Commercial Flying Tips for the Beginner

I have only flown commercially twice in my entire life. When I was growing up I flew all the time, but it was always in small general aviation aircraft. I didn't get to fly commercially until I was an adult, and out on my own, and that has definitely put me at a disadvantage when trying to fly commercially.

September 11, 2001 also changed everything that has to do with commercial flight. Security became much more restrictive and passengers now have to be very aware of the particular items that they choose to bring aboard the aircraft with them. A complete knowledge of what is and is not allowed on commercial flights is essential to having a pleasurable flying experience.

Since my ignorance of commercial flying rules directly attributed to some serious frustration on a recent flight, I thought it would be an excellent idea to share a few tips that will, if you are a commercial flying rookie like me, help to ease your stress on your next flying adventure.

Baggie it! - If it's an aerosol, gel, or liquid, make sure it is in a sealable plastic bag. Also make sure that those bags are bigger than a sandwich bag, but smaller than a gallon sized bag. If you are a lady and want to keep your moisturizer, deodorant, or nail polish in your carry-on, make sure you baggy them otherwise you will be losing them when you go through security. All these items must also be less than 3.4oz as well. There are exceptions for baby formula, breast milk, and other liquids such as prescription or over the counter medications, but for the most part if you want to carry on an item that fits in these 3 categories make sure you put it in a zip lock bag.

Your shoes please- One other important thing to remember is that now it is required that you remove your shoes before passing through security. Shoes are now required to be scanned so be prepared to take them off before passing through the metal detector. I don't recommend wearing a shoe that has a lot of laces as this can add to some serious frustration during the security check process.

Metal? - Make sure that you have removed everything on your person that could possibly have metal in it before passing through security. Sometimes small things such as change can be over looked and can definitely cause a big problem when passing through the metal detector. Another clothing item that can be over looked is a belt. If you are wearing one please remember to remove it and place it with your other items to be scanned before heading through the security check area.

Patience - This particular tip is easier said then done. After 9/11 we definitely have to deal with some frustrations when it comes to flying commercially. Having some patience with the whole process will go along way in making your flying experience a much more pleasurable event and will keep the stress level at a much lower level.

Allow plenty of time - Please give yourself plenty of time when heading to the airport to catch your flight. I recommend arriving at the airport at least an hour before your flight time. This will allow you to have plenty of time to be able to get through security and catch your flight before its departure time. The security checks are not a quick process and getting to the airport early will allow you plenty of time to get through security and get to your destination without experiencing much stress.

Check what you can live without- If you can live without it on your flight, put it in your suitcase. Restrictions for checked luggage are much more lenient and will save you a lot of hassle. If you don't need it on your flight it is much easier to have it checked with your luggage. This tip will go along way to making your flying experience much more enjoyable.

I think these tips will work wonders to make your next flight much more pleasant. Even with all of the restrictions that are now associated with commercial flight it is still possible to have an enjoyable, relaxing flight. By following these tips that I have laid out you will make your next flight much more enjoyable, especially if you are commercial flight deficient like myself.

To find more information on making your next flight less stressful I also recommend visiting the TSA website. You can find that website here. It will answer any other questions you may have and provide answers to some common questions. I highly recommend visiting this site before your next commercial flight. It could save you a lot of headache by doing so.