News

Jun 13, 2023

The biggest mistakes travellers make at the airport

With the aviation sector still understaffed, it can be a struggle to get through

With the aviation sector still understaffed, it can be a struggle to get through the airport without stumbling over some unforeseen obstacle.

Even – and perhaps especially – if you’re a frequent flyer, it can be easy to barrel your way through, doing what you always do, without noticing little things that could make the experience quicker and calmer. Here are six mistakes many travellers make, along with tips on how you can learn from them.

I almost missed a flight back from Australia because I assumed it would be delayed as long as the departures board initially said.

My previous flight had been delayed for a good couple of hours, so when I found out this one had as well, I delayed the wait at the entertainment-free gate for as long as possible.

With a purported two extra hours to spare, I lingered over dinner at a restaurant, browsed the snacks on offer at other outlets, read a couple of mags at the bookstore, and mindlessly scrolled through Instagram while my phone charged. I kept checking the departures board, which never said ‘go to gate’, so I (wrongly) assumed I had plenty of time up my sleeve.

It was while stupefied by social media that I heard my name on over the intercom followed by the passive-aggressive message every traveller dreads to hear: "Your aircraft is ready to depart, and all other passengers are waiting for you". Cringe.

Save yourself the stressful sprint to the gate – and the glares of your fellow passengers when you finally board – by getting to your gate as soon as it opens.

I’m far from financially blessed but, staring down the barrel of a 10-hour layover in Dubai Airport ahead of a nearly 16-hour flight home, I happily parted with US$175 (NZ$290) for four hours in the Emirates Business Class Lounge.

Instead of trying in vain to sleep on a row of metal seats, I took a hot shower, washed down a plate full of Middle Eastern culinary delights with a couple of glasses of bubbly, and snoozed on a full-length lounger. It was as close to bliss as I believe you can get on a 25-hour journey.

If you’re not an elite flyer and don't have a credit card that offers access to airport lounges, they can seem like an overindulgence. On long layovers, however, they partly pay for themselves in preserving your sanity. And if you’re very hungry or thirsty or just have expensive tastes in food and alcoholic beverages, you might just eat and drink enough to make back your entry fee.

Many lounges offer passes for a few hours which are much cheaper than the Emirates lounge. In New Zealand, Manaia Lounge at Christchurch and Queenstown Airports offers entry to international passengers on any airline from $65 per adult and $42 per child. Auckland's newly revamped Strata Lounge, meanwhile, charges from $66 for a four-hour stay or from $168 for a private room.

Frequent flyers could consider signing up for Priority Pass, which offers access to 1300 airport lounges around the world for an annual fee. The standard pass costs US$99 (NZ$160) a month, which also entitles members to discounts on car rentals and airport transfers.

Most airlines have apps you can download onto your smartphone to provide you with the most up-to-date information on your flight. If your flight is delayed or cancelled, you’ll get an alert telling you so – which could save you hours of sitting around at the airport, or give you a head start with rebooking.

Once at the airport, the information on the app is often more up-to-date than that on the departure and arrivals boards.

The Air New Zealand app will soon enable travellers to track their bags from check in to arrival at their destination, and offer advice on what to do if it has taken a detour.

Some airports have developed apps which help travellers navigate terminals and keep stress to a minimum. Auckland Airport's ‘home to gate’ journey planner tells you what time to leave home, what the traffic is like, when to check in, head to security and go to the gate, and whether there have been any changes to your flight. You can also use it to book parking and park-and-ride services.

Digital trip planning tools such as TripIt, meanwhile, can talk you through your journey wherever you are. Forward your booking confirmation emails to [email protected] and the app will create an itinerary for your trip, with reminders, alerts and info on where to eat at the airport.

We’re all for free wi-fi, but it pays to bear in mind that public wi-fi networks aren't secure. Use it to enter personal information such as passwords, and you could return to find your social media accounts hacked and your bank account even sadder looking than it was before you shelled out for your holiday.

With airports selling ‘duty’ and tax-free’ Whittaker's chocolate for $11 a block, it makes financial sense to pack your own snacks.

While there are restrictions on the foods you can take through security (basically anything spreadable or with a high liquid content is a no-go), you can either pre-load before you head through, or pack meals that meet the requirements.

My most recent flights all left at the crack of dawn so, well aware of the dearth of breakfast options at Auckland Airport at such an early hour, particularly for those with dietary requirements, I made myself a bircher muesli the night before. Leaving myself 20 minutes to scoff it before heading through security, I had 20 minutes to search for the item I had forgotten to bring – an SD card for extra photo storage for my phone. Which brings us to another classic airport mistake – waiting until you get through security to buy essential items for your trip.

I cursed myself after arriving at the airport two hours before a flight was set to depart to find a queue for check-in that looked like it would take at least that long. The kicker: There was a queue about a quarter of the length for those who’d had the foresight to check in online.

Sometimes you have no option but to check in at the airport, but always use the online option if you can. Save your boarding pass to your phone or email it to yourself and, if you don't have any luggage to check, you can head straight to security.

Even if you’re not travelling with carry-on luggage only, it’ll save you a long, boring and potentially nail-biting wait. As I learnt the hard way.

If you want to sail through security, don't wear anything metallic.

Clothing, belts and footwear with significant quantities of metal may trigger an alarm when you walk through the metal detector, potentially subjecting you to additional screening.

The Aviation Security Service (AvSec) notes on its website that if you are wearing a corset, an AvSec officer will need to sight it – although it promises this will be done in private.

Stash clothing with metallic components in your checked luggage, and take off steel-cap boots and footwear with metallic decorations before it's your turn to put your stuff in the tray.

Metal accessories such as jewellery may also trigger the metal detection alarm and, as it's not a good idea to store expensive items in your checked luggage or leave them in the provided trays, it's probably best to leave them at home.

What airport mistakes have you made before heading overseas? What have we missed? Let us know in the comments.