Finally, you have waited for your vacation and are flying off to relax. Only this will be your first time flying on an airplane... And then you have a million questions: what to do at the airport? Where to go? How not to be late for a flight?

We decided to make a small FAQ on terms and procedures that will help newbies feel a little more confident at the airport.

The order may vary slightly, since each airport has its own sequence of security checks and registration.

Once at the airport, the first thing you must do is check-in. Above the check-in desk there is a board with the airline logo, flight number and arrival city.

This information is duplicated on the information board, where the number of the counter where check-in for your flight takes place is also indicated.

Check-in begins 2 hours before departure and ends 30-40 minutes before departure.

When registering, you must present your passport and air ticket. If you have an electronic ticket, then present only your passport. You must place your luggage on a transport belt, where it will be weighed, a special tag will be hung (so that the baggage handlers know which plane to put it on, and you can find it later) and sent to the baggage handlers. You will also be asked to present your hand luggage (things you want to take with you on board the plane), which may also be tagged.

As a rule, the weight of hand luggage should not exceed 7-10 kg. In addition, there are certain requirements for the dimensions of the bag, which you can check with the airline.

After check-in, you will be given a boarding pass and luggage tags (stickers that are placed on your passport or boarding pass, they will help you find your suitcase upon arrival).

You can register not only at the airport, but also at home. Some airlines practice online registration for the flight. You can register this way using a laptop, tablet, or even a phone. You can read more about mobile registration in the post “Mobile registration”. After that, you print out your boarding pass using a regular printer, and check your luggage at a special Drop off counter.

The boarding pass will indicate at which gate you will board the plane and your seat in the cabin. When checking in, you can ask the airline representative to seat you in a comfortable seat, such as by a window or near an emergency exit.
Gate (English: gate) is the gate to your plane.

Then, following the signs, you will need to proceed through pre-flight security. You will be asked to go through the gate and will be inspected for items prohibited for transportation. And border officials will check your passport and visa if necessary.

Please note that during security checks, when asked by security officers about the objects and substances you have, you should not make jokes, for example, “this is a bomb”, “this is drugs”, etc. Such answers are considered as a statement by the passenger about the presence of dangerous substances and objects and may entail removal from the flight, and further investigation and prosecution in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, up to the initiation of a criminal case under Art. 207 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Knowingly false report about an act of terrorism”).

On international flights, all passengers must go through customs control before check-in. During its passage you will see two corridors: “red” and “green”. They are indicated by inscriptions in Russian and English languages: “There are no goods subject to mandatory written declaration” (Nothing to declare) for the green corridor and “Goods to declare” for the red corridor.

Green corridor is intended for passengers who do not carry goods that are subject to mandatory written declaration.

Red- for passengers who have goods subject to mandatory written declaration, i.e. goods that are subject to customs duties, have cost and quantity restrictions, etc.

After completing these formalities, you will be taken to a waiting room where cafes and duty free shops are located.

When your flight is boarded, return to your gate and present your boarding pass and passport (not always required) to the airline representative. The boarding pass has a tear-off spine on the right, on which the basic information is duplicated. The airline representative will tear it off and give it to you. Keep your ticket until you receive your luggage upon arrival.

Boarding is announced several times over a loudspeaker, the same information is duplicated on the information board and above the gate itself.

If you get lost, go to any airport employee and they will help you find the right gate.

You will be put on a bus, which will take all passengers to the plane. Large airports have telescopic bridges that allow you to board the plane directly from the terminal.

What will happen on board the plane is no less interesting, so we advise you to read our article “Why and why on board the plane.” She will answer most of your questions, for example, why your ears clog during takeoff and landing, why turn off mobile phones and much more.

Upon arrival, you will be put on a bus again or across the bridge to the airport's arrival hall, where you will go through passport and customs control and pick up your luggage.

If you have a flight with a transfer, then read our article “Transfer at the airport”. In it we will answer the most popular questions about transplantation.

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The plane is the fastest and in a convenient way get to anywhere in the world. Many tourists prefer to travel by airliner rather than by train or bus. In some cases, air transport is the only way to get to the right place. But air travel can sometimes be intimidating for passengers planning to travel for the first time. Before boarding a plane, a traveler must undergo certain procedures.

You can purchase a travel document for a seat on an airliner through the ticket office at the airport, at the air carrier's office, or via the Internet. Purchasing an electronic air ticket is a fast and convenient way. The future passenger must correctly enter passport and personal data so that there are no difficulties during boarding.

