Travel International Flight

[Breva_]

Get really drunk & obnoxious before the flight in the departure lounge.
This will ensure you don't get on your flight & you delay the flight for the others on it.
I have seen this happen in Perth for flights to Bali many times.

 

[peejay]

1. Rule... ALWAYS Make sure you have travel insurance as if anything happens you'll be covered, otherwise your looking at a $20,000+ bill

.

Actually if yiu have paid for your flight by a major credit card you may not need this. I use my citibank Visa nd it includes free travel insurance - i have not bouight travel insurance for about 10 years and saved thousands - check with your card company

 

[deeman12]

I've got the B1/B2 visa in my passport now. Was just wondering what the process will be for me once I land in the States? Will I need to fill out any forms on the plane as well, etc? Never travelled before, so going into it all somewhat blind.

Cheers

 

[The Passenger]

If you are going to Bali, your final destination is Indonesia, not Bali. Bali is not a country. Shits me to no end when family write Bali. I actually had a customs official congratulate me for having the common sense to write Indonesia.

something about this really makes me laugh

 

[The Passenger]

regarding what people are saying about travel to the states and having the address you're staying at correct, i assume that is just for your first destination yeah?? if one wanted to do a 6 week road trip fairly off the cuff and spontaneous about accommodation, that wouldn't be a problem??

 

[monty1104]

regarding what people are saying about travel to the states and having the address you're staying at correct, i assume that is just for your first destination yeah?? if one wanted to do a 6 week road trip fairly off the cuff and spontaneous about accommodation, that wouldn't be a problem??

Yeah thats fine. I did an 8 week tour/trip and I just had to have my first destination, but you also had to provide proof you have means to leave the country.

 

[JuddsABlue]

Reading this thread makes me want to be going on holiday again

Airports are the best places

Get there early is my number 1. When flying internationally theres plenty of things to keep you busy on the other side of the customs gates. Theres a whole new airport back there that you never wouldve seen if you've only flow domestic.

And of course you'd rather be early than flight for a flight

 

[year of the roo]

Reading this thread makes me want to be going on holiday again

Airports are the best places

A necessary evil is a better description.

 

[TheStinger]

Reading this thread makes me want to be going on holiday again

Airports are the best places

Get there early is my number 1. When flying internationally theres plenty of things to keep you busy on the other side of the customs gates. Theres a whole new airport back there that you never wouldve seen if you've only flow domestic.

And of course you'd rather be early than flight for a flight

I had to get to Barcelona T2 for a late flight back to Edinburgh. They only had one eatery, a magazine shop (where I had a wonderful conversation with the lady who worked there who thought I knew more Spanish than I actually do) and a couple of high priced speciality shops that bored me to tears. I had an hour and a half to kill and I was able to successfully kill about 15 minutes of it. Safe to say it wasn't fun.....except for the weird conversation.

 

[morri]

wow you can go through the gates without a ticket? , Not possible here- You have got to say good bye before the passport check and body check . Also otherwise every tom Dick and Harry could just go behind the checks and get duty free stuff...

 

[rdhopkins2]

Make sure you have any visas sorted before arriving at the airport (or ESTA for the USA) or you won't be boarding.

Arrive at the airport 2-3hrs prior to departure. If you end up having time to kill, enjoy a water / coffee / amber ale but if you miss check in deadlines or don't allow enough time for security then possible bye bye to your flight money. You may have to purchase a new ticket!

Pre-fill your departure card if possible at home or else you'll need to before joining the queue at immigration on departing. Personally I take a couple each time I travel so I can always pre-fill one out. As also mentioned, fill out your landing cards for immigration and customs on the plane.

If you have a new passport with the machine readable chip, use the machines if possible.

Sort out your foreign exchange before reaching your departure airport / your destination airport if possible or you will get shocking conversion rates and or fees stung on you.

I'm flying MEL-SYD-SCL in a couple of weeks so if I get a chance to update you with info after departure I shall to on current MEL airport process.

Oh and it goes without saying, DO NOT joke about security issues or you could be fined and/or imprisoned. But you already knew that.

 

[lincsPJ]

$20 ?????? Where we're you going?

It's 160 on the Mel - LA run.

yeh i reckon MEL-LAX on VA was 150 a seat for exit row last yr.. and they all got sold quick smart.

 

[jonoman89]

A necessary evil is a better description.

This. Airports and air travel are shithouse.

Literally have no idea how someone could enjoy being herded like cattle through an airport then sit in a shitty seat for 22 hours.

I love travelling, but flying is awful.

 

[FRUMPY]

yeh i reckon MEL-LAX on VA was 150 a seat for exit row last yr.. and they all got sold quick smart.

LAX-MELB - when checking in the woman asked what seat i would like, isle or window, i said doesnt bother me. She said, you seem like a nice guy ill give you the exit row seat. Best 14 hour trip i've had. Slept like a baby for half of it, so much better when you can stretch out, and didnt pay an extra cent for it.

