Magomi

Preface:Hello, new user here and been browsing around hoping to settle my nerves a bit about flying and figured I'd register and ask ^^.

Subject: Okay, so I'll be taking a trop from LA to Grand Rapids which every flight I see has at least 1 stop in Denver for a 'connection' or something? I've NEVER been to an airport before, let alone out of CA in my life..so is it fairly easy to see where to go when you need to get a 'connection flight'? The total flight time is 5 hours so I figured, scared or not, 5 hours shouldn't be too terrible..

I know to get to the airport early and everything..but onto my concerns...while I'm not terribly concerned about a plane crash or anything of the sorts, reading a lot of sites and articles mentions things like blood clots, low oxygen and so on..which is what terrifies me most lol. Does it just SOUND worse than it is? Or can it really be that bad? I do suffer from sinus/allergy problems and have odd sleeping habits, but I don't really know many people who fly (most go by train or car) and wanted to get input about this.

I personally never hear or see many complain about these issues compared to "omg jet lag.." which I know full well to expect. Just a nervous first time flyer ^^

emma69

It sounds way worse than it is - you are talking about two short flights, so the chances of things like blood clots are lower than on very long flights. If you are in good general health then you should be fine. If you have bad allergies you might want to take a non drowsy antihistamine, to prevent sniffles, itchy eyes etc.

Happy Travels!

LondonElite

You'll be fine. Think of it as a bus with wings (and all the experiences that go with it). And you're not going to have jet-lag going from California to Grand Rapids.

helosc

Get a window seat so you can enjoy the view ( hopefully it is a clear day ).

Magomi

Thanks Yeah I am in general good health (just kinda lazy life style since work from home and whatnot and sleeping patterns are hit/miss lol), otherwise it just really sounded like the worst experience you could go through lol.

Glad to hear I won't experience the jet lag though I did want to book a window seat since while it's not the same, I did try out a flight simulator awhile back (the actual ones at a school) to kind of help get over my initial fears.

Lost

Blood clots are really only a concern if you already have a health condition or on REALLY long flights (think 12+ hour flights). LA to Grand Rapids is not long.

Connection: you get off your LAX-Denver flight, and look at the flight information monitors for the gate that your second flight is leaving from. Most airlines will give you both boarding passes at your departure airport (in this case at LAX).

Denver IDs their gates with a letter and number (ex: B20). The letter indicates the terminal. If you need to change terminals, there is an underground subway (train) that connects the terminals.

And if all else fails, just ask an airline employee to point you in the right direction. That's why they're there.

Magomi

Ah, thanks. I just never heard the term before (but seems like it should have been obvious), as its like 30-40 minutes wanted to get a general idea incase it was one of those rush rush rush kind of situations haha.

Is your checked luggage automatically transferred to the new plane?

ajGoes

You're going three time zones east. I always have jet lag both ways between the Eastern and Pacific time zones. Studies show that full acclimation takes around one day per hour of time change. I think that's so regardless of what folks may say they feel. Whether you're aware of it or not, your reactions will be a little slower and your mind may be a little fuzzier than usual for a couple of days.

It's not something to worry about but just be prepared to feel a little off. On the other hand, having irregular sleep habits may help you in this case.

Have a great trip and don't worry about anything!

milepig

However the Boarding Pass for the onward flight from DEN may say "pending" instead of the actual gate if it hasn't yet been assigned, and even if there is a gate printed it may not be current when you land from the LAX flight. Just check the monitors in either case and you'll quickly see the gate you need.

Magomi

Thanks all!

Oh I see, not sure if other response went through But - Is your luggage automatically sent to the new plane? I see there's a 30-40 minute connection switch in Denver, so was wondering Thanks for the tips and such, definitely helps calms my nerves about it all.

Gamecock

Welcome to FT!

Just remember tens of thousands of people navigate airports like DEN every day. Just look for monitors that will tell you where your flight will depart from and then look for signs pointing you in that direction.

If you have the ability to use a computer to do the reseach you can navigate an airport..

Enjoy your trip!

ajGoes

Checked bags are transferred to your connecting flight. There's a very small chance they won't make it, of course. In that case the airline will get them to you once they find them and can get them on a flight. They will send the bags to your final destination by courier. This is a very small possibility but, just in case, you should carry any essential medicines and such with you in a carry-on or a purse.

A thirty- or forty-minute layover is tight. That means you have a higher chance of missing the connection than you would with a longer one, because air travel is prone to delays for various reasons. If you miss your connection, the airline will put you on the next available flight. If there's nothing available till the next day, they will provide you with a hotel room.

With that in mind, it'd be a good idea to add a few other items to your carry-on bag: toothbrush, light change of clothes, etc.

One more thing about flight delays: they're very common. One common cause of delays is some kind of mechanical problem. This is totally routine and nothing to worry about. Don't get alarmed if your plane is delayed and you see mechanics getting on and off it. Airplanes are complicated beasts that are maintained to the highest level of care. That means that potential problems are fixed before they become serious ones.

Gamecock

[QUOTE=ajGoes;23396437]Good points all.

But the OP should know that the airlines have added a fudge factor into the arrival times.

OP, essentially they add a few minutes to the real arrival time and call that the arrival time. That way they can fudge on time stats. In reality you may very well arrive 10-15 minutes before the published time. The airline will tell you that they have arrived early and you will have a few more minutes than you planned. If things go a little wrong you may still arrive at the published arrival time.