After payment, an electronic air ticket is sent to the tourist by email. The document needs to be printed, especially if we are talking about international air travel. Passport control officers may require you to show a printed ticket if questions arise.

Arrival time at the airport

You must arrive at the airport terminal 2-3 hours before departure. This time is enough to complete control procedures, even in the event of difficulties and controversial situations. Tourists with small children should arrive at the airport in advance. And don't forget that there may be traffic jams on the way to the airport.

When you arrive at the airport, go to the terminal from which the plane will depart. You can find out about the terminal number from your electronic travel document. And if you have any problems finding the right terminal, contact the airport staff or look at the building diagram on the official website of the airport.

You will be able to enter the terminal only after passing the preliminary control procedure.

To do this you need to do the following:

• Each airport has special containers for things. A separate container is provided for each passenger. Personal belongings and luggage should be stored there.
• Place all the contents of your pockets in it. This will avoid additional checks from the control service.
• The container with things should be placed on a special belt. Items will be scanned for prohibited items.
• A traveler passes through a metal detector.
• If the metal detector does not reveal anything, the passenger goes to the check-in hall.

When the preliminary control procedure is completed, the traveler must find an electronic display on which he will find out information about the departure time of the airliner. When the board is found, you should go to a special counter to check in for the upcoming flight.

Before the check-in procedure, you must check in your personal luggage, except for items that you plan to take on board the plane as hand luggage. After this, the passenger receives a boarding pass. Information about the dimensions and weight of free cargo must be found out in advance through the airline’s official website. Each air carrier has its own rules regarding the carriage of baggage and hand luggage.

If the airliner's departure is not soon, and you are among the first passengers for the registration procedure, you can ask about issuing a document for boarding a specific seat in the aircraft cabin. On your boarding pass you will find information about the gate number where you should go.

Before an international flight, tourists undergo not only airport security checks, but also passport control. This is a necessary procedure for travelers planning to travel outside our country. Not all tourists know what passport control is and how the procedure is carried out.

Passport control is carried out in the following order:

• Observing the order, passengers approach a special counter. Airport workers check the tourist's documents.
• Tourists must present an original passport. An airport employee, as well as a border guard, may ask the passenger to show their boarding pass.
• If the tourist’s documents are in order, then a stamp is placed confirming the fact that they passed through passport control without violations. This means that the passenger can cross the state border, since no violations were detected.

In each country, passport control is carried out according to certain rules of local border services. But in any case, the tourist’s documents must contain a note about complete passage passport control.

Air travel with children under 14 years old is a scary experience for inexperienced tourists. But in reality, going through passport control for passengers with children is not as complicated a procedure as it seems. Travelers traveling by air with children must collect the necessary documents in advance.

It includes:

• A child’s foreign passport, made according to an international standard.
• A parental international passport may be presented, which contains information about the child and his photo.
• Child's original birth certificate.

A child over 14 years old undergoes passport control separately from his parents. He must have a personal foreign passport. If traveling abroad is carried out with one parent, then written permission from the second parent is required for the child to travel. Written consent of one of the parents is required only for international air travel. This document is not required for domestic flights.

If you prepare in advance necessary documents, and you will also perform established rules passing control and registration at the airport, there will be no difficulties. But in any case, arrive at the airport terminal 2-3 hours in advance, so that if difficulties arise during the check, you will not be late for the plane.

How to get through passport control

Undoubtedly, the fastest, most convenient and comfortable form of transport is a modern airliner. Numerous travelers choose the plane, because quite often this is the only transport that can get to the most remote cities on our planet. But what if passengers choose an airliner to fly for the first time, because they do not understand all the procedures that must be followed? In this article we will try to explain what needs to be done at the airport.

It is very convenient to use an electronic ticket, which is purchased via the Internet at a time convenient for the user. The main thing is to correctly enter the passenger’s passport data in a special field. After receiving the itinerary receipt, which will be delivered to the user via email, it is recommended to print the document. Passengers may need a printed receipt when going through passport control at the airport.

When should you arrive at the airport?

You need to arrive at the airport approximately 2 - 2.5 hours before departure in order to slowly go through all the formalities and not get caught stressful situation. This is especially true for those passengers who need to go through passport control at the airport with a child. You should also take into account that there may be traffic jams on the way to the air pier.

