First time flying! What to do?

Arrow in the Knee

Ok so I intend to go to Edinburgh in mid to late July with Ryanair.

When I buy the ticket online and check in within 2 weeks of the flight online what else do I do?

I don't know the steps/procedure to go through before the flight and before the return flight back home again!

And what is the weight allowance for a bag to carry on?

Any help or tips would be very much appreciated.

Outkast_IRE

Arrow in the Knee wrote: »

Ok so I intend to go to Edinburgh in mid to late July with Ryanair.

When I buy the ticket online and check in within 2 weeks of the flight online what else do I do?

I don't know the steps/procedure to go through before the flight and before the return flight back home again!

And what is the weight allowance for a bag to carry on?

Any help or tips would be very much appreciated.

You print off the boarding pass when you check in online make sure you do this.

Carryon is 10kg i believe but the bag size dimensions are strict check them online at the ryanair website.

The procedure is the same when your returning print off the boarding pass when checking in online.

Arrive at airport in plenty of time i usually arrive 2hrs before flight is due to leave.

Quazzie

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

Arrive at airport in plenty of time i usually arrive 2hrs before flight is due to leave.

Thats overkill when you've already booked in online. I'd arrive between 45 minutes and an hour before a flight with Ryanair. All being told arriving half an hour before the flight would still leave ya casually walking out to the plane.

mikedragon32

To be fair Quazzie, if it's his first time flying, it would be no harm to get there a bit early. Finding your way around T1 is time consuming anyway, but as a nervous first time flyer, it makes sense to allow some time.

OP: Familiarise yourself with the following nuggets of info
Check-in and Boarding

Airport Security Most of this info applies to any airport, pay particular attention to liquids!

Ryanair's Cabin Baggage rules
Before you come to security, it's always best to have emptied your pockets into your hand-luggage, remove your belt and any metal items too. It just speeds up the process of passing through security.

Once you're through, check the screens to find your departure gate and figure out your route. At least then you'll have time to relax and enjoy a coffee or something before heading to the gate.

Rememeber to allow 10 mins to get to some of the gates and also be aware of the gate closure time. Ryanair can and will push back before the departure time if there's nobody else at the gate a the time the gate closes!

Quazzie

mikedragon32 wrote: »

To be fair Quazzie, if it's his first time flying, it would be no harm to get there a bit early. Finding your way around T1 is time consuming anyway, but as a nervous first time flyer, it makes sense to allow some time.

You're of course right in the OPs case, my post was more in terms of general arrival times, which I concede has very little to do with this thread so is probably off topic. My apologies

Arrow in the Knee

So the summary so far is:

Buy the ticket online.

Check in online within 2 weeks of flight.
Print board pass while checking in online.

Arrive at the airport an hour an a half/two hours before flight.

By pass the check in desk unless I have baggage to put in the load of the plane. 'which I don't'

Go to the security gate. And get frisked!

Then wait around the duty free area before boarding.
Then go onto plane.

Is that right?

Arrow in the Knee

Also where do they check the weight of your bag to carry on the plane?

And is it just standard A4 paper you print your ticket and boarding pass on?

Thanks for the very helpfull advice so far.

Outkast_IRE

Arrow in the Knee wrote: »

So the summary so far is:

Buy the ticket online.

Check in online within 2 weeks of flight.
Print board pass while checking in online.

Arrive at the airport an hour an a half/two hours before flight.

By pass the check in desk unless I have baggage to put in the load of the plane. 'which I don't'

Go to the security gate. And get frisked!

Then wait around the duty free area before boarding.
Then go onto plane.

Is that right?

Yes it is right,

correct standard A4 paper is fine there will be a barcode on it which will scan.

Only other thing i can think of is when you go through security start looking for the tv screen showing what gate your flight will leave from and follow the signs to that gate.

Lapin

Arrow in the Knee wrote: »

Go to the security gate. And get frisked!

You'll only get frisked if you set off the metal detector when you walk through it.

