First Time Flyer
 

I'm a first time flyer...I'm not really worried about the flight itself,noises don't bother me and I'll have a Kindle to keep me company..what scares me is the process at the airport. I have no idea what I'm doing...I'll only have a carry on bag and a purse with me...I'm flying from Michigan to Louisiana with one stop in Houston..changing planes also scare me...any advice or tips would be most welcome...

have a purse that you cannot set down.
have enough book to read
get an ipod and in the ear phones
put a nice big ribbon of unique and bright color on your carry on.
wear easy off shoes
get an aisle seat(for rest room)
try to avoid the back of the plane. even if you are assigned a back of plane seat, try again at the airport.
check every now and then to make certain they have not moved your gate and plane.

when at airport, ask. get there early enough, and ask where whatever is.

i pack a lunch. most airport food is really bad, and expensive, since they really get gouged on the rent. i like wraps, with plastic wrap around the bottom to keep them out of my lap. if you plan to eat in houston, buy a soda at the newspaper place. if you plan to eat in Detroit, eat befor you go through tsa, and buy your drink out there.

if your plane gets canceled, and you must rebook. do not go to the designated kiosk. run out front beyond the gates and book at the initial check-in site.

for seat selection, do not sit on the sun side of the plane.

When I arrive at the airport, and prior to getting in the security line I take everything out of my pockets (wallet (after removing my ID), change, keys, phone etc.) and put them in either my jacket pocket or my carry-on bag as both of those will be going through the x-ray machine. Many people forget about their belts, and this can set of the metal detector so it's a good idea to remove that too. The end result is that the only thing I carry on my person while going through security is my ID and my boarding pass.

By doing this you will do yourself a favor, as well as those in line and those working the lines as it will speed up the process and make it less likely that you will set off any alarms.

If you are wearing a hooded sweatshirt, you will likely be asked to remove that too - unless you don't have a shirt underneath it; you may be asked if you have something underneath but if not and they ask you to remove the sweatshirt just let them know.

If you've had any type of surgery where you now have some sort of plate/pins let them know as those could likely set off the detectors (they'll wind up wanding you too).

As far as transferring to your connecting flight, you likely will not have to go through security again (it could happen at Logan if you were switching from American to US Air, or any airlines that are in different terminals).

Once you get through security, and find your gate, pay attention to any announcements or notifications about a possible gate change. And lastly don't hover around the jetway until they call your boarding group/row number; that is one of the biggest pet peaves of many travelers.

It's really not as intimidating as I've made it out to be, enjoy your flight.

Thank you for the help...now I'm wondering why I shouldn't sit at the back of the plane..LOL..I didn't request any certain seat,but I see the point of having an aisle seat...so you don't have to climb over anyone to get to the bathroom..it's only a 5 hour flight so I should be good until I at least get to my connecting flight...I planned on taking a few snacks with me..do they offer water or soda on the plane?Can I get that to take with me if they don't?I guess I forgot to mention that my flight was booked with Continental..

It's like anything else. You learn by doing.

Yes, in general, they offer water and soft drinks on the plane, but here's a good tip.

You cannot bring your own drinks past TSA, as they limit liquids to 3 oz or less in a zip-top baggie.

What you CAN do is bring your own empty bottle through TSA, then fill it up with water at a drinking fountain after you pass TSA. I have one of those nifty reusable aluminum water bottles and use that. You could also use a plastic bottle left over from prior use.

That way, you are carrying your own drinking water supply on the plane and can drink as much or as little as you like while in flight. The airplane air is really dry, so it's good to stay hydrated. If they offer water from the beverage cart, just let them fill up your personal water bottle.

I suggest you go to www.tsa.gov and read up on the security procedures. They have a lot of information for first-timers and you want to be prepared for the TSA security process.

Finally, while you are in the airport and have a question, just ask someone in an airline or airport uniform. They are used to people asking for restroom locations, directions to gates, etc. If you have a question while you are in the airplane itself, ask a flight attendant.

Thanks so much for the tip on the water bottle...thats a great idea!

Welcome to Flying! I would advise go to the airport early as this is your first time and ask, ask, and ask! Until you're a hundred percent sure, don't relent.. ask questions about proper procedure with the airline before getting to the airport, make a list on your cell phone/blackberry/iPhone, and follow it to a T. After your first time, it'll become easier.

I suggest you look up the website to the airline and the airports you are going to and look for info there (airport maps etc are handy) and print it out. If you are flying on the same airline all the way through the chance is high you don't need to change terminals at Houston.
Here is the link for terminal maps of George Bush airport.
http://www.fly2houston.com/iah-terminalMaps

sounds like obvious advice but it really helps with travel to:

* stay calm
* don't freak out
* ask tons of questions if you are unsure. even of other travellers around you if you can't find an employee. Lots of pros are happy to assist with general advice
* If something goes wrong be patient and ask more questions
* if you need help getting your bag in the overhead bin just ask someone around you who looks like they wouldn't have a problem lifting it. 99% of the other travellers around you will happily help you load it into the overhead.
* enjoy the trip! I fly 10-20 flights a year and still get excited every time I go to the airport.