Having arrived at the airport, you need to find the terminal from which the airliner takes off. The terminal number is written on the printed receipt, and the diagram can be studied on the official website of the airport.

Before entering the desired terminal, passengers are required to go through the first control, which is called preliminary. To pass you need to do the following:

• all bags and belongings, including personal ones, must be placed in a special container and placed on a scanning belt;
• Passengers must go through a metal detector;
• You should not leave a lot of things in the pockets of your outerwear; it is better to first put them in your personal handbag or briefcase. This way you can avoid lengthy security checks.

Electronic Passport Control counters at a UK airport

Registration

After passing through security control, you need to find a board that indicates the departure time of airliners. Having found it, you should select the counter where passengers are checked in for the desired flight.

At check-in, your luggage is checked in, and you only need to leave with you the items carried in your hand luggage. After this, the airport employee will issue a boarding pass. What size and weight of luggage is allowed to be carried free of charge should be checked on the website of the selected company in advance, and you are allowed to have a bag or briefcase with you small size and maximum weight up to 10 kg(each airline has its own restrictions regarding the weight and dimensions of hand luggage).

If there is still a lot of time before the plane's departure, and you are standing at the front of the check-in line, you can ask an airport employee to issue a boarding pass for a specific seat in the aircraft cabin. The ticket indicates the number of the exit (gate) to which you need to proceed.

Passing passport control at the airport

If passengers fly outside their country, before boarding the airliner they need to go through not only security checks, but also passport control. Many people are interested in the question: what is passport control at the airport, and what is checked at passport control?

Passengers leaving the country must undergo this procedure. The procedure for passing through passport control is as follows:

• In turn, each passenger must approach a special counter where airport staff check documents;
• for verification, you must present the original passport, and, at the request of border guards, a boarding pass;
• if everything is in order, the airport employee puts a stamp, which confirms that the state border was passed without violations, in accordance with the law.

Airport border services can conduct passport control according to their own rules, that is, apply different order carrying out of this event. However, the final result should be in the form of a mark indicating the passage of the state border.

Flying with children

When flying with children under 13 years of age, parents often ask about how passport control at the airport is carried out with a child and what documents need to be prepared for this procedure. To fly abroad with children, parents should prepare the following documentation.

Air travel has long been popular among tourists. Get to by plane the desired city it happens quickly and comfortably. If we compare airliners with other modes of transport, they clearly win in many respects.

In addition to purchasing an airline ticket, travelers must undergo a series of security checks at the airport before boarding the plane. Information about upcoming screening procedures at the airport terminal is useful for passengers traveling by air for the first time.

You need to be at the airport 2-3 hours before the plane departs. A passenger must go through many procedures before boarding an airliner, including check-in, which ends half an hour before the plane departs. Don't forget about possible traffic jams on the way to the airport, which could result in you being late for your desired flight.

When a traveler does not have time to check in, although there is still a lot of time before the aircraft takes off, he will not be able to use the purchased air ticket. According to statistics, no more than 3% of all travelers do not arrive on time for the plane's departure. If you do not want to end up on this list by increasing the statistics, arrive at the airport a few hours before the airliner departs.

A tourist arriving at the airport must undergo the following procedures:

1. Registration.
2. Checking in personal luggage.
3. Border control.
4. Passport control.
5. Passing security control.
6. The path to the boarding gate.

Once the passenger completes the above steps, he will be able to enter the aircraft cabin and enjoy his air travel.

Customs control is also called border control. It is a mandatory procedure for tourists who decide to travel to another country. The passenger undergoes a customs check after preliminary control by airport security officers. When going through the customs procedure, the traveler must show the customs officers their luggage and hand luggage. If you are planning to take on an air flight a large sum cash in foreign currency, prior declaration required.

In the event that border guards discover things for the transportation of which it is necessary to pay a state duty, the tourist must pay the required amount. If a passenger refuses to pay the duty, customs officers can legally seize the item.

Procedure customs control necessary to ensure safe conditions during air travel on board an aircraft. Additionally, each country has specific border crossing regulations and guests must comply with these requirements. There is a list of items and materials that are strictly prohibited for transportation on an aircraft in any country.

These include:

• drugs;
• any type of weapon;
• poisonous and toxic substances;
• explosive liquids and objects, etc.

Travelers should find out in advance the list of items prohibited for import into the country, as well as for export. If a traveler violates the rules of a certain country, he will have problems when passing through customs control.