I usually arrive 2 hours before takeoff. Thats plenty of time. The filling out of the card takes 2 minutes so not sure why people really mention that as an issue.

Was recently in america, i filled out the address properly and got through customs after only a few normal questions. My mates didnt fill it in right and got stuck for an extra 10 minutes answering questions.

If your in America (especially in the summer), where thongs, easier than taking off your shoes all the time and comfy as on the plane.

 

[TheStinger]

If your in America (especially in the summer), where thongs, easier than taking off your shoes all the time and comfy as on the plane.

Yeah, but don't call them thongs or you will get some strange looks. I learned that the hard way in Berlin when I said to an American that was at my hostel, "nice thongs". He did a triple take and then said "what?"

Apparently they call them Flip Flops.

 

[Herbs]

Air travel = the pits. The waiting, security, immigration, ecomony class seating.....I could go on.

 

[Caesar]

Air travel = the pits. The waiting, security, immigration, ecomony class seating.....I could go on.

Do.

 

[WCErevival]

I got a great trip home next week. 6 hour flight to LA, 3 hour stopover, 15 and a half hour flight to china, 15 hour stop over then an 8 hour flight home. I may commit suicide.

 

[Herbs]

Just came back from the Philippines, airports over there are a special kind of chaos - though not as chaotic as road traffic in Manila. Plus their reginal airports are fairly dodge. Just so you know.

 

[TheStinger]

I got a great trip home next week. 6 hour flight to LA, 3 hour stopover, 15 and a half hour flight to china, 15 hour stop over then an 8 hour flight home. I may commit suicide.

My flight home from LA is a little less stopover time but no less circuitous. I will be in LA so no need to fly there, but about a 13 hour flight to Narita, Japan then a 1 3/4 hour stopover before a 7 hour flight to Singapore where I will have a 4 hour stopover before a 7 hour flight to Adelaide. I leave at 2pm on a Monday and arrive in Adelaide at 5pm on a Wednesday.

Just came back from the Philippines, airports over there are a special kind of chaos - though not as chaotic as road traffic in Manila. Plus their reginal airports are fairly dodge. Just so you know.

Best/worst landing I ever had was in Legaspi airport in the Philippines. Pilot just slammed the plane down on the short runway and then put into full brake lockup and did a giant fishy down the runway before coming to a stop. Looking around the cabin though, most local passengers were just reading the newspaper or just looking bored. Must be how they always land.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

From my travelling experiences; LAX is the most boring international airport in the world and the airport in Chinese Taipei would be one of the most intimating and scariest places on earth.

Was travelling to Vancouver, Canada and the flight went through Chinese Taipei and as a very naive Aussie kid, I saw the guards holding machine guns and I nearly s**t myself. Let me just say, no stupid bomb jokes got told that afternoon.

 

[BomberFletch31]

Literally have no idea how someone could enjoy being herded like cattle through an airport then sit in a shitty seat for 22 hours.

I love travelling, but flying is awful.

Obviously not an aviation enthusiast.

I love flying. As far as I'm concerned, the journey is just as much an attraction as the destination.

Not all seats are created equal. If you have some idea of which airlines are good, and which are bad, which plane types are good and which are bad, which seats on said aircraft type is good and which are bad, then the journey can be a lot more comfortable than being squeezed into a seat barely big enough to sit on aboard Air Asia chasing the rock bottom fare.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

This. Airports and air travel are shithouse.

Literally have no idea how someone could enjoy being herded like cattle through an airport then sit in a shitty seat for 22 hours.

I love travelling, but flying is awful.

Agree with this and the way I see it, it's a mean to an end.

The experiences of travelling are worth the pain of sitting in a small seat for some ungodly time.

 

[TheStinger]

Another thing on Philippines airports, Manilla in particular. I went there on a basketball team trip and we had a lot of stuff with us and 15 people. We arrived in Manilla at about 9 or 10pm and made our way through customs and collected our luggage. We approached the checkpoint where they would check your bags for contraband and the like as a group. It was late at night, hot and it was probably nearing then end of the shift for this poor Filipino customs official.

She took one look at us and then at all of our luggage and then back at us and just waved us through.

No way she could be bothered with us.

So, in conclusion, if you want to smuggle something through Manilla airport, just go with lots of people with lots of bags and arrive late at night.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Another thing on Philippines airports, Manilla in particular. I went there on a basketball team trip and we had a lot of stuff with us and 15 people. We arrived in Manilla at about 9 or 10pm and made our way through customs and collected our luggage. We approached the checkpoint where they would check your bags for contraband and the like as a group. It was late at night, hot and it was probably nearing then end of the shift for this poor Filipino customs official.

She took one look at us and then at all of our luggage and then back at us and just waved us through.

No way she could be bothered with us.

So, in conclusion, if you want to smuggle something through Manilla airport, just go with lots of people with lots of bags and arrive late at night.

IIRC, they did the same thing when a large group of us went thought KL at like 1 in the morning.