What to consider for a flight?

Airline

Each airline has its own flavour and there exist hundreds of them around the world!

Class

Different levels of luxury:

• First-class
  • rare now on most commercial airlines, as the "really rich" now just use private jets
• Business
  • the "new first-class" at the front of the plane for priority boarding
  • more legroom and comfier seats
  • some may have sofa-bed style seats for sleeping
  • better food and drink options
  • less crowding around restrooms
  • more attentive staff
  • usually >2x the price of Economy
• "Premium Economy"
  • Economy class, but with more legroom and (maybe) comfier seats located at a section between Business and Economy
  • usually 1.5x to 2x the price of Economy
• Economy
  • where the "masses" sit
  • often crowded and uncomfortable seats (especially for sleeping)
  • food and drink are basic but can be decent
  • experience will vary depending on airline
• Basic
  • some airlines may include this class which offers the seat at a reduced price with less baggage allowance

Pre-flight process and tips

• Pre-security
  • on-line check-in allows check-in even before the flight
    • otherwise, offline check-in counters still very much exist
  • checked baggage tagging takes place here (if necessary)
  • get the printed boarding pass
• Security
  • put all personal belongings on a tray (including wallet and phone)
  • valuables should go in a large backpack, if possible
  • some places make passengers take off shoes and belts
  • laptop computers and tablets may/must go on separate trays
  • oversized items: consult the airport and airline
• Post-security and pre-boarding
  • locate the gate number as the terminal can be a maze
  • set an alarm for boarding time (not the flight time)
  • optional activities after that:
    • duty free shopping
    • visit the lounge
    • dining and drinking
    • read and/or listen to music
    • do not nap or missing the flight might happen
• Boarding
  • they will board people based on boarding class and special needs
  • make use of overhead storage (if necessary)
  • wait for middle-seat or window-seat people
  • check the in-flight menu and other things inside the seat pocket in front
• Flight
  • safety drill
  • pre-flight taxi (plane moves to runway)
  • take-off
  • ascent
  • in-flight food
  • in-flight entertainment (remember the days when everyone had to watch the same movie?)
  • aircraft descent
  • landing
  • post-flight taxiing
• Post-flight (each only if necessary)
  • making the connection flight
  • duty free shopping
  • baggage claim
  • customs
  • exit the airport
  • find transit to final destination

Other things to consider

• Codesharing
  • when two or more airlines share a single flight
  • find out which airline actually provides the plane and staffing
• Airport codes
  • know the abbreviated version of the destination airports
    • e.g. Toronto = YYZ