When you are about to take a civilian airplane, you’d better not eat too much. Otherwise you may feel uncomfortable, nauseous or even vomit. Before boarding, foods and beverages that contain much cellulose and easily generate intestinal gas shall be avoided, such as soda water, potatoes, beans, lettuce, cucumber, carrot and peanut; it is better not to eat high-fat and high-protein foods. The best choice is foods containing high calories and promoting digestion, including white bread, cakes, noodles, yogurt, lean meat, candies, chocolates and fruits. If you fail to buy such foods before boarding, don’t worry about it. During air travel, you will be served free of charge with fruit juice, cold drinks, various candies, chocolates and other similar foods. By the way, you might well have a good sleep before boarding. It can not only eliminate dizziness during your journey but also energize you for enjoying the landscape.

During air travel, stewardesses tend to give out candies and other snacks to passengers. It is not only for killing time but it makes scientific sense. With the plane continuously rising, the air becomes thinner and the atmospheric pressure drops faster. In such case, you may feel as if your ears were blocked, and some people might experience temporary hearing impairment and earache. Such symptoms are related to auditory tube. This tube is a curved and narrow channel linking middle ear to nasopharynx, with one open end at middle ear and the other open at the side wall of nasopharynx. Most times the auditory tube is closed and temporarily opens in swallowing, yawning, chewing or sneezing. It is effective in keeping the balance between the pressure of middle ear cavity and the outside pressure. The change of air pressure caused by the ascent or descent of the airplane will result in abnormal air pressure inside middle ear tympanic cavity, thus pressurizing auditory tube and blocking the passage for air to go into middle ear. Therefore, the middle ear tympanic cavity is under negative pressure. If you take some foods like candies while the plane is taking off or landing, you continue chewing or swallowing and the auditory tube will open and close continuously. Then air will go freely into middle ear cavity, which helps keep the balance between internal pressure of middle ear and the outside atmospheric pressure. In this case, ear discomfort will be alleviated or removed. The quick fall of the aircraft will lead to abrupt change in cabin pressure, by which time travelers will feel as if their ears were blocked. The advice is to open your mouth or grit your teeth just like you are chewing a chewing gum. Then the occlusion effect will disappear naturally.

The adverse factors for a pregnant woman on plane are low pressure, oxygen deficiency, limited space in cabin, etc. Although some studies show air travel is safe for a woman at any stage of pregnancy, for caution’s sake, a healthy pregnant woman is allowed to take a plane but she shall present a certificate proving her expected date of delivery. As a rule, any woman with more than 8 month pregnancy shall not travel by air. In special circumstances, such passenger shall, within 72 hours before boarding, deliver for verification a “diagnosis certificate” in duplicate signed by the doctor and stamped by the medical institution, which includes information such as passenger name, age, pregnancy date, estimated date of delivery, flight schedule and date, suitability for air travel and whether she needs special care on plane, and she is also required to fill out Special Passenger’s Application for Air Travel in duplicate. She may buy an air ticket with approval from the carrier.

When a plane flies at the height of 4268m or above, the cabin will be pressurized. If the cabin is decompressed, oxygen deficiency will occur, which may cause travelers to feel dizzy, lose consciousness or even jeopardize their lives. In case of oxygen deficiency in cabin at different altitudes, the time when a person can withstand hypoxia is 10 minutes (6100m), 2 minutes (7800m), 30 seconds (9140m), 20 seconds (10700m), 15 seconds (12200m) and 12 seconds (19800m). An oxygen mask is an emergency life-support device offering oxygen to the traveler. If oxygen becomes deficient in the cabin, the oxygen mask will automatically fall from cabin roof and the traveler shall put on the mask until the plane descends to the height for safe breathing or below. Each flight is equipped with a sufficient number of oxygen masks, i.e., each passenger has an oxygen mask. In additional, each row is equipped with one more mask for emergency sake.

