ITTP

[admin]

Leaving on a jet plane - a rough guide to flying to Prague (and within Europe).

Whether you are preparing to fly over to Prague from home or considering a trip in Europe, the following article covers the essential tips for choosing the right airline - and more importantly, the right seat.

By Neville Thomas, ITTP TEFL Prague

I have had the good (and bad) fortune to have traveled in my life extensively around the globe, and on many different airline carriers. I've had the delightful experience of sipping champagne in Business on a Virgin flight from New York to London, and had the rather less delightful experience (with another airline), of being confined to the economy toilet area for 3 hours whilst my oh so tired stomach vomited up the last morsels of my economy dinner meal and hence on any liquids which passed my lips on that flight.

The main problem, as I see it, with choosing airline seats and choosing which airline to fly with is that the choice is usually made whilst lounging on a comfy bed or sofa and whilst glued to the computer screen - and in this purchasing scenario the main concern is often price, without too much thought usually of the actual logistics of the seat.

If we could all actually try the seat before making the purchase and if we could all taste the airline food and experience the airline service before entering our card details then perhaps we would be a lot more concerned with issues such as leg room, transit waiting times (including airport conditions and facilities), and an airlines general level of focus on customer service.

The first choice is usually whether to purchase a single or return flight ticket.
The majority of our clients choose to fly in on return tickets, whilst about 20% of ITTP students choose to arrive on a single. Technically everyone should arrive with a return ticket - in reality though it would be very rare if you were checked. However, single tickets are often more expensive than return tickets and as you can never predict the future it is highly recommended that you buy a return ticket, then if you do need to head home sooner than you planned to you can usually change the return date for a small fee and fly back earlier than planned (or later even).

If you are a patriot and only fly the air carrier of your home country then that is your choice and you are doing your airline a great service. Otherwise, if you are not fussy about who you fly with, then you should be aware that in recent years N.American carriers have begun limiting on board services. European carriers - such as Air France, British Airways, and Swiss - have also begun this but still generally provide multiple complimentary meals and drinks on board (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Asian airlines tend to be the most service orientated and one of the best is Singapore Airlines.

Ideally, you want to be flying directly from point 'A' to point 'B' but if you do need to transfer at another airport then it's important to work out exactly how much time you will have between flight times and whether you will be required to go through passport control and customs checks - Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, as an example, is notorious for long transfer delays and transferring can often be difficult.

On the issue of airport transfers and customs/ passport control you must be aware of any compulsory transfer visas required (sometimes even if you don't leave the airport but if you instead spend a certain amount of time at the airport between flights).
Another very important tip is to make sue that any prescription medicines which you are bringing with you are in their original packaging and preferably accompanied with a doctor's note AND the original prescription note. Also, it's obvious that what is for sale in the coffee shops in Amsterdam isn't for traveling with outside of the Netherlands but did you also know that poppy seeds are illegal in countries such as Greece and UAE? This means, for example, that if you arrive at Athens airport munching on a poppy seed cake then you can be arrested.
Lastly, NEVER carry anything through customs for anyone and always make sure that you have checked that no-one has tampered with your luggage.

So now we have covered the general basics, which are the best seats and how can you make sure that your long-haul flight is a comfy one and not a cramped ride instead?

Well, airlines use different aircraft so there isn't an answer here which quotes an exact seat number.
When you have chosen a flight then I advise you to do a bit of additional research into the safety record of the airline and also into the seat width and leg-room on its aircraft.
As an example, Thai Air provide a comfortable 34 inch leg room on long haul flights but some airlines provide just 30 inches might sound like a lot but after being in that seat for a few hours you are going to notice it.
So before you click on that cheap seat you should find out whether you are going to be able to sit in it relatively comfortably or not.

The next area of concern should be whether you want to be by the window or next to the aisle - but definitely not in the middle seat(s) of course.
The window seat can be a great option if you want to get your head down for a bit of a nap or if you want to take in the marvels materializing outside of your window but the aisle seat can often provide slightly more space. The real negative of the aisle seat though is having to move everything someone needs the toilet.

The best seats do tend to be emergency exit seats and the best way to ensure you get one of these coveted seats is to dress up smart and head to the check in early and simply request the seat.
Of course, everyone would hope for an upgrade to Business Class (of which my JFK to Gatwick Virgin flight was one), but these are becoming much rarer now and airlines tend to upgrade now to frequent flyer members only (and ones with substantial air miles clocked up on their membership).

Another flight concern should be the aircraft's entertainment system.
If you are happy watching Candid Camera repeats for the duration of your 8 hour flight then so be it but personally I can't (and I'm sure you can't either). Some airlines have AVOD systems on board with personal seat head screens and these can be excellent at avoiding thinking about the length of your flight ahead.

So, what are my airline tips?

The following are airlines which I would happily fly international with again and which are for me gems among the rough (in alphabetical order) :

Air France - based in France
Bangkok Airlines - based in Thailand
Singapore Airlines - based in Singapore
Swiss - based in Switzerland
Thai Air - based in Thailand
Turkish Airlines - based in Turkey
Virgin America - based in the USA
Virgin Atlantic - based in the UK

On a final note, there has in Europe in recent years been a boom in cheap no-frills airlines and this can be an excellent way to see the continent. Booking up well in advance usually ensures that your flight costs less than the land travel alternative.

Currently the following discount airlines fly out of Prague's Ruzyne international airport (in alphabetical order) :

Bmi Baby
Click4sky (the Czech Airlines discount option)
Easy Jet (personally recommended)
German Wings
Jet 2
Ryan Air
WizzAir

Enjoy your flight... and your seat!