Before the journey

Learn the airport language!

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How to improve travel comfort? What to look for?

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How to prepare for a trip when I want to fly with my pet?

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Jak przygotować się do podróży, kiedy jestem lub podróżuję z osobą o ograniczonych możliwościach poruszania się?

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How to prepare for a trip when I am a blind person?

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What to keep in mind before the flight?

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How to pack a suitcase well?

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How to prepare for a trip with a child?

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How to prepare a luggage with larger dimensions to flight?

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Learn the airport language!

Public area of ??the airport - a part of the airport that can be accessed by anyone, e.g. departure hall, arrivals hall, car park, bus terminal, railway terminal.
Departure hall - an area with check-in desks and security control for passengers departing from a given airport
Arrivals hall - the area where arriving passengers end their journey at the airport
Restricted area - a part of an airport to which only air passengers, crew and airport employees can get.
Kiss & Fly - driveway to the departure hall, where people escorting air passengers can leave their car for a few minutes for free. Warning! There is often a rule that the person escorting must not move away from the vehicle.
Check-in - ticket and luggage check-in desks - a place where you can check in for the cruise and check in checked baggage. You can also arrange other matters such as: adding a loyalty card number, checking luggage weight, changing the seat on the plane, receiving information about your flight, etc.
Gate - entrance gate - a place where ground handling agents check boarding passes and let passengers onto the plane
Security control - a place where security officers search passengers and scan their hand luggage in order to let them into the restricted area of ??the airport
Passport control - a place where Border Guard officers check passengers' identity documents and pass them between the Schengen and non-Schengen zones
Lounge / Business Lounge / Lounge - a place where passengers with a sufficiently high loyalty status or for a fee can wait for their cruise in very comfortable conditions
Loyalty card - a card issued by the airline to people who fly frequently. It is associated with loyalty status
Loyalty status - indicates how often a given person is a passenger of a particular airline and what privileges they are entitled to on this account
Boarding - the process of boarding passengers
Boarding pass - a boarding pass - issued during check-in, entitles the passenger to board the plane and make a flight
Checked baggage - baggage that the passenger puts in the care of the air carrier is transported in the aircraft hold
Baggage tag - a baggage tag is attached to checked baggage with proof of the baggage check-in for a specific flight, the passenger receives a baggage slip from this tag
Hand baggage - baggage that the passenger takes on board the plane
Personal item - a smaller personal item that the passenger takes with him on the plane, e.g. a handbag, an umbrella, a laptop bag, a camera / camcorder etc.
Air carrier - the airline
Duty free - a general concept related to shopping without duty, it is possible in some shops in the restricted area of ??the airport"

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How to improve travel comfort? What to look for?

Clothing - comfortable, loose, also adapted to the weather conditions of the destination port
Shoes - comfortable, breathable, refrain from taking off on the plane, especially if we are unable to protect ourselves against the emission of an unpleasant foot odor
Headphones - it's worth remembering about them!
If you experience unpleasant effects from traveling by plane:
- Nausea - a light meal before the cruise, no alcohol, no coffee, refraining from smoking, eating light snacks during the flight, seating properly in the plane - by the window, on the wing (https://www.esky.pl/porady-dla-podroznych/flights/health-and-safety/motion-sickness-in-the-plane)
- Ear pain, a feeling of clogging - yawning, sucking candies or chewing gum, possibly nasal drops for clearing (https://www.esky.pl/porady-dla-podroznych/loty/zdrowie-i-bezpieczenstwo/bol-usza-podczas-charging-aircraft)
Children - preferably they should be sleepy and sleep during the flight. We should also remember to take their favorite toys, headphones and sweets on board for them :)
People who smoke are reminded that smoking is not allowed on the plane, it is also forbidden at airports - except in designated areas

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How to prepare for a trip when I want to fly with my pet?

