NINE TIPS ON HOW TO FLY IN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

I have not been writing in a while.  In the past, when I was keen to write, every time I left home, both far and near, I always wrote.  No half-hearted, even when it was intended to publish on books, I can write 100 pages of books in one day.  Especially the easy writing about my traveling.  However, lately because a lot of business that must be taken care of, I shift my writing habit  to another habits.  Of course, no less important.  Writing is important, but sometimes life has to consider priorities.   Right?  😊

 Well, now while I am abroad, I want to write again.  I will share tips to friends who may have never traveled abroad, whether in a group, or alone as I do now.

 Actually traveling abroad using an airplane is the same as doing that in other trips domestically.  It's just that there are some procedures  must be passed, and of course the level of complexity is a bit higher.  This applies both when we enter the area of ​​international flights in our own country or in other country.

For example, it is normal if before making a flight we must pass several scans, from  entering the departure terminal to reaching the gate of the departure lounge, just before boarding.  The same thing happened on trips through international flights.  However, in international flights, the scanning procedures   for each country may be different.  Some do reguire the passenger  to take off shoes and purses, remove laptops and gadgets from bags, etc. but  some don't.  All depends on the rules and the tools used.

  The most important thing is  how we can manage time precisely so that all matters related to aviation can run well.  The following are some tips for international travels that may be beneficial information for friends.

  First, make sure our ticketing is done well.  Our  ticketing may be handled by agencies that take care of our trips abtoad,  but we often have to do it ourselves.  If by the agencies, it is certainly easier to deal with.  However, if it is by ourselves, then we need a little thought to arrange strategies for how flights can be effective, efficient and  economical.  Some online travel services applications  like Traveloka  can be considered to set our strategy.

  Second, make sure you have enough time.  The best time to start at an international airport is two hours before the departure.  If necessary, even two hours before boarding.  Boarding time usually varies from 30 to 40 minutes before flight departure.  The time can be shorter or longer for all kinds of fulfillment procedures on international flights.  Usually it depends on how big the airport is.  The distance that must be taken to fulfill the procedure from one point to another greatly determines how much time is used.

  My flight schedule this morning is at 8:20 a.m. Bangkok time, the same as Western Indonesia Time.  So I had to make sure that at 6:20 I had arrived at Swarnabhumi airport.  Leaving   the Tongtara hotel at 5:15, at 5.50 I was at the airport.  So I have two and a half hours to prepare myself at the airport.  I would spend a little time to explore the statue of the god Shiva on a rock that is twisted by a giant three-headed dragon and contested by 18 gods.  It is the icon of Swarnabhumi airport which is very amazing.  Last year I was able to make a video made by the great maestro, but unfortunately the video was lost with a cellphone that was  damaged in the waters of Karimunjawa while snorkeling.  So I failed to write about it.

  Third, understand all information, guidelines and procedures  well   before implementation.  As we know that international airports must use international languages ​​to convey information, then we must at least know basic English which contains important information for our flights.  In addition, international airports, especially major airports located in the national capital, are usually very large regions.  The path we take tends to be long, up and down, and sometimes has to turn again on the side or on a different floor.  I had to walk about two kilometers at Soetta Airport and cover approximately the same distance at Swarnabhumi Airport.  Trips are calculated from the initial entrance of the departure terminal, check-in counter, immigration office, to the departure lounge.  That's a great distance and takes time for pedestrian, even though there are lifts, escalators, , or even golf carts.

  With the length of the path and the large amount of space as well as  areas at the airport, we must be on the lookout for signs.  A little slip, we can get lost and the time wiil  be  victimized.  Likewise the existing procedures must be fulfilled as perfectly as possible.  For example, passports or meningitis books (if Hajj or Umrah) must be valid, do not take pictures in the immigration room if there's are no camera signs, do not carry prohibited items, do not disobey  to officers, and others.  Do not let our carelessness because of disobeying procedures hinder the journey.

  The fourth, start by looking at the flight schedule announcement board.  Once entering the entrance of the international flight departure terminal, the first thing to do is to ensure the departure schedule and where we can check in.  We can do this by looking at the electronic notice board.  All scheduling is usually displayed on the big screen in the main hall of the departure terminal.  Like in a hotel, the place is like a hotel lobby.  The customer service is the notice board .  The notice board shows the certainty of the departure schedule and provides a counter where we check in as well.  As in  Swarnabhumi, because the airport is very wide, each check-in counter is given its own name.  After I looked at the flight schedule board, I saw Thai Airways flight No.  TG 433 from Bangkok to Jakarta is at 8.20 a.m, which means it is on time according to the booked online ticket.  Check-in is permitted and the check in counter location is in section J.

  Fifth, do check in correctly.  Go to the check-in counter and prepare all the requirements.  Enter the queue in front of the check-in counter in accordance with the order and do not do silly, for example interrupting the queue or sneaking under the belt boundary queue😗.  Usually the requirements  are our passport and of course the proof of the ticket purchased along with the flight booking code.  We just need to show the soft copy in our cellphone, or we just mention the name while showing the passport, usually the clerk immediately knows because our name is already stored in the database.  In less than 5 minutes we will receive tickets, especially if our flight is without luggage.

