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AIRPLANE!

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AIRPLANE!

Postby xjsb125 » 4/10/2006, 8:26 pm

I'm taking my first ever flight on April 24. For you experienced fliers, can you pass along any important do's and don't's that will help me along the way. Alternately, discuss your favorite lines/scenes from the movie of the same name.
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Postby crustine » 4/10/2006, 8:31 pm

Well Matt I am not a huge fan of take off or landing but that is such a short time that it really isnt a problem. Remember to drink lots of fluids (water) and the addage one in the air is two on the ground (alcohol). It is a good thing to get up and walk around a bit during the flight. At the very least you will get to meet the sky waitresses aka stewardesses.
How long is your flight?
Have you ever been over the mountains? They are definitely worth checking out. If you arent in the window seat that would be a good time to take your walk and check out the view out of the back door window.

Have a blast.
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Postby saman » 4/10/2006, 8:47 pm

hmmmm. my favourite airline company is westjet, but i'm not sure you guys have that.

umm, i would suggest that you bring your own headphones, because usually if you've got radio or tv in your flight, it requires headphones, and the airline people usually charge for them.

also, depending on your airline, you might be charged if you want food or drink. westjet usually gives drinks (except alcoholic ones) and cookies for free, but canjet makes you pay. so i'd suggest taking a little bit of food and drink with you

and uhh, pay attention the attendants when they go over the emergency procedures.

and also, i usually don't take off my seatbelt when the seatbelt sign goes off, unless i really want or need to. makes me feel safer :happytears:

oh! and also, don't take super-heavy things as carry-on luggage unless you can drag them. baaaad idea. and i don't know how it is with american airports, but in canada they ask that you take out any laptops and digital cameras during your carry-on luggage screening, so store them so that you can take them out with ease.

just relax and enjoy your flight. if your ears get plugged, chew some gum. and if you have a window seat, i'd highly recommend taking your camera with you, because who knows how many times i've flown and wished i had my camera with me.

and, umm, i have never seen airplane!, so i can't quote from it! sorry!
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Postby Dr. Hobo » 4/10/2006, 9:06 pm

saman wrote:if you have a window seat, i'd highly recommend taking your camera with you, because who knows how many times i've flown and wished i had my camera with me.

and, umm, i have never seen airplane!, so i can't quote from it! sorry!


a) i agree
b) go watch it now.

now.... as for matt... are you really sure you want ME to answer this?
go fuck yourself.
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Postby beautiful liar » 4/10/2006, 9:40 pm

Bring a water bottle, but make sure it's unopened before you go through security. They may ask you to open it and take a sip in front of them, but it sure beats paying for a bottle on the plane or from the airport. And I find that I always get really thirsty flying, so it's worth having. Snacks are good to bring too, a hard candy is good for take-off/landing to help with the pressure change (gum works too).

When going through security, be calm. They're more likely to stop someone who they think is acting nervous. Don't make any suggestions (ie, do you need me to take off my shoes? / should I take my laptop out of the bag?) and follow directions without commenting. I guess the key thing is never to volunteer information; wait until you're asked. If they have a problem with anything you have in your luggage, throw it out in front of them to avoid hassle. They've never asked me to turn on any electronics, but they ususally ask to take my laptop out of my bag and put it on top. Remember to take metalic and magnetic stuff out of your pockets so you don't beep going through the metal-detector. And don't ever leave your baggage alone anywhere, and they'll tell you that 1000 times when you're there I'm sure.

Keep your passport and boarding pass handy, and arrive with plenty of time before your flight. Check the airline's recommendations, and luggage size limits too. Airports tend to be very straightforward, follow the signs, or ask staff where you're going and you shouldn't have a problem. Just be prepared to wait. Have a portable music player and a book or something for the flight, because you can't always see the movie screen, depending on your seat and the airline.

