Great information!
I would like to add one thing about going through the security
checkpoint. You put your carryon stuff on the conveyor belt,
and then get in line to go through the security "door". Try to
keep an eye on your carryon stuff at the same time. A couple
years ago, my mom had her purse stolen at the security checkpoint
at LAX.
The security guards explained the scam to her afterwards. The
thieves work in pairs. They put their stuff on the conveyor belt
and get in line to go through the door thing. Thief 1 goes through
the door thing fine, but thief 2 sets off the alarm. Thief 2 empties
pockets, goes back through the door, alarm goes off again, thief 2
takes off belt, goes through door again, etc, etc. Meanwhile the
line behind him gets long, and of course everyone is distracted
by the "show". And that gives thief 1 plenty of time to pick up
mom's purse and walk off with it, and mom never notices.
They found her purse in the ladies room trash bin, minus the
cash and credit cards of course. So please try to keep an eye
on your things, the security people don't pay attention to who
owns what.
Mark Brader wrote:
>>No one has mentioned how the overhead stuff works yet, I had no
>>idea about that before my first flight. In the ceiling there will
>>be a button for a light to shine on each seat in the row, turn it
>>on if you will be reading.
>
>
> If you don't find a button overhead, look at your armrest and there
> will be "on" and "off" buttons (as well as other stuff for the audio
> system). Note that the armrest between you and the next person may
> have your buttons or the other person's buttons.
>
>
>>Also there is a fan
>
>
> More precisely, an air outlet.
>
>
>>for each seat, you can turn it to blow harder or softer or turn off
>>completely.
>
>
> And it swivels so you can point it at your face or away from your
> face, as you like. But only *some* airplanes have this. It depends
> on how the airline values your ability to stay comfortable.
>
>
>>And usually one button on each row for the flight attendant,
>
>
> Again, if this isn't an overhead button, it'll be a pair of buttons
> ("on" and "off") in your armrest.
>
>
>>push it if you need anything, the flight attendant will come and
>>see what you need and turn off the flight attendant light.
>
>
> That's the *theory*. In practice, either they're busy serving food
> or drinks, or they're busy advertising duty-free purchases, or they're
> busy collecting garbage from the meal service, or they're busy handing
> out customs forms, or they're taking a break before the next one of
> those things and not looking at the call lights.
>
> (Okay, I exaggerate a bit, but not much. It probably varies somewhat
> by airline too.)
>
> You may have better luck waiting for one of them to walk past.
>
>
>>In the seat pocket in front of you will be a magazine and a bag
>>for airsickness. If you want a pillow or blanket, you will probably
>>have to ask the flight attendant, although sometimes you see them
>>in the overhead bins when you board and you can grab one.
>
>
> Let's talk about carry-on baggage and checked baggage.
>
> Checked baggage is, of course, carried in the baggage hold and is
> inaccessible during flight. This is for your big suitcase with your
> clothes and toiletries and spare shoes other stuff that you won't need
> during the flight. If you travel with scissors or a pocket knife,
> put those in your suitcase as well; since 9/11 you aren't allowed
> to have them on board.
>
> Carry-on baggage is either for stuff that you *will* need during the
> flight, or for stuff that's too valuable to risk checking -- tickets,
> prescription drugs, jewelry, anything like that. Photographic film
> should also be in carry-on. You are strictly limited -- although *how*
> strictly depends on the airline -- as to the quantity of carry-on
> baggage.
>
> When you get it on board, generally there are two places where you
> can put it. One is an overhead bin. These are over most of the seats,
> but they're not exactly assigned to the nearest seat, because some of
> the space is taken up by airline stuff and someone else may have taken
> up the space nearest you. If you will be putting stuff overhead, you
> want to do it first thing when you find your seat. To access the
> overhead bin during flight, of course, you will have to stand up and
> get into the aisle.
>
> The other place for carry-on baggage is under the seat in front of you
> (*not* under your own seat). This is where you are supposed to put
> heavier items. Unfortunately, although the airlines have standard
> guidelines for how large an object you can carry on, the space under
> the seats actually varies from one seat to the next. I like to use a
> briefcase for carry-on, because it doesn't require as much rummaging
> around in as something like purse or shopping bag does, but it can be
> inconveniently large. Sometimes it fits crosswise under the seat and
> that's fine; but sometimes it only fits endwise and gets in the way of my
> feet, and sometimes it doesn't fit at all and I have to put it overhead.
>
> Putting something under the seat in front of you does mean that you can
> retrieve it at any time during the flight -- but sometimes the seats
> are placed close enough together that this may not be at all easy for
> some people. For small objects that you might want several times
> during the flight -- like a paperback book that you're reading from
> time to time -- it can be handy to put them in the seat pocket in front
> of you, but then you run the risk of forgetting them when you land.
>
> One more point is that in some seats there *isn't* a seat in front of
> you, and in that case you *have* to put your carry-on baggage overhead.
> These are the same "bulkhead rows" that someone recommended because
> of the extra legroom they often provide.
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