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Air travel can be quite a painstaking and daunting procedure, right from booking your flight and making sure your luggage isn’t overweight to making the flight time before it’s too late.

All this can seem a little too frustrating and stressful without the proper information before your first flight, that’s why we’ve carefully put together “Ten things every new first-timer should be aware of before boarding a plane in Nigeria,” starting with;

1. Book your flight prior to the intended travel date
If there's one thing every first-time flyer should be aware of, it’s the fact that you won’t always get an available seat ticket on the said day of booking, and this isn't subject to Nigeria only.

A simple way to go around this is to book your flights some days prior to your intended travel date.

This depends on the airline you wish to patronize. For instance, you intend to travel on a Thursday, it is advisable to start your flight booking process from Monday.

Early flight booking gives you an edge in getting a ticket and also, you may be subjected to a discount or a ticket with a special offer. Note, you can also book your flights online using the Airlines’ flight app.

2. Carefully put together the required document.
Your documents are essential for you to check-in. Have your documents, i.e., ID card, Passport, visa, and flight ticket carefully put together and make sure nothing is missing from this.

Not having any of your required documents present during check-in could lead to flight postponement or, in worse cases, cancellation of the flight.

A simple trick is to arrive at the airport an hour or two before your flight time. This makes sure you carefully go through the documentation process without feeling the first-timers' pressure and gives you a better opportunity to enjoy the Peace and Serenity of the airport.

3. Know your luggage type
Before boarding a flight, it is essential to know your luggage and what part of the aircrafts’ compartment they’re meant to be stored during the course of your flight.

The three types of luggage:

• Hold luggage
The hold luggage or checked luggage is kept away from its owner during the flight; this luggage is kept in the airplanes' hold. Usually, after it has undergone security checks you’d have to drop it at the airports’ check-in desk.

• Carry-on luggage
You’ve probably watched a few plane documentaries or movies where airplane passengers keep their luggage just a few inches above their seats. That luggage is called carry-on luggage. As a passenger, you can carry one to be stored in the airplanes' cabin located above the seat.

There are restrictions to this type of luggage, do find out the airline luggage policies for this.

• Personal items
Items like laptops, phones, purses, handbags, medicine, etc., Are categorized as personal items and are kept with the passenger throughout the flight.
Note, every luggage category is subject to a security check before heading on to your seat.

4. Know the Airlines’ acceptable weight for each flight class
Airlines have luggage weight policies. Before flying, check with your airline and have this information handy before your scheduled flight time and date.

Air peace allows luggage weight of up to 20kg for economy class and 40kg for business class while charging N500 per kilogram of extra weight outside its weight policy which is paid at the airport.

Note, these price rates apply only to Air peace domestic flights. Do check for other airline luggage policies.

5. Know the terminals and wings
While In the airport there are two distinct terminals, the arrival terminal and the departure terminals.

And also, you will find that there are two travel wings when In the airport; the domestic wing is for flights within the country, and the international wing is for flights outside the country.

6. Check-in procedure
After you must have booked your flight date and time and issued a flight ticket, it's flight date! Arrive at the airport before time and proceed to your airline counter for documentation and baggage check.

7. Boarding pass
Next, have your boarding pass printed at the airport (Note, you can do this online before arriving at the airport). The boarding pass contains the passengers' names, flight date, and time of departure.

To print your boarding pass, you'd have to provide a means of identification to enable you to print a boarding pass.

8. Security check
Security checks before a flight is necessary to make sure you don't carry any restricted item into the plane. Note, you will be asked to take off your shoes, jacket, or any metallic jewelry you have on.

It's okay to feel a little bit tensed while this procedure takes place, but be rest assured that this is totally okay, and most passengers feel that way.
While on the plane, note the following;

9. High altitudes and low humidity in the cabin may lead to headaches and dizziness.
Before traveling by air if you're a first-timer, a basic rule of thumb is to hydrate (drink ample water) as high altitudes and low cabin humidity can lead to dizziness and headaches resulting from dehydration.

10. Airplane food doesn't really taste good; carry your food.
While bad food taste on an airplane during flight isn’t exactly new, there’s a reason for this effect. The atmosphere coupled with low humidity in an aircraft is why sweetness is reduced and saltiness heightened by a margin.

It is advisable to always to carry your own food when boarding a plane if you feel you can't stay through to the end of the flight without food.
Flight time can be a fun time if carefully planned out. While on it, make sure to enjoy every bit of time spent on the plane.

Thank you for this interesting and informative post! I like to travel by plane. Does anybody know websites where I can find the cheapest flights?

nathogkilres200:
Thank you for this interesting and informative post! I like to travel by plane. Does anybody know websites where I can find the cheapest flights?

Google flights and Skyscanner are my favs. Safe travels friend!