You should start the preparations by checking what animal can be transported with a given airline. Most carriers allow a passenger to take a very limited number of species (mostly dogs and cats), and other animals can only be checked in as cargo. Information about the species can be found on the carrier's website, at its box office and at the call center.
After determining whether the animal can travel with us, check whether it meets the size and weight requirements: depending on these criteria, it will be possible to take the animal to the passenger cabin (PETC service - Pet in Cabin) or check it in the hold (AVIH service) - Animal in Hold). We will also obtain information on this subject from the carrier. Usually, the weight limit for the passenger compartment coincides with that for hand luggage, and the dimensional limit for the space under the airplane seat. However, the restrictions for the luggage compartment depend entirely on the type of aircraft. Hence, it is best to contact the call center of the carrier, whose employees will be able to check exactly what plane the trip will take place and what size restrictions are there.
Most air carriers require prior notification, usually at least several days, in order to take your pet on board the plane. However, do not hesitate to make a phone call to the call center on this matter, as the number of animals that can travel in the passenger cabin and in the luggage hold is limited on each flight.
- the next step is to make sure that the animal meets the entry conditions to the country to which the cruise will be held. Most countries require at least a valid rabies vaccination and proof of the animal's age, some additionally require the animal to have a chip, and for example, it will not be possible to take the animal with you to Great Britain. These requirements can be found on the websites of state authorities related to foreign matters, transport or veterinary matters. The list of requirements also has a carrier operating to a given country, so it is worth adding a question about entry requirements to the list of matters to be discussed with a call center employee.
Further to the topic of the guide dog: only passengers with known visual and hearing disabilities are permitted to take them on board. In order to take SVAN with him, a passenger must first receive from the carrier the status-service appropriate to his ailment: BLND - blind or visually impaired passenger, DEAF - deaf or deaf passenger.
In the case of an animal that is emotional support, the passenger is required to provide the carrier with a certificate from a psychiatrist in the form of a MEDIF (Medical Information) form. This is a form available on the airline's website, please print it out and take it to the appropriate doctor in a reasonable amount of time before departure.
PETC and AVIH are usually paid services, SVAN and ESAN are usually free services. There is no guarantee that any particular carrier will provide any or any of these services.
The next step in preparing your pet for transport is adapting it to the travel conditions. Flight by plane is similar to traveling by car, so it is worth observing the animal's behavior in this environment. If the animal does not tolerate such a trip, you can consider administering sedatives, but only under the supervision of a veterinarian!
Before going to the airport, you can consider taking your pet's favorite toy to make the trip pleasant, and if the animal will travel on a long-haul flight, you should provide the hand luggage (PETC) or the cage (AVIH) with the right amount of water and food. However, it should be taken into account that it will not be possible to take your pet "for a walk" during the cruise.
On the day of the flight, it is worth showing up at the check-in desk earlier than in the case of traveling without a pet. This is due to the fact that ground handling personnel are required to check that all carrier requirements for transporting the animal in the passenger cabin or in the luggage hold have been met.

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Jak przygotować się do podróży, kiedy jestem lub podróżuję z osobą o ograniczonych możliwościach poruszania się?

Przede wszystkim należy poinformować przewoźnika. Dzięki temu będzie mógł się on przygotować na przyjęcie osoby o ograniczonych możliwościach poruszania się i wygeneruje bezpłatną usługę pomocy pasażerowi w poruszaniu, a dodatkowo rozprowadzi tą informację do odpowiednich organów w porcie wylotu i w porcie przylotu.
Po przybyciu na lotnisko należy potwierdzić zgłoszenie usługi pomocy w poruszaniu się podczas odprawy biletowo-bagażowej. Agent odprawy umówi pasażera na spotkanie z pracownikami działu PRM (Passenger Reduced Mobility), którzy zaopiekują się pasażerem i zaoferują transport na wózku inwalidzkim do samolotu. Niektóre porty lotnicze udostępniają słupy informacyjne dla pasażerów z ograniczoną możliwością poruszania się już w obrębie parkingów samochodowych i podjazdów na terminal, dzięki czemu można wezwać pomoc od razu po przyjeździe na lotnisko.
Powyższa usługa dotyczy nie tylko osób ze stałym ograniczeniem poruszania się. Można ją również zamówić dla osób z czasową kontuzją lub osób, która mają ogólne trudności z poruszaniem się na dłuższe dystanse lub po schodach. Rozpoznajemy stąd trzy rodzaje tej usługi:

1. WCHR ? Wheelchair to Ramp ? wsparcie pracownika PRM z wózkiem inwalidzkim dla osoby nie poruszającej się na dłuższe dystanse
2. WCHS ? Wheelchair to Stairs ? wsparcie pracownika PRM z wózkiem inwalidzkim dla osoby nie poruszającej się po schodach
3. WCHC ? Wheelchair to Cabin ? wsparcie pracownika PRM z wózkiem inwalidzkim dla osoby nie poruszającej się wcale - dowiezienie pasażera do samego miejsca w samolocie

