As a pilot,
here are a couple of suggestions.
Once you get through security, put your shoes back on
buy a bottle of water and just carry it in your "carry on"
go to the bathroom just prior to boarding the aircraft, especially if your nervous
If you get hungry pack some snacks, airlines are getting much tighter on what they have to offer so if you have a faorite food bring it.
Good luck and relax, enjoy the ride I would
Doc

Just putting in my suggestions.. Everyone has pointed out the key items. I fly over 100K miles a year every year for quite some time. Shoot, my 2 year old logged 60K last year!

There's no reason to fear flying. I personally avoid checking in baggage unless I really need to (mainly if I fly international, I need to check) <- most countries are still "suits", and my trips are usually a minimum of 2 weeks). The reason why I avoid checked baggage is the risk of it getting lost (happened twice to me out of maybe 5 times traveling domestically <=maybe just bad luck). And 2, some airports like JFK take a very very very long time to pick up.

Slip on shoes - check

I actually remove all my metal stuff while waiting in the security line.. Everything goes in the jacket pockets or my bag. Empty all my pockets, watch, cell phone, etc -> into the jacket. (exception is your boarding pass and ID (drivers license or passport). The only thing I have on me at that point would be my clothes, glasses, and wedding band. Oh, please, don't be one of those people with the shirts with the metal buttons or whatnot. Cotton or wool are your friends, minimize the accessories.. Don't be Mr. T.

through the xray:
#1 - The rollerboard (the carry on suitcase)
#2 - Bin - Jacket and shoes
#3 - Bin - Laptop Computer
#4 - Laptop bag

I wait on the "RED" side of the metal detector until my laptop bag goes into the xray. I then walk through the detector to the "GREEN" side, oh, make sure you have your boarding pass ready to present. The reason I have the order above is that my laptop bag is usually scrutinized the most, and by having in that order, prevents someone from picking up my laptop while I go through the metal detector. Oh, I also make sure the person in front of me has cleared the detector cleanly, before putting items 3 and 4 on the conveyor.

You should be set with that. In regards to following what other people are doing, I would take that advice with caution - there are people, like you, who don't fly often. Copying them may not be beneficial. If I didn't fly often, I would probably copy the business traveller who is extremely antsy due to the slow line. <- Maybe that would be me..

To Benjamin, so what is the longest non-stop commercial flight in the world? I've done 16 hour direct flights. Can't imagine anything longer than that direct. With connections, I have traveled 24 hours.

A tactic I've used with lots of success. Agree strongly!




The longest commercial flight is 18.5 hours from Newark to Singapore. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2004-02-03-sia-flight_x.htm