What to do at the airport with a long wait. How to handle long transfers at the airport. What is a transplant

Most travelers find layovers an excruciatingly boring delay. However, it could be different! Try to think of a layover as an added travel bonus that allows you to get out and explore an unfamiliar world, even if it's just within an airport. Transplantation can be a positive experience that will give you the opportunity to meet new people and see things that are new to you. Perhaps the time between flights will become a productive part of your business trip or vacation extension. It is likely that you will never be happy with transplants, but there are many ways to make them more bearable.

Steps

Getting ready for the upcoming transplant

Research the airport where you will be transferring. If you are booking a flight with a connection, prepare in advance by studying the information on the airport website. Find out if there are restaurants, shops or other places where you can pass the time. Some airports (usually in large cities) have theaters, museums, gyms, and even playgrounds for children.

• If the site has a map, print it out and mark the places you want to see.

1. Explore luggage storage options. While on the airport website, check if there is a luggage storage service for the transfer. Many airports provide this option, which is very convenient because you don't have to go everywhere with your suitcases, especially if you leave the airport to see a couple of local attractions.

   • Usually this service is not free. However, it will most likely be worth it. It all depends on how long the transplant takes and what you plan to do during it.

2. Join the airline's VIP club. At major airports, most airlines have lounges for VIP members or lounges where you can enjoy a relaxing, luxurious environment paired with food and drink. VIP clubs also provide services to those who need an “office away from office”. For example, reliable Wi-Fi access and comfortable places with a table where you can put your laptop and work materials.

   Take in hand luggage what you will need during the transfer. If you plan to finish some work, bring your laptop and other necessary items. Pack athletic shorts and a tank top if the airport has a gym. Throw in a couple of small toiletries so you can freshen up before boarding your next flight. Being able to wash and brush your teeth during a long transplant can have a huge impact on how you feel.

   Sort through email, do homework or work. Grab a laptop and take advantage of the free wireless internet if available at the airport (most often). Finally, you can sort out all the letters you intended to send and make final edits for the upcoming important presentation.

   • If you're studying, start writing next week's essay, or try reading a couple of chapters from a book on your home reading list.

3. Make a to-do list when you arrive at your destination. Whether you're on a business trip, vacation, or somewhere else, chances are you'll need to do a bunch of things when you arrive. Make a list while you wait so you don't waste a second later!

   • List all the errands and other things you need, but don't forget to set aside some time for sightseeing or even just relaxing.

4. Find out if you can change your flight. At your connecting airport, check with your airline representative to see if you can change your flight. You may be able to transfer to an earlier or later flight for free, subject to availability. If you're not on a time limit and really want to explore the city or area where you're connecting, consider giving up your seat and taking a later flight.

   • This is not always possible, but if there is such a chance, take it!

Let's spend time

1. Take something to read. If you have a transplant, take a book or magazine with you. If you don't have anything to read, explore the range of stores at the airport and buy something there. Choose something that grabs your attention. Immersed in reading, you will not notice how quickly the time flies! Keep several options handy so that you can switch from one to another if you wish.

   • For example, buy your favorite magazine to take your mind off a serious romance. If you change reading from time to time, you will not get bored, because even the most exciting thriller can get tired.

2. Get some sleep. A short nap is a great way to pass the time, especially during an overnight transplant. Even a quick, 20-30 minute nap will help you cheer up. If you are not traveling alone, ask your companions to guard your belongings while you sleep. If you are driving on your own, be careful, as thefts happen at airports.

   • Some airports have equipped sleeping areas with comfortable chairs, where you can not worry about the safety of your belongings.
   • If you are very tired, and there is a long connection ahead, check the prices for a room at an airport hotel. Some airports even have rooms that you can rent for a few hours.

3. Walk. If you have a layover between two long flights, take a walk around the airport and re-circulate your legs. Many airports have displays or exhibits available to passengers. In addition, you can study shop windows or local posters, look at planes, or simply get acquainted with the area and find the way to the next flight. If you have the opportunity, go outside and get some fresh air.

   Eat, drink or have a snack. Many airports have restaurants and bistros, even within the control area. Food will energize you. Plus, it tastes better on the ground than on a plane. During a trip, the body loses moisture very quickly, so buy a bottle or two of your favorite drink.

4. Watch those around you. At the airport, you have a unique opportunity to observe people from all over the world representing a wide variety of cultures. Sit in a crowded place and see what other travelers are doing. You will no doubt see a couple of exotic characters that you would never have met under other circumstances.

   • Try not to look at people too openly and do not make your occupation obvious. This can make the person uncomfortable or even arouse suspicion.
   • If you spot someone of interest, walk over and get to know them if you feel like it. After a good conversation, time will fly by unnoticed.

Tatyana Solomatina

Long layover in Abu Dhabi: why didn’t you manage to save money?

