Badruzzahan Ahmad lists a few practices for you to try, before catching a flight
Airports are unique places. They never seem to sleep and have witnessed more sincere affection than wedding halls. There is so much joy and excitement associated with meeting a loved one after a long time, saying our goodbyes and the thrill of beginning new journeys. It is here that we witness and experience feelings of joy, love and nervous excitement. Here’s how you can make your airport experience a chaos-free one.
Skipping queues
International airports can be confusing, even for the most seasoned travellers. But that does not validate impolite behaviour. An accepted norm is not always necessarily right. In Bangladesh, skipping queues might not be frowned upon; however, this is an absolute no-no at airports. Pushing and shoving will not make the line move faster, it will only spread chaos and agitation among the crowds. If under any circumstance you feel that you need to skip the queue for emergency reasons, please explain your situation to security and administrative personnel and they will most certainly assist you.
Keep your documents ready
Keep all necessary documents ready at points where you know they need to be displayed. This will also ensure that the line is not held-up while you frantically search for your documents. Most airports are generally well guided through signage and floor markers. Always try to follow these guidelines as they will benefit everyone as a whole.
Be compliant with the rules
While keeping in mind what not to do, it is important to also try and make the airport experience pleasant for all airport users. Airports are high security areas that protect us from any unwanted events, and the protocols are for our own personal safety. Hence, always try to assist the respected personnel with matters of the security. If they express any concern regarding any objects in your luggage, co-operate with them regarding their concerns. Observe patience at all times.
Arrive before time
Remember that no passenger is an exception and that everyone has a flight to catch. To avoid stress and worries regarding time, arrive at the airport well ahead of flight time; a thumb rule standard would be 2 hours ahead for international flights and 1 hour ahead for domestic flights.
There goes an old saying in the Bible that ‘one must treat others how they themselves wish to be treated.’ And this could be the tag-line for all public spaces in the world, with the airport being no exception.