As Mikedragon said above, remove metal items such as a belt, Jewellery etc, and put coins, keys and anything else in your pockets into your bag.

The Ryanair gates are a good 10 minute walk from the security check so allow time for this.

Keep your passport and boarding pass handy as they will be checked at the gate and again when you board the aircraft.

Quazzie

Just make sure when booking the ticket the name is exactly as on your passport as Ryanair sometimes stop you if it isn't

com1

Dont forget your passport!

Lapin

Arrow in the Knee wrote: »

Also where do they check the weight of your bag to carry on the plane?

At the departure gate.

But they don't really weigh carry on luggage unless it obviously looks like it exceeds the limit.
They're usually too busy trying to rush people on to the plane.
If you can carry it comfortably you'll be fine.

Arrow in the Knee

Where do you get your Passport stamped?

Is it at the Departure gate?

Also before my return flight home

Check in online and print boarding pass for return flight in online cafe or hotel/B&B and then the same procedure as above in the airport.

Ryanair fly into Edinburgh Airport right or is it some landing strip in the Highlands! LoL

Thanks for the helpfull advice/guidance

Quazzie

Arrow in the Knee wrote: »

Where do you get your Passport stamped?

Is it at the Departure gate?

Also before my return flight home

Check in online and print boarding pass for return flight in online cafe or hotel/B&B and then the same procedure as above in the airport.

Ryanair fly into Edinburgh Airport right or is it some landing strip in the Highlands! LoL

Thanks for the helpfull advice/guidance

You went get a stamp flying to Scotland. Depending how long you are going for you might be able to check in for both flights before you leave Ireland. Edinburgh Airport is less than a tenner by taxi from the centre of Edinburgh

Outkast_IRE

Arrow in the Knee wrote: »

Where do you get your Passport stamped?

Is it at the Departure gate?

Also before my return flight home

Check in online and print boarding pass for return flight in online cafe or hotel/B&B and then the same procedure as above in the airport.

Ryanair fly into Edinburgh Airport right or is it some landing strip in the Highlands! LoL

Thanks for the helpfull advice/guidance

I have never got stamped entering another EU country i dont think its done.

mikedragon32

If your return flight is less than two weeks from your departure date, then you can check in for both at the same time.

You will get the option to save your pass as a PDF. This is a great idea as you can e-mail it to yourself and reprint it should the need arise!

Edinburgh is the airport used by Ryanair.

Your passport isn't stamped on exit from Ireland. Ryanair ground staff will look at it at the gate but there is no official function carried out here. Same applies in Edinburgh.

Funny really, you tend to take all of this for granted after a while!

mikemac1

It's good you will be there early

By the time you get to Pier D you'll think you've walked to Co Meath

ProudDUB

Meath? Screw that. Last time I walked to the arse end of Pier D, I was surprised I didn't wind up in Mayo !

Yeah, no stamping of passports. They just check it to make sure that the name on it matches your boarding pass, and that the person in the picture has a passing similarity to you.

I'd head to your gate as soon as you go thru security. Some of the gates are a bit of a walk from the duty free area. Don't spend too much time killing time there unless you have a lot of time on your hands. You should be at the departure gate no less than 30 mins before the departure of the flight, not still knocking around the duty free shops or restaurants.

I also agree that the OP getting there 2 hours before the flight is a good idea for a first time traveler. It gives them plenty of wiggle room in case there is a delay getting to the airport, parking the car, going thru security etc etc. There are plenty of places where the OP can sit down and have a cuppa or buy a magazine if they have time to kill.

OP, the Ryanair the cabin baggage weight allowance is 10kgs. The size dimensions are 55cm height, 40cm width and 20 cm depth/front to back. That is when the bag is empty. If your bag is right at the size limit before you pack it, don't fill up any front pockets, as that will make the front part bulge up and you'll be over the front to back size limit. If you are buying a bag specially for the trip, read its size dimensions on the label first. Not all bags sold as cabin baggage worthy meet Ryanairs rather stringent baggage criteria.