When you decide to take a plane, you shall make relevant preparations so as to boost your confidence and alleviate your concerns about air travel.
First of all, decide what kind of plane you prefer to take. There are many airplane models, and you may choose the plane model and flight you favor through airlines, air ticket agencies or travel agencies. Generally speaking, the more advanced the airplane model is, the more comfort you get. If possible, it is best to choose a daytime flight. However, some airports offer one daily flight or during the interval of several days, and then you have no other choice. Suppose you depart from Shanghai, you have many options for there are many originating flights of Air China, China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines as well as connecting flights of other airlines at Shanghai airports.
Secondly, decide the type of air ticket. You may choose first class, business class or economy class. As a first class or business class traveler, you enjoy a spacious and comfortable seat and better in-flight services. But you have to pay a higher fare, about 130%-150% of an economy class ticket. Though the conditions for economy class are comparatively low, the fare is reasonable and you are also entitled to quality services from air hostesses. Remember that the safety factor of a traveler is irrelevant to the fare.
Thirdly, it is also necessary to choose a seat, for it is related to your riding comfort. As a rule, seats between the wing and nose of an aircraft have better stability. If you are concerned about the jolt caused by air current, you’d better not select a seat near the tail of the aircraft. If you want bigger room to stretch your feet, it is better to buy a seat at the first several rows or near emergency exit. If you like to move about, you’d better select a seat beside the aisle so that you may standup or move about from time to time without affecting others; if you are afraid of altitude flight, it is best not to book a seat close to a porthole. If you want to appreciate the scenery outside the airplane and know the flight status at any time, you may choose a seat beside a porthole. If you want to select a seat, please tell the service personnel while getting your boarding pass.
Last but not least important, you shall decide when to leave for the airport based on the distance from the airport so as to ensure you arrive at the airport at least one hour in advance. If you get there too early, you may lose patience due to long waiting time. If you get there too late, you may find yourself in frantic rush and even miss the flight. While waiting at the airport for the boarding, you may buy some snacks or newspapers/magazines for enjoyment during your journey.

One the morning of the other day, a passenger was rushed by a taxi to the airport only to miss the flight, which delayed his trip.
As is known to all, an airport is usually far away from the downtown to the particularity of air transportation. Passengers have to take a bus or taxi to get to the airport. In the case of good traffic, it requires at least several dozens of minutes. It needs more time in case of traffic jam. After passengers arrive at the terminal building, they have to pay airport construction fee, and conduct boarding procedures, luggage check-in and pass through safety check. All this requires time. Unpunctual passengers tend to add pressure to the said links, which causes flight delay, passengers missing flight, airplane waiting for travelers, thus bringing trouble to airport, airlines and air traffic control.
Each day there are some passengers who have their trips delayed due to their unpunctuality. There are more unpunctual travelers during golden weeks like Spring Festival, “May Day” holidays and “National Day” holidays.
Therefore, to guarantee a smooth trip, passengers shall arrive at the airport 90 minutes in advance to handle the check-in and make sure all procedures have been completed 30 minutes before take-off. Then you may take your time waiting for the boarding at the terminal building.

In foggy weather the surface visibility is too low for the aircraft to take off or land normally. Visibility is the distance at which a standard object can be viewed and identified by a person with normal eyesight on existing weather conditions. Visibility is closely related to air travel and is the main basis to determine whether an airport is open or closed, and whether visual flight rules (VFR) or instrument flight rules (IFR) apply to the take-off and landing. As an obstacle to air flight, bad visibility affects the safety of the take-off and landing of an airplane and the visual flight of a pilot as well. It is a formidable foe for safe flight. The commonest culprit for bad visibility is fog, followed by cloud, rainfall, smoke, haze, sandstorm, airborne dirt, drift snow and the like. Any such situation in the airport will seriously affect the take-off and landing of aircraft. At the visibility of only several dozens of meters, a plane cannot take off or land, or even slide. In such case, an accident may easily happen, so the airport has to be closed and scheduled flights have to be delayed or canceled accordingly. For instance, “port of shadows” phenomenon occurs to Beijing Capital International Airport on several days almost every year, which causes the delay or cancellation of many flights and brings trouble and loss to passengers and airlines.