For example, passengers leaving Italy are not allowed to take with them works of art created more than 100 years ago. If border guards discover items prohibited for export from the country, the traveler faces a fine with confiscation of the prohibited cargo. And in the worst case scenario, the passenger could be given a prison sentence for smuggling.

If we talk about Italian art objects, not every traveler is able to purchase an expensive item. But in addition to bans on exports outside of Italy, there are other countries that have restrictions. At customs in Turkey, Thailand and other popular resort countries, control officers may seize certain items.

Tourists returning from , cannot take with them a stone of any size found on the streets of the country. Archaeological work is currently being carried out on the territory of this state, so a ban is imposed on any mineral or stone. Visitors to Turkey are prohibited from taking home antique items made before 1945.

Visitors to Egypt should be aware that problems may arise during customs control if they decide to take national currency outside the country. Therefore, unspent local money should be exchanged in exchange offices before returning home.

It is also prohibited to export from Egypt any ancient objects, sea shells with corals and other natural objects obtained from the seabed independently. If you risk violating the ban, be prepared to pay a fine of $1,000. But tourists can bring home souvenirs in memory of their vacation. In Egyptian markets you can buy coral or shells, and you won’t have to pay a fine for them.

Thailand has a list of prohibited things, which is considered the longest compared to other countries.

Tourists in Thailand cannot take home:

• beach sand and soil samples;
• dried seahorses;
• large sized Buddha figurines;
• shells, corals and other natural objects;
• live turtles;
• items made from turtle shells;
• ivory;
• things for the manufacture of which the teeth, bones or fur of tigers, leopards and other large cats were used;
• durian, whole coconuts or watermelons;
• raw crocodile leather;
• stuffed bats and crocodiles.

Some items on the above list seem strange. But the Thai government can explain the ban on each item. Beach sand or soil cannot be taken outside of Thailand because it is considered to be the property of the local king. Everything that is underfoot is royal property, and if you break the ban, the tourist will actually rob the ruler of Thailand.

You won't be able to fool the scanner at customs, hoping to get a dried seahorse out. Some tourists carefully disguise this healing material, but border guards know all the tricks. Some products are allowed for export outside Thailand medicines, consisting of crushed seahorses.

The ban on the export of large Buddha figurines is explained by the fact that local residents Thailand considers this offensive behavior towards the local religion. Tourists are allowed to take home small Buddha statues, so measure them when purchasing them at the market. The seller may say that you can take home a large figurine, but this is not true. It is important for a merchant to sell goods at a high price.

Among the Thais, turtles and large cats are considered revered animals. The local government carefully protects these creatures. Do not buy beautiful trinkets in the market made from tortoise shell or leopard or tiger hair. You will make a purchase from a poacher, but you will not be able to bring this souvenir home. Despite the ban on transporting stuffed crocodiles or bats, tourists can take crocodile skin products into the cabin of an airliner. For example, a wallet or bag.

Some fruits that are prohibited from being exported from Thailand cannot be taken with you for various reasons. For example, durian is a specific fruit with unpleasant smell. Finding one particular piece of fruit on board an aircraft may not please all passengers and crew.

Whole coconuts should not be taken home due to their tough husks. The scanner cannot always see the inside of the fruit. And to prevent prohibited items from being transported inside a coconut, the Thai government has introduced a ban on the transport of whole coconuts. And whole watermelons cannot be taken on board due to an explosion during the flight.

Many travelers are afraid to go through customs. If you adhere to customs control rules, you will pass the inspection without any problems. Border control is a standard and mandatory procedure for all passengers, so do not be afraid of scanners and border guards.

Don't panic or be confrontational if an employee asks you to show the contents of your carry-on luggage. You have nothing to worry about if you did not take anything prohibited into the aircraft cabin.

How to quickly get through security at the airport?

Passport control is one of the checks that all passengers at any airport are subject to. This event is carried out most carefully for passengers of international destinations.

To pass, each passenger must have a passport and valid documents confirming the right to enter or exit the territory of the Russian Federation. At passport control, airport employees only check the legality of your stay in Russia. The rest of the checks for permits and visas for traveling abroad are carried out by airline employees.

Required documents for citizens of the Russian Federation

In order to prepare for passport control, you need to take with you one of the documents proving the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation:

1. Russian passport (for domestic flights) or foreign passport (for international flights).
2. Military ID.
3. Service passport.
4. Diplomatic passport.
5. Seaman's identity card.