Hello dear readers! I am with you again and today I want to raise two questions: “In what cases do cheap curved tickets go sideways to us? Does a long layover in Abu Dhabi really save money on the road?”

I did not intend to come to the UAE. But the circumstances were such that I managed to visit this state quite by accident. The fact is that when I was going to Sri Lanka, I bought a cheap flight with a long wait for a connecting flight at the airport in Abu Dhabi. But then I did not expect at all that in the end, such savings would result in me a much larger amount than a direct flight.

In this story, I will write why crooked tickets with a long wait for the second plane in the UAE can be more expensive than direct flights, talk about the features of transit through Abu Dhabi and show all the pros and cons of this with my own example. I hope my experience will help you choose the right decision when planning your holiday.

Expenses

In the end, the second option won, and this is what I got for two:

1. Tickets - 50,000 rubles
2. Transit visas - 11,000 rubles
3. Individual tour of Abu Dhabi 6 hours - $ 300
4. Lunch on the roof of a skyscraper - $ 70

Total: 61,000 rubles and $ 370 (the dollar already cost 60 then)

And at the same time, the visas were one-time, we still spent 12 hours on the return flight in the transit zone. And direct tickets, which I thoughtlessly refused, would have cost 74,000 rubles for two. Did you save well?

• When buying a ticket with a long transfer in a third country, study the information on staying in this place in advance and calculate all the options. Perhaps such a flight will be much more expensive than direct flights, as happened in my case.
• If you decide to transfer to Abu Dhabi, you can safely choose a 1-hour connection. Despite the fact that our plane was delayed for 40 minutes, the mourners with signs were waiting for such transit passengers at the gangway. They were the first to be released from the plane, their next flight was specially delayed, waiting for our arrival. Such a well-functioning system really surprised me. I sadly looked after them, thinking that I would have been in their place if I had made the right decision.
• If you still have a long connection and you want to see the city, try to choose a flight so that it arrives early in the morning. Then you will have time for group excursions, they are much cheaper than individual ones. But it is also advisable to order them in advance.
• To still stay in a transit hotel, you need to book places well in advance of the trip.
• If you decide not to spend money, pass the time in the transit zone, then try to find a place in a cafe where there are comfortable soft sofas. Order a couple of coffees and you won't have to spend many hours on the hard benches in the waiting room. This is how we spent 12 hours on the way back. No one touched us and did not ask to make room. The cafe was in a nook, it was quiet and peaceful there.
• There are smoking areas in the transit hall, so as not to lose your place in the cafe, it is better to leave in turn. The same applies to visiting toilets and shops.

conclusions

So is it possible to save money by buying a cheap flight with a long layover in the UAE?

Of course, you can save money, but only if you are mentally prepared for a difficult wait and do not spend money on a more comfortable stay there. If you are not attracted by such a prospect, then you need to clearly understand that a long stay in this country will lead to big expenses that will nullify all your desires to save money on a flight. In this case, it is better to accept and buy tickets for a direct flight, of course, if you do not plan to visit another country at the same time.

“In my case, there was only one big plus. A wonderful tour, which was conducted by a wonderful guide Mikhail Rakushin https://vk.com/id192986287, allowed me to form a definite opinion about this country and spend unforgettable hours in the chic emirate of Abu Dhabi. I am not a fan of Muslim countries and I definitely would not go to the UAE purposefully. You can read more about my impressions.

I wrote general information about the UAE in an article.

Once again, I say goodbye to you.

Tatyana Solomatina

Air travel with a transfer, although it is less comfortable than a direct one, but a ticket for it is always cheaper. If waiting for a few hours in the lounge is not a problem for you, it is better to settle for such a comparative inconvenience as a transfer at the airport, but the money saved can then be spent on buying souvenirs or visiting a couple of additional attractions. We will tell you how the flight with a transfer works, as well as give some useful recommendations.

The essence of the air transfer is simple: from the starting point you fly to the transit one, and after a while (it can range from a couple of hours to several days) you go directly to your destination. Moreover, it is interesting that geographically the transfer point may not be located at all along the path between points A and B, but somewhere aside. Also, be careful when booking: the cheapest routes usually include up to several transfers.

Connecting flight is a cheaper way to get to your destination

It is better to avoid a route that involves transfers of less than an hour, especially at large airports with several terminals. Firstly, air travel largely depends on a host of external factors: weather, wind direction and speed, the work of dispatchers, and so on. Delayed departure is not uncommon, so you simply may not be in time for the second flight, and airlines, as a rule, in such cases (since they are considered to have occurred through the fault of the passenger), the money for the ticket is not returned. Secondly, if the airport consists of several terminals, you may not have time to get to the desired gate, especially if it is located in another building. The optimal time for a safe transplant is 2.5-3 hours.