If you are about to make air travel, it might worry you most if your ID card gets lost. In fact, you need not worry so much in this case. The following three tips may help you out: you may apply to the public security organ at the locality of your registered permanent residence for a certificate on loss of ID card, which indicates your name, age, household address, effective date, and is affixed with your recent bareheaded photo and stamped with common seal of the public security organ; you might well report the loss to the public security organ at the locality where your ID card is lost. The said organ will issue a certificate on loss of ID card, which bears the aforesaid information; in addition, you may carry your household registration book or employee’s card, letter of introduction or other valid certificates that can prove your identity, and apply to civil aviation public security department (whose duty room is deployed in the waiting hall of any airport) for the issue of a temporary boarding certificate. Suppose you have not had any of the said effective certificates on you, you may consult the nearby civil aviation public security department for help.
When you find your ID card lost or stolen before taking a plane, you may choose either of the first two tips if you have enough time. You may turn to civil aviation public security department for help if the boarding time is drawing near. Keep in mind that you shall handle ticket-buying and boarding procedures as required. You shall not use other person’s ID card or a counterfeit certificate on the off-chance of “passing the test”. Otherwise you might end up in an awkward situation: invalidated air ticket, revoked boarding qualification, borrowed or forged certificate confiscated by civil aviation public security department according to law, and you may be subject to public security penalties.

Any passenger may meet with delayed flight during the Spring Festival period. Once your flight is delayed, don’t worry. First you may go to the airport information desk or flight attendants for the cause of such delay. Generally speaking, the length of delay differs from causes. Travelers may find out countermeasures according to the realities.
The reasons for delayed or canceled flights are generally as follows: holding on route caused by air traffic control or flow control; aircraft reallocation by airlines; looking for checked baggage of passengers that failed to board the aircraft for the sake of their convenience or safety; the weather of the airports where the plane takes off or lands or the skyway does not meet flight standards; mechanical or electronic failure on the aircraft or other contingencies. The time of flight delay due to the first three reasons will not be too long, so you may wait patiently or rest in the waiting room or on the plane. If the flight is affected by failure of aircraft components, it usually depends on the time needed for aircraft repair. As a rule, if the repair is expected to require a long time, the airline concerned will timely arrange another plane for such delayed flight and you may wait patiently for your trip. Considering the fact that the Spring Festival transport period is the time when most parts of northern China are marked by low temperature and low visibility, flight delay caused by climatic factors shall be differentiated. If the situation is not urgent, the best policy is to wait. If the situation is urgent and there is an interline ticket available, you may ask airport duty personnel or flight attendants to timely notify relevant personnel at the airport of destination or request airport on-duty personnel to assist in changing or ordering air tickets for another flight, or conduct ticket refund procedure, transfer to another transport means. You might well ask them to sign and stamp the ticket clarifying the situation and then go to the designated ticket counter for full refund. It is worth remarking that the said procedures are not complicated. As long as you find relevant airport personnel, you will get a satisfactory result.

According to Civil Aviation Law of the People’s Republic of China, anyone buying an air ticket is required to present the traveler’s own effective certificate (such as resident identity card, passport, home return certificate, Taiwan compatriot certificate, residence permit for foreigners, solider ID card, military officer card, police ID card).
However, some passengers, especially first-time air travelers, are not clear about this provision. They assume that the purchase of air ticket is as simple as buying a train ticket. You can just get on the train as long as you have the ticket. As a matter of fact, the spelling and pronunciation of the name shown in air ticket shall be identical with those of the name indicated on the traveler’s own valid certificate. Such an incident happened at Shenyang Taoxian International Airport: a traveler named “Wang Honggang (王宏刚)” entrusted his friend to buy an air ticket for him, for he had no time for it. In filling out the “ticket purchase form”, his friend misspelled the name “王宏刚 (Wang Honggang)” into “王洪刚 (Wang Honggang)”. As a result, security inspection personnel found such discrepancy and prevented this passenger from boarding. His trip was thus ruined.
It is learned that the discrepancy between the name shown in some travelers’ valid certificates including ID cards, student ID cards, passports and that shown in their air tickets lies in the same pronunciation with different characters or the missing or addition of characters. Some people may use others’ ID cards to buy air tickets. Some even use some certificates including motor vehicle driver’s licenses, which are not valid certificates for boarding. Such things usually occur to group-booking or telephone-booking passengers, for ID cards are usually not presented in group ticketing or telephone booking. So errors will easily happen.
If a traveler boards the plane with an air ticket which bears the name different from that shown in his valid certificate in any aspect, his/her right or interest may not be guaranteed for incorrect certificate or unclear identity, provided that any accident occurs to the aircraft. Sometimes specific culprits may exploit such discrepancy, which will bring trouble to flight safety.