Zamówienie usługi wsparcia jest możliwe, ale nie konieczne.
Pasażer dysponujący własnym sprzętem wspierającym poruszanie się może liczyć na przewiezienie tego sprzętu razem z nim. Większość linii lotniczych umożliwia zabranie na pokład samolotu kul ortopedycznych lub wejścia na pokład w gipsie/szynie ortopedycznej (przelot w większym gipsie/szynie, np. na całą nogę, może jednak podlegać dodatkowej opłacie) oraz nadanie własnego wózka inwalidzkiego do luku bagażowego. Uwaga, nadając wózek z napędem elektrycznym należy upewnić się, że jego bateria/akumulator spełnia wymogi przepisów o transporcie materiałów i substancji niebezpiecznych oraz jaka jest w tej kwestii polityka linii lotniczej. Informacje zarówno na ten temat jak i na temat podróży z gipsem/szyną ortopedyczną można uzyskać w kasie/call center przewoźnika
Pasażer z własnym wózkiem inwalidzkim może wybrać czy woli poruszać się na nim po lotnisku czy na wózku podstawionym przez pracowników PRM. Pasażer może również dokonać wyboru czy jego wózek ma czekać na niego pod samolotem w porcie przylotowym czy woli odebrać go w hali odbioru bagażu. Zwykle wózki inwalidzkie nadane jako bagaż rejestrowany są obsługiwane taśmami dla bagażu ponadgabarytowego tzw. oversize
Niektóre linie lotnicze umożliwiają przewóz pasażerów na noszach ? STCR - Strecher. Jest to jednak droga usługa, a informacje o niej można uzyskać w kasie/call center przewoźnika.

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How to prepare for a trip when I am a blind person?

As in the case of people with reduced mobility, it is worth reporting to the carrier that you are blind or visually impaired before going to the airport. This will allow for the proper preparation of airport and aircraft service by granting a free BLND (Blind) service status.
The employees of the PRM (Passenger Reduced Mobility) cell also take care of the blind or visually impaired at the airport. They escort the passenger from the meeting point within the airport to the seat on the plane, then pick up the passenger upon arrival and escort him to the airport exit.
Many airlines also have the right to take a guide dog (SVAN - Service Animal) on board for blind or partially sighted passengers. It should be remembered that the dog meets the entry requirements to the destination country, has a valid rabies vaccination, and is equipped with a harness and a muzzle. Information on transporting the carrier's dog is available at the airline's ticket office / call center.
To travel by plane, a blind or visually impaired person does not need any additional accessories apart from those used on a daily basis when moving outside the home.

The same applies to the issue of air travel of deaf and deaf passengers. In their case, service-status DEAF is used instead of service-status BLND.

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What to keep in mind before the flight?

Please note that check-in usually starts 2 to 3 hours before departure and closes 1 hour to 30 minutes before departure, depending on the length of the itinerary for a given flight or carrier regulations
Remember to check the access to the airport. From our experience, it is definitely best to leave early and know how to get to the airport from the bus, tram or train stop / station etc. or how best to get to the airport and where to park safely. Before traveling, it is worth reading the regulations and price lists of airport parking lots!
Always keep documents (ID, passport, residence card, return ticket) with you, preferably in internal pockets
Remember where and in what form you have your boarding pass (physical / electronic). If you use an electronic card - make sure that the device on which you store it is charged!

Check out our luggage tips:

DGR - Dangerous Goods Regulations - dangerous materials and substances. According to the EU Regulation 2015/1998, items prohibited in hand luggage include:

1). Handguns, firearms and other projectile-firing devices that are suitable or appear capable of causing serious injury by projectile launch, including: firearms, toy guns / replicas, components of firearms except telescopic sights, firearms pneumatic and CO2, signal and starting pistols, bows, crossbows and arrows, harpoon and spear guns, slings and catapults.
2). Stunning equipment, including: shock devices such as stun guns, tasers and stun truncheons, animal stunning and slaughter equipment, neutralizing and incapacitating chemicals, gases and aerosols (e.g. pepper spray).
3). Items with sharp points or sharp edges suitable for serious injury, including: choppers such as axes, hatchets, cleavers, in addition, ice axes and ice picks, razor blades, knives and scissors with a blade length of from 6 cm (scissors counted from the pivot point), equipment used in martial arts, swords, swords, sabers;
4). Working tools capable of causing serious injury or a threat to the safety of the aircraft, including: crowbars, drills and drills, tools with a blade or shank greater than 6 cm, i.e. screwdrivers and chisels, in addition, saws, blowtorches, stud shooters or nails
5). Blunt tools capable of causing serious injury, including: baseball and softball bats, batons, martial arts equipment.
Prohibited items:

1). Explosive materials and devices as well as incendiary substances and devices, including: ammunition, primers, fuses and detonators, replicas or imitations of explosive devices, mines, grenades and other military explosive devices, fireworks and other pyrotechnic materials, smoke grenades and smoke cartridges, dynamite, gunpowder, plastic explosives.

