Let’s admit it: boarding an airplane at an unfamiliar airport or on an international flight can be a downright stressful process. From non-stop announcements about boarding groups to overzealous fellow travelers, it can be difficult to stay calm and board a plane without experiencing a stressful moment.
If you’re heading to the airport soon, here are some tips for how to make your boarding experience go as smoothly as possible.
Keep Your Eyes and Ears Open
Instead of being absorbed in your cell phone or your computer screen, pay attention to the information that’s being relayed by the gate staff. If you’re in boarding group 1, don’t wait until they call for boarding group 4 to board! All important information will be relayed either visually or audibly, so stay on your toes.
Don’t Stress About Getting on First
There’s really almost never a reason to jettison your way towards the front of the line or to stand in a boarding line for a long period of time. If you have a ticket for the flight, you’re going to board without a problem. If you’re worried about having space for your carry-on, don’t. The airline will check the bag if there’s no more space left!
Stick With Your Group
Nothing is worse than getting separated from your family or friends in the boarding line. If, by chance, you want to make arrangements to sit together on a plane and your boarding passes don’t have you sitting together, you’ll want to board at the same time to try to solve this problem.