggage
is weighed and they paste identification tags. You have to produce your
passport and ticket to the counter and obtain your "boarding
pass". This is the time you get your seat number. So if you are a
smoker/nonsmoker or have special needs by talking to officer there it may
be possible for you to get the seat you prefer. |
| 5.3 customs clearance : Before you go to
customs clearance make sure you fill "de-embarkation card" which
is freely available from desks available. If you are traveling from a
country other than your motherland you may have to produce your visa. (or
some card they gave you when you come into the country) |
| 5.4 check-in to gate : Once you get in there
generally you are not allowed to comeback. Normally they open check-in
gates 30-45mins before your flight. You may be taken to the plan through a
terminal or by a bus. Air port tax has to be paid (unless prepaid by your
travel agent) to this counter. [tax differs from country to country].
"Tax paid receipt" will be attached to your boarding pass by
counter officials. |
| 5.5 departure gate : Once you get in they
normally don't allow you to come back; so do all you want to do before
coming on to this point. |
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| 6. In some air ports/lines it is required to
manually identify your baggage before you get into the flight. Make sure
whether such a thing involves for your flight. |
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Airport
Procedures During Arrival
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| 1. Normally during the flight a crew member
will give you a embarkation card. Otherwise get one from the landing
air port and fill it. |
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| 2. Get the clearance from customs. They'll
check your visa. If you are planning to get visa on arrival someone with
visa should appear there before you get into the counter. There will be a
fixed fee for visa. |
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| 3. You may change minimum number of TCs for
local currency so that you can survive until you find a bank(in side the
country). Rates of conversions seems to be good for the traveller when you
change it inside the country |
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| 4. Clear your baggage from the belt. If you
lost your baggage immediately inform officer(s) in charge before leaving
the baggage area and without waiting for a long time. If you loose
baggage, clothes and surviving material brought with you (hand carried)
will become handy. |
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| 5. Some air ports arrange taxis for your
destination for a fixed price. Since you don't know about the country at
first this is very helpful. |
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| 6.1 Soon after you
arrived your destination make sure you reconfirm your return flight. If
your travel is for shorter period (1-2days) this will be crucial. During
the time you reconfirm it, make sure you inquire about the "air
port" name and terminal number. In countries which have
multiple airports closed by you should know to which air port you should
go for your return journey. |
| 6.2 If your entire
flight involves multiple different airlines make sure you reconfirm each
one separately. From the information available in ticket you will not be
able to find the airline involved directly. So before your journey try to
find the names of airlines involved; so that you can find their telephone
number from yellow pages soon after you get down. |
| 6.3 Most of the
airlines operate from 9.30am to 5.30pm. Make sure you confirm during that
time period. |
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| 7. Note the time
duration you took to travel from airport to your destination on that
country. This is helpful when you travel back |
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