Month: February 2005

My first flying experience
Doing anything for the first time is always amazing .. and when you fly for the first time, it is really un-describable (if there is a word like that ..)

From getting past all the barriers of airports – getting your boarding pass, immigration checks, security checks blah blah blah – hoping to find a Rani Mukherjee sitting next to you .. (like in Hum Tum – Hi, I am Ria – Ria Prakash) then finding your seat and finding it (again) to be occupied by some Amrish Puri instead (Mogambo khus hua).
(ps – I badly wanted a window seat for my first flight .. but instead I got an aisle seat which by hook & crook I exchanged with a window seat. Hee Hee Hee )

Austrian Airlines
Best thing about Austrian was TV screens on each & every seat. They play around 4-6 different movies apart from which two cameras are attached to front and bottom of the plane – which gets played during takeoff and landing.
You can listen to the regular radio channels as well.

Here is my 2paisa on Austrian ..
Entertainment : Excellent (Movies dekho pel ke ..)
Crew Member : Good (Soni soni Austrian kudiyaan .. 🙂 )
Comfort : Bad (Very less leg space and stiff seats)

IGI Airport (New Delhi)
Since it was first time I went to any airport, I didn’t know what to expect. So no comments.

Vienna Airport
Didn’t noticed Much. No Comments.

Indira Gandhi International Airport (New Delhi) Welcome to IGI .. as soon as you reach IGI, get a trolly 🙂 load your luggages on it 🙂 .. And waive good bye to your near & dear ones who came to see you off 🙂 .. Remember to keep following things handy with you (in your pocket/purse)

• Passport
• Tickets
• Your company I-Card ??

Keep other important documents also handy in some file etc ..

• your insurance
• your invitation letter

The Entrance Door .. hmmm .. the guard at the entrance door would check whether you have got your passport & ticket … (as visitors are not allowed to go inside the airport) .. X-Ray scanning of check-in luggages .. Once you get inside the airport, you would need to get your check-in luggages X-RAY scanned .. only your check-in luggages need to be scanned and not your cabin luggage .. you & your cabin luggage would be X-RAY scanned later .. After X-RAY scanning they would wrap a plastic thing around your check-in luggage with X-RAY passed .. Boarding Pass .. Ok .. now try to find where is the counter for your airlines .. Get in the line .. The lady might ask you

• where are you going ??
• what is the purpose ??
• how long ??
• can I see your i-card please ?? (I think this is mandatory if you are traveling on an e-ticket)

the lady would weigh your check-in luggages ..
the questions you can ask

• if you can get a window seat on the plane 🙂
• after check-in just verify from the lady if she has done thorough check-in .. so you need not carry your luggages at transit airport ..

the lady would give your boarding pass(es) to you .. most probably she would give boarding passes for current flight as well as your connecting flight .. otherwise she would tell you from where to get your boarding pass at your connecting/transit airport .. the lady would also tell you where/how to go at your transit airport .. listen to her carefully and ask if you are not clear on something .. Immigration Before immigration you would need to fill up the immigration form (be sure to fill up form meant for Indians and not for foreigners ..) Get in the immigration queue .. The officer at immigration counter can be a little rude .. you be calm / peaceful / smiling .. he can ask general questions like

• where are you going ??
• what is the purpose ??
• how long ??

Security Check You & your cabin luggage would be scanned Waiting lounge From your boarding pass you would get to know which balley to go (is it called balley ?? I am not sure ??) .. so go there and wait till they start boarding for your flight .. Welcome to the flight .. In – Flight Entertainment Check the air hostesses 🙂 Check the magazines and which movies are they playing 🙂 If you are a tullibaaj – check the combi of drinks served in flight … So, now plan how you want to spend the flight .. sleeping or any/all of the above … 🙂