If you are a first time flyer to a foreign destination, here are some helpful tips. As you enter the International departure gate into the hall, ask or search for the check in counter of YOUR AIRLINE for the economy class passengers. Queue up there with your passport, air ticket & visa if you had already obtained ( For arrival visa, it is not needed ) along with your baggage. Here your check in baggage will be weighed and you will be issued a boarding pass with your seat number , the departure gate & terminalnumbers and the baggage receipt will be pasted behind the boarding pass. Keep this safely until you receive your baggage at the destination. After this you will have to proceed to the customs security check—just follow the passengers. Here your hand luggage will be screened & checked along with personal body check. After this you may proceed to the departure gate & terminal printed on your boarding pass and wait at the waiting hall until the boarding gate is open. All along, you look at the electronic screens at the halls for your latest departure time of your flight, departure gate, departure terminal numbers, flight delay or rescheduled info. etc. When the departure gate is opened, follow the passengers to board the flight.
Likewise, when you arrive at the foreign country airport, and you are transiting this country, you may proceed to transit lounge which will be shown by sign boards in various places where you can relax for your next flight. Look at the onward flight tkt. for the boarding gate & terminal numbers and reach it accordingly. Your checked in baggage will not be available to you here. Always listen to the announcements carefully and board the flight when it is announced.
If you are entering this country, you may proceed towards immigration, on the way, arrival visa cubicle will be seen in countries like Thailand, Srilanka, Mauritious, Bali in Indonesia etc. Here you may present your passport, completed visa form available there itself, 1 or 2 passport size color photos with white background, your return flight tkt., boarding card of the arrival flight &your itinerary as well. Fill up the name of the hotel, and place of visit in the place of “Address in Thailand ”or Bali. In place where it is asked “how long you intend to stay in this country “, just give the departure flight tkt. date. Here you may be asked to show hard foreign currency worth 500 US$. From here you may proceed to immigration with your passport, visa, return flight tkt. & itinerary, where you may again be asked about your purpose of visit and number of days of stay, and place of stay. You may tell what is given in your itinerary. After this you will proceed toward customs check where you can choose green channel to enter baggage claim area. All along the way you keep looking at the electronic sign boards to know which belt number your flight cargo is being delivered. Here you may collect your baggage and proceed to the arrival hall outside, where your Tour Guide will be waiting for you with the sign board. In case you cannot locate your baggage, this is where your baggage receipt pasted behind your boarding pass, will help you to locate it, if you lodge a complaint with the airport authorities.
Returning also the same procedures in reverse. While entering back to India, choose the Green channel to exit if you do not have anything to declare. In case you have made purchase in excess of your limit, ( which is given below ) choose the Red channel where you will be charged present import duty of 36.05% as per the rule.Those passing through Green channel will be randomly stopped and checked at any time before leaving the airport arrival hall. Always do not forget to see the electronic sign board to verify your flight departure time, departure gate and departure terminal to proceed accordingly. YOU MAY AT ALL AIRPORTS, IN ANY COUNTRY, APPROACH YOUR AIRLINE EMPLOYEES AVAILABLE THERE AS WELL AS THE AIRPORT WORKERS FOR ANY CLARIFICATIONS AND HELP.If you encounter any problem with your air tkt. due to computer problems ,usually it never happens, do not get panicky. Every airline will have their own office within the airport itself. You may rush up there where they will ratify the problems, if any.You may take a printout of the above information, if you need it for on the spot reference.