Read the information for your flight carefully. Do not assume that the transfer from plane to plane always takes place at the same airport. Often there are situations, mostly in Europe and Asia, when you arrive in one air harbor, and the second plane takes off from another. It is noteworthy that usually more time is allocated for such transfers, however, possible traffic jams or the time required to wait for public transport are not taken into account on the road. In addition, in this case, you will have to pick up your luggage yourself and check it in again at another airport.

Note! you must have time to re-register for a new flight and check in your luggage no more than 40 minutes before the departure time of the aircraft.

If you have a long transfer at night, think in advance where you will spend your waiting hours. Not every airport, namely, in the transit zone, has hotels for passengers, especially if the terminal is small. Most likely, after spending the whole night on a chair in the waiting room, you will never again want to fly with a transfer, especially with such a one. If a transfer is unavoidable, take care of a visa in advance so that you can leave the airport and spend the night in a hotel or hostel.

In order not to have to spend the night in the waiting room, take care of the visa in advance

Specify in advance whether you need a transit visa, how to apply for it, how much it costs. It's far better to spend your time productively than aimlessly wandering around the airport or surfing the internet on the airport's Wi-Fi. If time permits, go on a tour or just walk around the city.

How to get out of the city if you are flying with a transfer?

Many passengers are concerned about the following question: "Is it possible to leave the airport during a transfer?". Of course, no one can oppress your rights. And if you take care of a transit visa in advance (in those countries for which it is necessary to open it in advance), you can easily get to know the city.

In order not to be in an offensive situation, start preparing for the flight in advance. Do the following:

• Check if you need a transit visa in the country where you are going to transfer.
• Study the map of the airport and the map of the city, make a route. For example: first you will pick up your luggage at this place (if provided), then leave it in the storage room here, put down a visa Here(in countries where it does not need to be opened in advance), go to the bus stop here and then explore these sights and return to such and such time back to the airport.

If you have a long layover, use this opportunity to get to know the city

In countries such as Turkey or Egypt, there are no problems with obtaining a transit visa. You just need to go to the right window with the sign "Visa", pay the tariff and give your passport for stamping.

Note! If you have a transfer (and in some cases more than one) in Canada, the United States or the Schengen countries, a transit visa must be issued in advance at the embassy of the country where you will have a transfer.

This is a first-person story with impressions of short and long transfers. Not without advice either. If you have not yet flown with transfers, then perhaps we can save you from a fatal mistake. Or just make the “whites” laugh with their problems.

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Too short transfer in Frankfurt

July 2017. Flight Moscow - Frankfurt - Amsterdam. Transfer 1 hour.

What drove me

It seemed that a short transplant - a brilliant idea. You can save 10 thousand on tickets and at the same time not spend a lot of time at the airport.

How it was

According to Murphy's law, our flight from Moscow was delayed. You experience a very interesting attraction of emotions when the plane to Amsterdam takes off in 5 minutes, and you are still in the air and have not even crossed half the way to Frankfurt.

The stewards did not want to answer questions not related to food and drinks, and pretended that I was asking them about my personal life. There were even suggestions that we know different English.

As soon as we finally landed, I immediately turned on the phone to find some article (like this one) and figure out what to do. It’s good that the airline of both flights was the same: a message immediately arrived with information about the departure to Amsterdam and a new ticket.

Just great. Only here in Frankfurt we landed around 10 pm. And I'm leaving at 8 am the next day, because the flight I missed was the last one. Great time saver, dude.

Upon arrival, we (a group of tired, swearing travelers) found ourselves in a deserted part of the airport, but it was worth going a little further - here it is, a huge crowd, which also did not succeed in transfers due to the fault of the company.

It was terribly hot, the cafeterias were no longer open (at 10 pm). Water machines too. Around only hard fucking dick and other variations of curses that have replenished my English vocabulary.

Then I stood in line for 2 hours to get ... a ticket for the queue for a voucher! According to the ticket, there were 89 people in front of me. At first I thought it was easier to hang out at the airport than to go through all this. But I hardly managed to sleep, and I would have lost another half day (out of 4) in Amsterdam.

Then they brought a lot of different water and sweets. I decided that I would be everything.

As a result, they gave a voucher for a hotel near the airport, checked in for a flight, handed a boarding pass and told where to stomp to get on the bus to the hotel.

By the way, they tried to hide the brochure and information about how and where to write in order to receive monetary compensation. They took away the old boarding pass from one girl and tore it apart (and it is really needed to get the money).

I found out about everything in detail, collected all the pieces of paper in a separate place, but at the time of writing this article (September) I had not done anything. In such matters, I am not a fighter, but rather a whiner and a bleeder, who will be helped only out of pity. I can't even deal with the cashier at Pyaterochka. Don't be like that.

