Flying quite a bit recently, so here are a few life hacks to save time and energy while getting in and out of the airport and the plane. Personally, I hate wasting time, and I hope you do, too.
- Don’t arrive earlier than two hours before the flight. Usually, registration finishes 40 minutes before departure, so two hours should be enough, unless you have luggage. Which brings me to number 2:
- Don’t take luggage! A trolley bag and a small backpack should be enough for up to 10 days. This is the main time-waster – waiting for luggage.
- If your trolley is overweight, remove the heavy items and place them in a plastic bag. No one will ask what’s inside, and you’re allowed to bring a duty-free bag, anyway.
- To get faster through security, try the “Matryoshka method”:
- Put your hoodie and belt inside your backpack – it will be easier to retrieve them from the moving belt.
- Put your phone in the backpack.
- Put the backpack on the moving belt before the laptop. This way, it will be easier to put the laptop back on the other side.
- For passport control, choose a booth with a queue of local passengers. There’s a lower chance of them getting stuck at the border. Families with children also pass through border control faster, contrary to popular belief.
- Always choose a seat in the front of the plane, or better yet – an aisle seat. This way you’ll exit faster and reach border control first. You didn’t take luggage, remember? Border control is the only thing standing between you and getting out of the airport.
- Board the plane first. This way you’ll be sure you’ll have space for your trolley above your seat.
- If there’s a bus taking you to/from the plane (e.g. on low-cost airlines), board it last. Remember LIFO – Last In, First Out.
- Stand in the middle of the bus – you don’t know which side the doors will open.
- Walk faster!