Airplanes are fun! :mrgreen:
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Postby saman » 4/10/2006, 10:01 pm

beautiful liar wrote:Airplanes are fun! :mrgreen:


i agree! it's only been a month and a half since my last flight, but i'm already looking forward to my flight home in two weeks :nod: it's just a calm, relaxing time, unless of course your flight is crashing :eek:

but let's not think about that, shall we? airplanes are fun!

also, what claire said about the water bottles. try to keep them unopened, but honestly, if you get thirsty before you go through security, i would say don't just stay that way for fear of opening the bottle. it's really not that big of a deal if they ask you to sip your water; i've had to do it a fair bit of times. they just watch as you take a sip, and then say it's okay and let you through.

and as well, if you're wearing a belt, it'll very likely beep when you're going through the metal detector. if that happens, they'll ask you to undo your belt and then wave you over with the portable metal detector. i personally would recommend not wearing a belt at all, because i can't imagine it'd be too much fun undoing your belt and holding your pants up while everyone watches.
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Postby Lando » 4/10/2006, 10:14 pm

Just relax! It's a pretty smooth trip usually.
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Postby happening fish » 4/11/2006, 12:37 am

to equalize the pressure in your ears: yawn, chew gum, try the valsalva maneuvre (plug your nose and close your mouth and breathe out really hard)

oh yeah and if you're coming in too low for landing for the love of god don't open your spoilers.. oh wait, that was just me.
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Postby Kathy » 4/11/2006, 5:00 am

I usually have a Tim Hortons coffee in my hand when I walk thru security... 3 tims in a row it was never a problem, then one day they asked me to take a sip. Well... it was boiling hot so I burned my whole mouth.

I've flown soooo many times for work in the past 2.5 years. Key hassles that's I've learned to deal with are:

1) boarding late or last (based on zones) and there not being any room left for my carry-on. A lot of people carry a small suitcase plus their laptop these days, so space fills up fast. I now carry a smaller carry on that I know will fit under my seat in case the top bins are full (note that the under seat space is different on large vs. small planes)

2) late baggage - twice I've connected thru Washington and my bag has been delayed by 24 hours. Apparently the airport has a brutal rating on lost/late connecting bags. I try not to connect thru there, and I try to make sure necessities are in my carry-on.

3) Mean power-tripping security or customs/immigration people. I've learned with customs to make sure my answers are short, to the point (this has been worst with US immigration at airports). When coming back into the country I've learned that if you say you didn't buy anything, they don't believe you, so even on short trips where I may not have bought something, I make sure I go and buy something anyway. I keep receipts on me... you need them in case you are asked for proof.

With security, I don't offer information or ask if I should do anything (e.g. "should I take laptop out of bag?"). I don't wear belts or clothing that might have any metal parts. I've seen lots of guys looking really uncomfortable with their shoes off, belt off, holding their pants waiting until they can get their belt back. It can be stressful, especially if you are already stressed or nervous.

I love flying and I've learned to deal with the little things that stress me out.

Have fun!!

And I have some bad flight stories that I will not share.
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Postby crustine » 4/11/2006, 5:59 am

Don't fly Oceanic!
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Postby Random Name » 4/11/2006, 7:56 am

I've flown too many times to give advice.
I just don't care anymore. The only think I think about when I get on a plane is how bored I'm going to be. Haha. Annnyway about 4 years ago I flew somewhere with my friend who was terrified of planes and we had a excellent conversation before we took off (like when the engine is running but the plane hasn't moved yet) about how all those screechy sounds were just the cats.
Yes, I'm aware that doesn't make any sense. Thats why it was funny.
"Thats just the cats on the runway!!!"
I was very amused by her white-knuckled clutching of the armrests so I had to say something to make her laugh!
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Postby goleafsgo » 4/11/2006, 8:04 am

Kathy14 wrote:I usually have a Tim Hortons coffee in my hand when I walk thru security... 3 tims in a row it was never a problem, then one day they asked me to take a sip. Well... it was boiling hot so I burned my whole mouth.


Yea, I like my coffee black... like my men.


(not really, hopefully someone here knows the reference or I'll be very disappointed.)
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Postby happening fish » 4/11/2006, 9:02 am

I took Susan up for her very first flight ever and she threw up in my airplane. Success :thumbs:
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Postby PlasticAss » 4/11/2006, 9:41 am

[as the plane prepares to take off]
Hanging Lady: Nervous?
Ted Striker: Yes.
Hanging Lady: First time?
Ted Striker: No, I've been nervous lots of times.