Here's another suggestion. If possible, a few days before your trip, to to the airport and just look around. No pressure, just have a look.

See where you will need to go for check-in. See where you will line up for TSA screening. Go look at the baggage claim area and see what goes on there.

If you are unsure about anything, find someone with a uniform and ask.

There are a bazillion travel tips out there, but here's something people rarely think of.

Let's say you get to where you are going and find you forgot some vital item. Panic! What now?

YOU GO OUT AND BUY IT.

There are stores everywhere. If you forgot sunglasses, lip balm, a hat, whatever, just go out and buy what you need. When you return, you have a nice little souvenir of your trip.

As you are packing and getting ready to leave, the knowledge that you can just go out and buy something you might have forgotten greatly reduces the pre-trip stress.

start a packing list using excel. customize one for scuba, one for skiing, one for europe, etc.
list all your passwords on an excel spread sheet and carry it. i print mine on colored paper to find it. for me and my wife, this is 400 entrys.
put the number of the airline customer service on your cell phone. if there are delays, and huge lines at the front desk, call there and rebook.
carry a copy of your tickets and your schedule in a clear, tinted plastic folder. write your flight numbers, seat, gate,and times on the sheet with a marker in big print.
have some small money readily available. like put 5 ones in an outer pocket.
as mentioned before, you can buy a bottled soft drink after TSA at the news stand.
if you wish, get a flimsy plastic soda bottle with good screw cap, drain it, crush it, and put it in your luggage. once past tsa you can fill it.
i hav not flown CO in many years, but AA,UA,and US are in a cost saving mode. i think a 12oz can of soda is used to service at least 3 passengers.

Thank you all so much for the tips...to be on the safe side..I don't plan on bringing any toiletries with me....I'll be making a stop at the local Wal-mart to pick up whatever I need for my week of visiting with family...I will have some singles and change with me...just in case...and some type of bottle to fill with water...I've printed out a copy of my Itenary to carry in my purse,so hopefully it has all the info that I may need on it..before I leave for the airport I plan on calling to make sure my flight is on schedule...I won't have any checked baggage,just a carry-on and my purse...I plan on taking a sandwich and a few snacks...just in case...I'll have my Kindle with me so I'll be able to read during the flight and the hour and a half layover I'll have in Houston..and of course I'll have my Blackberry with me..

If you haven't already, choose your seat now. Go to CO's website and enter your confirmation number in the change or view reservations window--smack in the middle of their page and you should be able to choose a seat. If there is no seat available for you to choose, get to the airport early. If there are only middle seats, get one and then ask at the gate (someone who has been upgraded may leave an empty aisle seat).

Frankly, I'd tuck my purse into my carryon to go through security. Have your id and boarding pass out for the checker and then slip them into an outer pocket on your carryon. Retrieve after you've gone through security.

Take a deep breath. This will be fun.

There are three kinds of scanners: WTMD, MMW and backscatter machines. Scope out what kind your airport has. WTMDs look like door frames. MMW are open hexagonal things (picture here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millimeter_wave_scanner). Backscatter machines are dark, look similar to MMW but the sides are straight and closed. (The details are a bit hazy for me) Both the MMW and the backscatter machines generate pictures of your body without clothes. You may want to opt out of either. I always opt out of the backscatter because it uses radiation and I am leary of machines which generate radiation. Opting out will cause a pat down. My experiences have been OK with the pat downs. Others have had different experiences. You will be taken to another area (after waiting for 5 or so minutes for an agent) and the female agent (if you don't get a female agent, ask for one) will put on clean gloves (ask to make sure). She will begin with patting down your hair, then run a finger around your collar, pulling it away from your neck. She will pat down your back and then move to the front and pat down your front. She will tell you what she is doing before she does it. She will then pat down your legs up to your crotch. I generally wear blue jeans and so my experience is that the agent will stop before she gets to the crotch seam in my jeans--others have had different experiences).

Be somewhat aware of what is going on as you go through security. You are parted from your belongings. You want to make sure that you know where they are all the time. Other passengers or TSA agents can pilfer from your belongings (which is why I suggest putting your purse in your carryon).

Happy flying. Probably more than you need. Folks fly all the time and security is a hassle, but not torture.

I have nothing to add to the great advice already given on this thread, but I would like to add my compliments to the OP for making the effort to do the homework, and to locate this website/forum and ask questions. If only more first-timers would do this... ^

Pre-print your boarding pass
 

Save yourself the trouble (and time!) of waiting in line at the airport for your boarding pass by checking in online at home 24 hours before your departure. When you print your boarding pass at home you can proceed directly to the security line. Your connecting boarding pass will also print at this time.

At the airport, you can utilize the check-in kiosks to change your seat assignment if a desirable one wasn't available from home. If you misplace your boarding pass don't panic. You can reprint another at these kiosks.

If you are flying Continental you can locate "Print Boarding Pass" on its home page (dead center of page). All airline sites have this ability btw. Even though you can "Check Flight Status" ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS check the monitors at the airport and listen to any gate changes while waiting.

Have fun and enjoy your trip. It doesn't have to be as terrible as you may have heard. As been stated above, if you give yourself plenty of time there's no reason to be stressed out.