Peace Of Mind In The Skies: One Deep Breath At A Time
You are preparing to go to the Bahamas to be a part of your cousin's wedding. You got the perfect dress, an adorable bathing suit, and you discovered your lost passports. But... you've never flown before. All you ever hear about is how small and uncomfortable planes are and how miserable security is. Just the thought of zipping through the air way to far above the surface makes you nauseous. I used to be one of you, so I've comprised a little list of the things that help me cope.
The first and most important thing you can do is to just relax. Get yourself in a frame of mind where you can think rationally. Flying is extremely safe; driving your car is more dangerous than flying. Flying seems so scary only because all you hear about are dramatic stories covering crazy plane crashes.
- You are more likely to die from a bee sting than from an airplane crash.
- If you spend everyday on a plane, it will take almost 20,000 years before you would get in a crash.
- Training a pilot takes the same amount of time and money as training a doctor does.
- Everything on a plan has a back-up system, along with three autopilots and three computers.
- The airplane goes through 12 hours of inspection and maintenance for every hour they're in their air.
- Airplanes have a ten mile wide highway that no other airplane can go into when they're flying.
All these facts are correct. Hopefully this can put into perspective how safe flying actually is. Now there are other things you can do to prepare for your flight. Decide whether you want to check your bags or carry them on with you. Generally, a weekend trip that requires only a small bag can be brought on with you, while a large bag gets checked. It is recommended by the TSA to get to the airport at least two hours before your scheduled flight time in order to have enough time for getting your boarding pass, checking your bags, going through security, and navigating the airport.
Once you arrive at the airport, you are going to want to check in and get a boarding pass. In the terminal, look for a desk that has the airline you will be flying. Different airlines have different procedures for getting your bags checked, so just ask an employee and they can help you out. This is the same place you will be checking your bags, so make sure to have them ready.
Next is security. Make sure you have your boarding pass, ID, and U S passport out. If you find that you have a lost or stolen US passport, alert security at once. Wait in the line, and when you get to the x-ray machine, take off your shoes, take your laptop out of its bag, and put your purse or backpack on the conveyor belt. You will be prompted into a metal detector, and once you pass through that, you're finished.
So now that you have an idea of how safe flying actually is and what you actually need to do, you can prepare for your trip (bring your US passport), and who knows, maybe even a little fun! Don't forget to replace your lost or stolen U S passport, grab your three ounce or under toiletries, and some bubblegum for take-off and landing, and get ready to fly.
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