<3 Airplane!
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Postby nelison » 4/11/2006, 9:47 am

I'm in a bit of the same situation Matt for when I fly to london a week later, but rather it's been 10 years since I last flew, and I was 10 or 11 and don't really remember it, so it feels like this will be my first flight. I mean its the safest way to travel but yet it's like, should this multi-ton piece of steal be hanging out 30,000 feet above land? lol But anyways try and stay positive and all of these tips are certainly helpful.
I can't wait until the day schools are over-funded and the military is forced to hold bake sales to buy planes.

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Postby Long Jonny » 4/11/2006, 10:20 am

i flew for the first time last month. everything went smooth. i won't repeat what has already been said... all good advice. but BRING GUM! saman was right on with that. really helps the ears out.

Oh,

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Joey: No sir, I've never been up in a plane before.
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Postby megxyz128 » 4/11/2006, 10:27 am

J-Neli wrote:I'm in a bit of the same situation Matt for when I fly to london a week later, but rather it's been 10 years since I last flew, and I was 10 or 11 and don't really remember it, so it feels like this will be my first flight. I mean its the safest way to travel but yet it's like, should this multi-ton piece of steal be hanging out 30,000 feet above land? lol But anyways try and stay positive and all of these tips are certainly helpful.


Are you flying British Airways? I flew with them to London last year and I would highly recommend them. Obviously the flight is incredibly boring, and as I'm sure you already know, get up and walk around a lot because 8 hours isn't a good amount of time to be sitting down. Other than that I watched movies on the t.v. in the chair for the whole time. They also give you wine with your dinner/lunch on the way there and back which was funny because I was like like "omg alcohol!" because i was 18 and still in the u.s haha, imadork.
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Postby happening fish » 4/11/2006, 10:40 am

J-Neli wrote:I'm in a bit of the same situation Matt for when I fly to london a week later, but rather it's been 10 years since I last flew, and I was 10 or 11 and don't really remember it, so it feels like this will be my first flight. I mean its the safest way to travel but yet it's like, should this multi-ton piece of steal be hanging out 30,000 feet above land? lol But anyways try and stay positive and all of these tips are certainly helpful.


Actually the danger of flying is about equal to that of being in a car. It's just that people spend sooooo much more time in cars than in airplanes that they're obviously more likely to get into a car accident.

Also: The laws of physics apply to everything on earth equally, regardless of size. There's no reason a a huge aircraft should have any more trouble staying in the air than a little model plane, as long as there's enough propulsion :thumbs:

In conclusion: Yay flying!
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Postby nelison » 4/11/2006, 10:40 am

we're flying Air Canada. I'm hoping to be able to sleep for a good portion of the flight because we leave at 11pm and arrive at 11am... so sleeping would at least make me adjust to the time difference. I've heard a lot of good things about BA, so maybe next time we'll take that. It just so happened we got a decent deal on these tickets with Air Canada
I can't wait until the day schools are over-funded and the military is forced to hold bake sales to buy planes.

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Postby Soozy » 4/11/2006, 11:13 am

I've already told you this Jim, but BA >>>>>>>>> Air Canada.

Some of your security stories are wierd. I always have a bottle of water with me - almost always one that I've brought from home and filled with tap water and I've never had any issues with it. When i was much younger - i guess early 90s - they'd always make you prove that any electronic equipment worked, but these days with so many people having stuff I've never had anything checked. Generally though just make sure you don't have anything metal on you when you walk through the arch thing - other than the odd zip or small watch - and you should be fine.

My favourite security people ever were in Calgary airport. The nice man at the conveyor belt helped me with my bags and when some DVDs fell out we had a little chat about them. Then I walked through the arch and I didn't beep, but the lady asked me if I would be her random search person for the hour - not that I could have said no, but it was so nice that she actually asked me. I only got wanded though - no nasty searching.

As for advice - get to the airport early, don't take any guns with you, make sure you have a good book to read and some music to listen to. Check whether you get free food/drink on the 'plane and if not take some with you. And if you can get a window seat on the right hand side of the 'plane on the way there or the left on the way back you'll have a wonderful view of the mountains.
Open your eyes to nights and days, you close them up and float away
and somehow inbetween you've got to master lying to yourself
you back the cause, get out of school, you get a job, the job gets you
and somehow every day you end up serving somebody else
now if that ain't panic that you're feeling, then you damn well better start
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