WillCAD

Welcome to FlyerTalk Magomi!

Liquids:
As a first-time flier, you may not be familiar with TSA's regulations regarding liquids, gels, and aerosols in carry-on bags. here it the TSA page explaining the rule:
http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-informat...1-liquids-rule

Essentially, this means that you shouldn't pack any liquids, other than medically necessary liquids like medications and contact lens solutions, which are exempt, in your carry-on bags. You won't be able to carry a drink, or a snowglobe, or a bottle of shampoo or toothpaste, through the security checkpoint. You can buy water and soft drinks at vendors inside security, and if you're a water drinker, you can carry an empty bottle through and fill it at a drinking fountain inside the secure area.

Baggage/Carry-on rules:
Another thing to acquaint yourself with is your airline's policy on checked and carry-on bags. Most airlines today charge you a fee for your checked bags, a few charge fees for carry-ons, and they all charge fees if your bags are overweight or oversized. These rules are set by individual airline, so check your airline's web site for the details. By and large, most airlines permit you to check up to two bags and carry on one small bag (there are size limits to carry-ons) and a small personal item such as a purse or small camera bag.

A good piece of advice is, never pack anything fragile or valuable in your checked bags. Checked bags are too prone to theft, and to damage from being thrown around by the baggage handlers. If you're taking camera gear, a laptop, or other electronics on your trip, pack it in your carry-on.

Scheduling:
Plan on arriving at LAX two hours before your scheduled flight time. You don't always need two hours, but it's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. If you find yourself through security way early, you can relax, get a snack, and rest up before boarding. But get to your gate at least 30 minutes before the scheduled take-off. Boarding generally begins about 20 minutes before take-off.

Here's the basic sequence at security:

1) You'll have to show your ID and boarding pass to a TSO (the blue-shirted TSA agents) as you enter the security line. This is because only ticketed passengers are allowed in the 'sterile' area past security. After you show them, you most likely won't need them till it's time to board your plane, although now and then the TSA likes to play games and check them multiple times within 20 feet.

2) Both you and your carry-on items will have to go through security screening. For you, this will entail either a walk-thru metal detector or a whole-body imaging scanner. WTMDs only detect metal, while the WBI scanners detect pretty much anything in your pockets. It's best to completely empty your pockets before you get to the security line. For safety and convenience, simply put everything from your pockets, except your ID and boarding pass, into your carry-on well in advance.

Your carry-on items will go onto a conveyor belt to be x-rayed. There are plastic bins to contain smaller items as they go through.

You will also have to take off your shoes and any outerwear (jacket, coat, sweater) when going through the scanners. They all go in the plastic bins and get x-rayed, along with your carry-on bag, while you're being scanned by the WBI or WTMD.

If you're traveling with a laptop, you'll have to take it out and put it in a bin by itself. Tablets and e-readers do not have to come out.

3) After you and your belongings have been screened, every airport has some chairs or benches where you can sit to put your shoes back on and pull yourself together. Then you can go to your gate to wait for boarding, and you can stop along the way to grab a bite or a drink at one of the vendors inside the sterile area, use the bathroom, buy a magazine, fill your water bottle, or whatever else you need to do before boarding.

TSA Pre✓
The above is the typical sequence, but some airports also have an abbreviated sequence which moves much faster. It's called TSA Pre✓ (Pre-Check). Not everyone is selected for Pre-Check, but if you are, the TSA Pre✓ symbol will be printed on your boarding pass, so you'll know to go to the Pre✓ line instead of the regular line.

Pre✓ moves much faster than the regular line. In a Pre✓ line, you don't have to take off your shoes or remove light jackets or sweaters, and by default you go through the walk thru metal detector instead of the whole body imager. This means you don't have to completely empty your pockets, you just have to take out any metal that might alarm the WTMD. Your carry-ons will still be x-rayed, and I believe you still have to remove your laptop from your bag. But since you're not undressing for the WBI, you can grab your bag after screening and be on your way much quicker and easier than in the regular lanes.

Once you're through security, you won't need your ID any more, but you will need to show your boarding pass as you board your flight, so keep it handy.

Denver:
Here's a good thing: All of the gates at DEN are served by a single security checkpoint, so when you land there, you will not have to exit the secure area and re-enter to get to your connecting flight. DEN does have three separate airside buildings, though, so it is possible that your connecting flight might be in another building from the one where you land. To get from one building to another is done by a dedicated train. You probably won't need to worry about this, however, because most airlines only use gates in one of the three buildings. Southwest and AirTran do use gates in both the A and C buildings, so you might land in C and have to go to A to catch your connecting flight.

Maps:
Here is a terminal map of DEN:
http://www.flydenver.com/map_airport_layout

Here is the terminal map of LAX:
http://www.lawa.org/uploadedFiles/LA...tion%20Map.pdf

And here is the terminal map of Gerald Ford International (GRR) in Grand Rapids:
http://www.grr.org/Terminals.php

Good luck on your flight. Don't be nervous, be excited. Flying does have its hassles, but overall I enjoy the experience.

Magomi

Ah, alright Yeah I think aside the stuff I read that was worrying me since they made it sound like the most horrific things ever, the connection was what worried me given the short time it appears to be with some flights I can take soon.

Thanks for the info!