They check your bag as you board the plane. There is a special cage thingy that the bag has to fit into easily to be considered ok size wise. If it doesn't fit in, or you have to push it in with your hand, you'll probably be made check it.

useless

one other thing about Ryanair and hand baggage- one item means one item.

So if you buy something in the duty free and have that in a plastic bag, as well as your carryon suitcase, the Ryanair staff at the gate will consider that two pieces of luggage and if your plastic bag of stuff doesnt fit into your suitcase, they'll charge you a hold luggage charge.
Same goes if you have a handbag, camera bag, etc. Its all got to fit in your suitcase.

Im not debating the rights and wrongs of it, only saying that Ive personally seen some people end up with some very expensive 'duty free' whiskey by the time the baggage charge is added on! Best to know the rules in advance.

Lapin

Don't know if OP smokes or not, but it might be handy for others to know that there is a smoking area in The Garden Terrace. A bar located upstairs in the duty free area. Its the only place you can smoke after security at the airport.

Arrow in the Knee

I don't smoke.

So I go into Terminal 1.

Is there a specfic area for Flights to Edinburgh?

I am going for 2 days so I will print off the return boarding pass when I checking in the first time.

Lapin

Arrow in the Knee wrote: »

So I go into Terminal 1.

Is there a specfic area for Flights to Edinburgh?

No, but there is a specific area for Ryanair flights.

The vast majority depart from gates 101 - 113.

This is where your flight will more than likely depart from too.

Its a bright modern, new extension to the airport with cafés and a bar.

cml387

Are you going to the city of Edinburgh?

There is a bus just outside the terminal that will take you straight into Waverley station (centre of Edinburgh). Enjoy your trip, it's a lovely city.

Arrow in the Knee

I'm going to Stirling 'North West of Edinburgh'.

I have to decide whether to hire a car for the two days or go up to Stirling by train.

Gatica

great advice for the OP on this thread. Was wondering if anyone would post the Ryanair hand-luggage dimentions - cheers ProudDUB, beat me to it!

If you bring a laptop you'll need to take it out of it's bag and lay it separately in a tray when going through airport security.

Some airports also require you to take off your shoes before going through the metal-detector (stand to be corrected on whether Dublin does this, can't remember). If that's the case it helps having slip-on shoes or your laces ready.

The liquids requirement also will mean you'll need to have your 20x20cm clear plastic pouch used to hold the <100ml containers handy as they often will ask to have it laid out outside your bag or to see it. Not sure if airports still keep them handy or if there's a charge for them - but household clear sandwich bags or freezer bags meeting the 1l requirement would work just as well. Remember you'll need to be able to close the seal on the bag, so don't stuff it with your liquids/gels.

Do get there in plenty of time. Get through security, enjoy a cup of coffee and relax!

Lapin

Gatica wrote: »

Some airports also require you to take off your shoes before going through the metal-detector (stand to be corrected on whether Dublin does this, can't remember). If that's the case it helps having slip-on shoes or your laces ready.

Yes unfortunately. Dublin is still quite relentless in enforcing this ridiculous practice. More so than most other airports I've passed through in recent years, many in countries where the threat of terrorism is a lot more prevalent.

Good tip there about the slip on shoes Gatica.

mikemac1

I don't carry obvious liquids like bottles


But I go through Dublin I'd also be bringing the oul essentials, deodorant and shaving foam.
Once I took them out and showed the guy and was told grand.
Next time I just left them in my bag and nothing was said at the xray

Are you allowed to bring these or not?
Don't want to breaking rules, I think I'm ok but not sure

I also wasn't sure about razors. Standard safety ones like Gillette.
Because I wasn't sure I just leave them at home and buy them at my destination


Sorry for noob questions

coylemj

You need to check that information on the relevant airport website, here is the webpage for Dublin airport.