Asking about prohibited items is not the same as asking about DGR, you should ask each passenger about both. In the event of a conflict of DGR regulations and the list of prohibited items, we apply the provisions of DGR. Example: The passenger on the LO cruise has ammunition. It is prohibited in both hand luggage and checked luggage. However, DGR regulations allow the transport of ammunition in checked baggage, and the carrier allows the transport of such an item, so you can take a suitcase with ammunition and place it in the luggage compartment. Remember not to pack any documents or medicines required for the trip into your checked baggage We recommend that you rather not pack valuables and electronics in checked baggage Please follow the restrictions as indicated on the website of the carrier whose services you use Special baggage - it is difficult to provide universal advice in this regard. Please visit the website of the airline whose services you use.

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How to pack a suitcase well?

When taking your hand luggage, please remember to comply with the carrier's restrictions If you take checked baggage with you, remember that it should also comply with the carrier's restrictions and additionally (if we can suggest something;) we suggest that you:

they chose material suitcases (hard plastic is more easily damaged during transport and traveling on the belt system in the sorting plant),
take care of the distinctive marking / color of your luggage - it will be easier for you to recognize it,
keeping to the topic of color - we recommend matt suitcases, because small damage is less visible on them,
when buying a suitcase, choose models with circles inscribed in the outline.

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How to prepare for a trip with a child?

When planning a trip with a child, it is worth finding out what rules apply to the airline you intend to use when you want to book seats next to each other on the plane. You should not leave the matter of being seated on the plane until the last minute before departure, as it can cause great inconvenience both for families with children who did not get seats together and for other passengers forced to change seats so that the children could sit with their parents. This applies to both check-in and early seat selection. Depending on the airline's policy, family seats may be guaranteed or charged extra, but you always need to first contact the airline's ticket office / call center and report the need to be seated with the children on the plane.
Traveling by plane takes from several dozen minutes to even several hours. It is worth stocking up on items that will make the journey pleasant for the children. In order for a child to use them during the flight, they must be packed in hand luggage. Therefore, one should remember about the size and weight limitations of hand luggage and about the regulations regarding items prohibited in hand luggage (e.g. replicas of weapons). You should also take into account the comfort of other passengers, so it is not recommended to take on board toys that generate sounds or throw smaller elements. When sharing electronic devices with children, it is worth equipping them with comfortable headphones.
Taking a compact travel pillow on board is also a good solution for both younger and older passengers. On the occasion of sleeping accessories - it is worth getting a blanket or a sweatshirt with long sleeves. When preparing the aircraft for flight on hot days, crews tend to set the air conditioning to the lowest possible temperature to cool the passenger compartment as quickly as possible. Sudden, drastic changes in the ambient temperature can cause respiratory diseases and other ailments.
Young children (up to 2 years of age) travel by plane on their guardian's lap. It can be very tiring for the carer on longer long haul (e.g. transatlantic) cruises. Therefore, it is worth finding out at the carrier's cash desk / call center whether a cradle can be installed in a given type of aircraft. The cradle allows you to place a small child in it for the time of a stabilized flight phase. The cradle is always provided by the carrier.
Most airlines allow you to take a stroller or car seat for free as part of a child's ticket. It is worth finding out what else the youngest passengers are entitled to free of charge by contacting the ticket office / call center of a given airline. Interesting fact: prams and car seats are checked into the luggage compartment as checked luggage, however, for several years now, many specialist stores have also offered prams specially adapted for transport in the passenger cabin of the plane. Such a stroller folds to the size of hand luggage, so you do not need to part with it during the flight, and also takes up less space in the trunk of the car or in other means of transport to and from the airport.
We would like to remind you of a good way to deal with the effect of pressure changes in the passenger compartment of the plane - clogged ears: it is worth getting some sweets, i.e. hard candy.

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How to prepare a luggage with larger dimensions to flight?

Oversized items in the passenger department are all checked baggage that differs from that of a travel bag/suitcase or exceeds the size or weight limits allowed by the airline. They may include: round luggage, cylindrical or other irregularly shaped luggage, luggage equipped with loose belts, umbrellas and orthopedic crutches, prams and wheelchairs, car seats, sports equipment, musical instruments.
The difference in handling oversized luggage at the airport is that after checking it for a flight by generating a baggage tag, the check-in employee does not take over such luggage, but directs the passenger with the luggage to the oversized luggage counter, the so-called oversize. However, upon arrival, the passenger picks up the luggage not on the usual belt in the baggage claim area, but on a special belt for oversized luggage.
The difference in handling oversized luggage at the airport is that after checking it for a flight by generating a baggage tag, the check-in employee does not take over such luggage, but directs the passenger with the luggage to the oversized luggage counter, the so-called oversize. However, upon arrival, the passenger picks up the luggage not on the usual belt in the baggage claim area, but on a special belt for oversized luggage.

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Szanowna Użytkowniczko, Szanowny Użytkowniku,

Szanowna Użytkowniczko,
Szanowny Użytkowniku,