Attention! Minor citizens can leave the territory of Russia only when accompanied by one of their parents, guardians or adoptive parents. At the same time, a citizen can go through passport control both with his own international passport and with his parent’s document, if his data is entered there accordingly. Moreover, if the period of stay abroad exceeds 3 months, then consent to leave must be approved by the guardianship authorities. The administration of Domodedovo Airport also recommends having your child’s birth certificate with you.

Required documents for foreigners

Foreigners who do not have Russian citizenship can enter and leave the country only if they have the appropriate visas issued with valid documents. As soon as foreign citizen arrives in Russia, he needs to fill out a migration card. It is kept by him throughout his stay in Russia and is handed over when he travels abroad. This document and visas can be issued at the consular offices of the Russian Federation in the country of the foreign citizen.

Control measures at the airport

In order to get to passport control, you need to go through a number of other checks:

1. After all the necessary documents have been collected and the passenger has already arrived at the airport in advance, it is necessary to go through security control at the entrance. After the passenger will pass through, inside there will be several points with metal detection frames and conveyors with X-rays for luggage. When it’s your turn, place all suitcases and bags, including hand luggage, on the belt, and place your phone and other pocket items on the table. Go through the checkpoint with a metal detector and when the employees tell you that everything is in order, take your things and move on.

   

   

2. Now go to the board, which is located on the right immediately after the security control. Here you can see the check-in counter number for your flight. Go to the counters, look for yours and after the queue go through the registration procedure. To do this, present your ticket and ID, after verification you will be given a boarding pass. Sometimes your visa is also checked during the registration process. Place your luggage on the scales, after checking it will go to the luggage compartment of the aircraft.

   

   

3. Pre-flight inspection involves checking for the carriage of prohibited items. To pass it, you need to remove outer clothing, watches, jewelry, and belts, if they have metal inserts. Next, you need to lay out all the small items, coins, phone, on the table. After this, go to the scanner, stand on the indicator on the floor and raise your hands. The employee may ask you to go through the procedure again. If everything is in order, you can move on.

   

4. Customs control. To go through it, you need to choose one of the corridors. Green is suitable for passengers if they do not have goods that are subject to written declaration. Red – for those who have goods or currency over 10,000 euros, subject to mandatory declaration.

   

Procedure for passing border control

In order to avoid waiting in lines, it is recommended to arrive at the airport early, at least 2.5 hours before the departure time of the plane. After checking in with a ticket at the airline counter on the first floor, passengers are sent to the second floor. There, after passing through the customs counters, you can go to the passport control booths, or go down the escalator to the booths on the first floor. In Domodedovo there are some booths that indicate “For Russian citizens”. These cabins are made specifically for those who have Russian citizenship. All other cabins are for any passengers of any nationality.

Note! The passport control procedure takes only a few minutes, but large queues often delay time.

1. When it's your turn, you need to go to the counter. If you are flying with your family, you still need to approach one at a time. Children must come with their parents or guardians.
2. Hand over your passport and boarding pass to the border guard. Most often, documents with a stamp confirming departure from the country are immediately returned to the passenger.
3. The border control officer may ask you a number of questions. For example, “what is the purpose of the trip?”, “do you have another passport?”, “how long are you leaving?”. There is no need to be afraid, such questions are asked regularly and this does not mean that the border guards considered your documents suspicious. Just answer all questions as they are.
4. One of the procedures at passport control is checking your debts on taxes and fines.

Attention! If you are flying in transit with a transfer, you will not need to go through passport control again. All you need to do is get a new boarding pass. In the vast majority of cases, when checking in at Domodedovo you will be given two boarding passes for both flights.

Video - How Domodedovo Airport works

Ban on leaving if you have debts

If your debts exceed 30,000 rubles, you may be prohibited from leaving the country. In case of debt for alimony, compensation for health damage, moral harm and property damage, the debt should not exceed 10,000 rubles. If the court's demands for repayment of debts are overdue for 2 months or more, then the maximum amount of debts should also not exceed 10,000 rubles.

Important! You can be banned from traveling due to debts only after a trial. Therefore, if you are on the list of debtors, most likely you will know about it. It is also recommended to check the possibility of departure in advance using special services that can be found online. This can be done for free on the website dolgi.ru. There have been cases when a passenger lost all the money for a trip right at passport control only because of tax debts.

Attention!One more thing important rule, which many people neglect - be sure to check the stamp that the border guard put on your passport. Also check if the date is readable.