See the paragraph 'Prohibited Items', there are separate links for what you can not pack in carry-on or check-in luggage, both links point to downloadable PDF files.....

http://www.dublinairport.com/gns/at-the-airport/airport-security.aspx

ProudDUB

mikemac1 wrote: »

I don't carry obvious liquids like bottles


But I go through Dublin I'd also be bringing the oul essentials, deodorant and shaving foam.
Once I took them out and showed the guy and was told grand.
Next time I just left them in my bag and nothing was said at the xray

Are you allowed to bring these or not?
Don't want to breaking rules, I think I'm ok but not sure

I also wasn't sure about razors. Standard safety ones like Gillette.
Because I wasn't sure I just leave them at home and buy them at my destination

Here is info on that direct from the horses mouth, the Dublin Airport website.

http://www.dublinairport.com/gns/at-the-airport/airport-security/FAQs.aspx


What do you mean by liquid?

Some things are evidently liquid, like drinks and perfume. Others are less obvious, like gels, pastes, lotions, mixture of liquids and solids and the contents of aerosols. Some examples of these are toothpastes, hair gels, face creams, liquid cosmetics, lip-gloss, deodorants, perfumes and shaving foam.

What are the limits?

Only liquids in containers of 100ml or less, fitting comfortably into a one litre transparent plastic bag (approximately 20cm x 20cm) when fully closed, are permitted. This transparent bag, with containers of 100ml should then be presented at the passenger security screening area.


Can I bring my own transparent plastic bag from home?

Yes, we strongly encourage you to do so. The bag must be transparent, re-sealable and approximately 20cm x 20cm. These bags are available at most local supermarkets and bags can also be purchased from vending machines in Dublin Airport. The bags are regulation size and can be bought for €1 (for two bags) at convenient locations throughout the Departures floor at Dublin Airport. The plastic packaging of the bag container is also fully recyclable.

Can I take my contact lens solution?

Contact lens solution should be packed into checked in luggage. If you must carry lens solution in your hand luggage it should be in a container, not more than 100mls and presented in a one litre transparent bag at the passenger security screening point.

Can I bring my cough medicine or nose spray in my hand luggage?

Yes, provided these items are in containers not more than 100mls and presented in a one litre transparent bag separately at the passenger security screening point. If these items are not essential for use during your flight we strongly recommend that you pack them into your checked in luggage.



So in a nutshell, you can only bring 100 ml sized containers of liquids thru security, no matter what they are. The likes of shaving foam, tooth paste and deodorant count as liquids. You will be made toss your normal sized ones if you bring them with you. Like mikemac, I have also been waved through a time or too with stuff that was over the 100 ml limit. But it isn't the norm. I fly a lot. I see people being made toss their stuff that is over the 100 ml limit, far more than I see them be let thru with it.

OP, Go to a chemist and buy travel sized miniature versions of what you normally use, or buy the travel approved packs in the airport after you have cleared security, or buy them when you get to Scotland. You can also go to the 2 euros store and buy packs of travel sized 100ml bottles and decant shampoos, aftershaves, shower gel etc etc into. ( Or do what I do. Nick 'em, sorry, I meant borrow them from hotels ! ) Disposable razors should be ok, its only open blade items (such as a stanley knife or a pen knife) that are a no no.

Chucken

I'll just second what another poster said. When you've gone through security,dont spend too much time in the duty free area. Its a good 10 minute walk to the gate so you're better off just to get to your gate and relax.

The bus outside Edinburgh Airport will bring you into town in about 25 minutes.
The 'Airlink 100' costs about 3.50 single or 6 stg return.
The buses go about every 10 minutes.

cml387

Chucken wrote: »

I'll just second what another poster said. When you've gone through security,dont spend too much time in the duty free area. Its a good 10 minute walk to the gate so you're better off just to get to your gate and relax.

The bus outside Edinburgh Airport will bring you into town in about 25 minutes.
The 'Airlink 100' costs about 3.50 single or 6 stg return.
The buses go about every 10 minutes.

If you sit on the top deck you get a great view of Murrayfield on the way.

I'm getting wanderlust feelings again.

Chucken

Me too!!!! I love Edinburgh