Flights

[Sammie❤️Drew]

Thanks for that silver that prob would have freaked me out not knowing that last bit lol

[GuineaPunk]

Another important thing to remember which is a pretty new rule is to make sure that any electronics you are taking on as hand luggage must be fully charged. This is a new thing brought in by the airports to counter terrorism threats, it was originally said to only be on flights heading to the USA (don't know about Canada) but I know that Heathrow in particular are starting to do random checks on all of their flights. If your electronic device is dead, they won't let you take it on the flight with you. I'm sure there are other countries that already do this as a matter of course, but forewarned is forearmed.

It's not clear which airport you are going to be flying from, but if it is Heathrow, make sure you know which terminal you need to fly from before heading to the airport. Heathrow is really big, and it can take some time to travel between the terminals if you end up at the wrong one, particularly if you need terminal 4 or 5 which are quite a distance from the other 3. This isn't normally a problem if you have planned ahead, but there is nothing worse than being in the wrong building if you are already running a little bit behind.

[AngelofFluffiness]

You can find the baggage rules on the airline website and definitely listen to Ziltoid on the Dramamine if you can get it. That helps a lot I'm told.
I usually get to the airport with at least two hours to spare; three is even better. This does security and allows time to learn about where your gate is and find out any further information you may need. Plus depending on how crowded your airport may be, YOU WILL NEED THE TIME.

[differentcountries]

The thing about electronics having to be fully charged sounds very odd... How can they even tell? Do they require people to turn on their ipods, discmans, phones TNS machines and vibrators just to prove it is not a bomb?

[AngelofFluffiness]

I'm not sure what "you're gonna be toast" means here, because it's really not that dramatic.

Hehe, toast was not meant to be literal.
I didn't mean to make it sound that dramatic, it definitely isn't. I probably put it that way because it becomes a pet peeve for me when people try to "make it fit"
Sorry about that.

[silvermoonfairy3]

The thing about electronics having to be fully charged sounds very odd... How can they even tell? Do they require people to turn on their ipods, discmans, phones TNS machines and vibrators just to prove it is not a bomb?

Yes.
Anything electronic being carried on, from what I understand. I think it's only from certain countries of origin to the US, from the article I read. (My SO sent me one from his country saying NZers are exempt.)

[GuineaPunk]

The thing about electronics having to be fully charged sounds very odd... How can they even tell? Do they require people to turn on their ipods, discmans, phones TNS machines and vibrators just to prove it is not a bomb?

Absolutely, if you have an electronic device in your hand luggage and you happen to be picked you have to prove that all of them turn on at security. If they don't turn on you cannot fly with them, although it was never made clear what happens in this instance, whether you can leave the device behind or whether there are now more charging stations to enable you to go and charge them up.

It started as flights to the US as they had got intelligence that Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri (top Al Qaeda bomb-maker) has been busy putting his creative mind to IEDs concealed within handheld electronic devices for other terrorist organisations within Syria and Iraq. However, the UK have since adopted these precautions for all flights, though I believe it is through random checks rather than every individual (I haven't flown since the new precautions). I'm sure it is a pain, but a highly necessary one.

[bubblehits]

I'm going to be a first time flyer too, heading into the US. Doing as much research as I can but still clueless on a lot of things. I wish i could get a direct flight but I have found 0, so I either get a flight with 1 stop or 2 stops and I don't even know what would be a better option. I think my total flight time is 18 hours or something like that.

Hope everything goes well for you.

[conejita_hada]

bubblehits, I would suggest a 1 stop flight (others might disagree), if you're able. The in-plane time is long but if you haven't flown before, it's one less airport to navigate. When you come into the US, customs might be a bit of a jumble but shouldn't be too bad. It just might take a while to get through so plan for that in looking at how long the layover is. When you enter the US you must go through customs and retrieve your luggage then re-check luggage (there should be a special area for international flights to do so) and go through security again. Use the layover to stretch your legs a bit, buy a meal or snacks, and use the restroom. Make sure to check the blue screens for your connecting flight number and go to the correct gate. If you ever need help or have questions, staff at most airports are generally willing to assist.

For both posters as first time flyers, I'd also suggest letting your credit card companies or/and banks know where you'll be traveling for buying snacks, drinks, etc. on layover (if you have one). It could also be good to have some pre-exchanged currency if you don't use cards. I generally like exchanging my money in my SO's country because the exchange rate is better.

[silvermoonfairy3]

I wish i could get a direct flight but I have found 0, so I either get a flight with 1 stop or 2 stops and I don't even know what would be a better option. I think my total flight time is 18 hours or something like that.

Unfortunately there probably aren't any direct flights to Ohio, as there aren't really major international hub airports there. Air travel in the US has been all about consolidation.

I'd definitely suggest a 1-stop instead of 2-stop, though. With 2-stop, there's more chance of having delays that cause you to miss your next flight. (The airline will still get you on a different flight, but it can throw a bit of a wrench into things, and make your trip even longer.)