  Sixth, read carefully the tickets we have received.  The most important information on the ticket is when the boarding time is on and where  it is.  Of course what seat we sit on is also important, but it can be thought later  after arriving on the plane.  Usually the departure gate  is marked with a number or letter or both.  Each airline has a tendency to use certain gates for the departure of their passengers, so it is easier to track for passengers.  The ability to read tickets quickly and remember them will be related to the speed to read the signs and help us reach the departure lounge better.

  Seventh, face the immigration officer calmly.  After getting tickets from the check in counter, follow the path to the immigration department in an orderly manner.  Look at the signs well so that we no longer need to ask questions or our faces look confused.  Enter the immigration room calmly and confidently.  Immigration officials are usually cold-faced and easily suspect, because this section is the first door to enter a country.  If in this section carelessly allows any people to enter, it can endanger the country.  Of the many countries that I have visited, only immigration officers from the Ethiopia who smiled friendly to the visitors of their country.  For me it is an anomaly.  Maybe it is their way to attract  more foreigners to visit their country.

  Prepare your passport, valid visa (if the destination country requires a visa), yellow book of meningitis injection (for Hajj or Umrah), and put them together with the ticket.   If we have visited a country and come out of that country, we must include proof of the visit. It is the torn pieces of pre-stamped forms of custom declararation which were already filled in when we came to a country.  Flight attendants usually distribute the forms just before we land.  In some countries that are wary of spreading the Corona virus, alert forms for the Corona virus are also distributed.  We are obliged to fill it in and give the pieces to the officers, we keep the other pieces in case something happens to us related to Corona will be tracked.

  In front of the immigration officers we are usually asked to do fingerprint scanning.  First of our four left and right fingers, then of the two thumbs.  In Bangkok, the scanning  is by  pressing  hard on the screen of the fingerprint reader that is placed in front of us. We do that ourselves by following the instructions on the screen.  However, in Saudi Arabia, a guy can feel clumsy, especially if he is not focused.   At the immigration section of Riyadh airport, we will be served by beautiful clean skinned girls wearing clothes like ninja.  Even though the clothes are like ninja, the eyes and nose cannot hide their beauty.  Their soft hands will deftly hold our hands and help push our fingers into the fingerprint scanning device.  For those whose faith is strong, it might not be a problem, but for those whose faith is not strong, male passengers can be made to fail to focus😆.  Even those whose faith is strong, but whose "imron" is weak .  How come?  The tapering fingers are covered with very thin plastic gloves, but  the soft  skin touched tightly to the passengers' hand. It  will be unforgettable moment when the fingers are holding our fingers in seconds. Hahaha 😅.

  If our journey is a trip to leave the country usually only four fingers are scanned.  If we wear a mask, take it off for a while, make sure that on front of the immigration officers our face is not covered at all.  Make sure our faces are facing the camera because the immigration officer is checking his computer screen that shows our face that is matched to the face on our passports.

  The eighth, prepare yourself to face scanning.  Scanning international flights is usually tighter.  Prepare yourself to open the alroji, jacket, belt, hat and shoes.  Take out the usual gadget in your pocket.  In certain countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, etc. even the wallet must also be issued.  This is different from Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, or countries that have their own standards for scanning.  Make sure not to bring sharp objects, more than 100ml of liquid, games that use radio control, power bank more than 20,000 mega amperes, and others.  In short, avoid everything that is prohibited in our bodies or our luggage that we carry in the cabin baggage.  If the immigration and scanning section are running smoothly, it can be said that 90% of the processions leaving or heading for a country at the international airport are in order.

  The ninth, immediately go to the departure lounge gate as fast as possible.  As I have stated above, the gate of our departure lounge is usually clearly stated on the ticket.  If there are changes there will be an official announcement later.  Noteworthy, save time by walking fast.  The most remote place from an entire flight preparation process at an international airport is this gate.  We can walk 1 km more just to get to this part.

  When I was at Suvarnabhumi airport, I saw on the ticket that the gate to the departure lounge I had to go to was D4.  I perceive that gate D from small to large numbers is located in the same direction.  So I took the route to the right direction of the God Shiva  icon. I walked casually while practicing the Menemu Baling method because I still have much   time before the flight.  However,  after I walked about 500 meters to the right and the gate was not been found, then I realized that the direction I took was wrong.  After I looked at the sign, it turned out that the direction I was going to on the signs was D 5-8.  So I have to turn back  and take another 500 meters to go  to the first place and find the correct signs.  Next to the God Siva I found  that I had to travel to the left. According to the sign, the direction toward    the  gate D1-4  was to the left route of the statue.

  This is a valuable lesson.  Walking an additional 1 km due to getting lost is healthy, but not recommended, especially when the time at the airport is not loose.  So in order not to get lost and spend unnecessary time we must look at the signs carefully and walk quickly.  If we can arrive at the departure gate before boarding time, then we are safe.  Don't let our name be called for the third time and we haven't arrived at the boarding place, it means we miss the flight and have to stay longer abroad.  As compensation, maybe the cost of hotel and new ticket purchases must be borne by us.

  These are the nine tips on how to prepare to fly at an international airport, both in our own country and in other countries.  Hope it is useful for friends who want to travel abroad.

  =======================

  On the sky, 5 February 2020 at 11:13 WIB.  Written on a Thai Air plane with the Method of Menemu Baling, writing by mouth and reading by ear, at a speed of 800km / h on the way from Bangkok to Jakarta.