It was necessary to divide a long story with a heading

When I got to the bus stop, I immediately remembered this joke from GTA about "Listen, I'm in the middle of a big shit right now." There were about 100,500 people, about zero buses.

When the next bus drove up, it was occupied by the Chinese, with whom it is difficult to compete in terms of elbow fights in line. And now it's one in the morning, and I'm not at the hotel yet. Get up at 5.

When I was already desperate and just sat down in my pajama pants on the curb, an airport worker ran up to me. Even Johnson's baby does not protect her cheeks from tears like this guy who said that there is 1 more place in a free taxi.

The hotel ended up being a 15-minute drive from the airport, the room was cool, we woke up in the morning for the bus. I thought about getting up a little earlier to start hating the airline, because I was afraid that there would not be enough time for this during the day. But the breakfast was too tasty and the sunrise was too beautiful.

What should I do if I miss my connecting flight?

As you can see, this is all solvable - long and nervous, but solvable. It is important that both flights are from the same company. Otherwise, the task will become at least 2 times more difficult.

There is always a chance to be late for a connecting flight due to your own fault - you do not know English well, the queue was too long, or you yourself were very blunt. In this case, you need to run to the airline representative and ask to take you on board, if it is still possible. Most likely, you will be taken, as it is simply unrealistic to be very late if the first plane arrives on time.

Suppose that with you the impossible becomes possible. You late. If you have a business class, then you should not worry. With a ticket purchased at a special fare or an economy class ticket, things are different. You will have to pay a fine or even buy a new ticket.

Should I fly with a short layover?

If you have a long vacation ahead of you, then nothing bad will happen. At least - you will lose half a day, but you will gain experience and a history that makes you an interesting conversationalist. Maximum - buy another ticket.

Here is a list of circumstances under which it is absolutely not worth flying with short transfers:

• You are flying with children.
• You have a limited budget.
• You fly for 3-5 days.
• You don't know English well.

Too long transfer in Munich

July 2017. Amsterdam - Munich - Moscow. Transfer 9 hours.

What drove me

“Fool, the ticket is cheaper, and there are more countries. You can walk around the city all day.

Transfer flight: how it was

Getting around at Munich Airport was easy - there are signs and signs everywhere. In order not to carry a heavy backpack everywhere (yes, I am one of them), it was decided to give it to the storage room. Storage of a bag up to 5 kg - € 3.5 per day. Walking light around the city is priceless.

After reading a bunch of forums where the information is chaotic and chaotic, I managed to find out that the best way to get to the city is by train.

I bought a ticket without difficulty in the machine, there was no queue. Perfect.

I got to the main square Marienplatz in 40 minutes and went for a walk.

At first everything went well. Then I caught myself thinking that I had already gone around everything in the district, there was too little time to “go away”, and there was too much time to continue walking around the return point or sitting in a cafe.

Plus I'm tired and generally bored. As a result, I returned to the airport and stuck there for another four hours. Correction: it was the longest four hours.

If you want the same: useful info

Luggage storage is located in the central area (Z), level 03. Follow the signs with the word "Bulky Luggage". "Bulki" is bulky luggage.

The location of another camera is difficult to describe, it is better to ask at the information desk (which I did). If you understand correctly what the airport employee will tell you, then soon you should find a room on the way, separated by transparent walls. There are also computers and the Internet, but I did not use them.

I was advised to check my luggage in a cell at the station, but there is no point in this. First of all, I don't trust robots (damn Decepticons). Secondly, it is strange to drag your bag to the station and be surprised that all the cells are occupied.

Near the "Bulki" there are vending machines where you can buy a train ticket to the city. You will recognize them by the badge with a white letter S on a green background and the inscription Bahn Munchen.

One train ticket costs 12 euros. But if you are two, three, four or five, then it is more profitable to take the Airport-City-Day-Ticket Group. It costs 22.30 euros and will allow you all to ride the whole day there and back. And on the subway too.

You need to take the S8 train to the main site. There is also S1, but it is longer and it can be confusing on the way back. Better keep your head down and remember only S8.

The interval between departures is 20 minutes. The station is located right at the airport, you need to look for it according to the signs, of which there are many.

Should I fly with a long transfer?

If you have thoughts like “Why should I go somewhere, this is an additional expense. I’d rather wait at the airport,” then you are mistaken. It is not known how much you will spend waiting and being surrounded by so many sausage shops.

It is definitely worth deciding on a long transplant if:

• The city where the transfer is planned does not cause much interest and you would not want to go to it on purpose.
• You know how to accurately calculate the time, plan routes and in general you are a control freak.
• Life is a fun carnival.

Long transfers are not for you if:

• You are constantly afraid of being late, nervous and unable to let go of the situation.
• You are traveling with small children.

I hope that the article turned out to be useful and that you do not get into the same troubles, but approach planning your trip wisely.