A few questions about taking a flight with a layover

A few questions about taking a flight with a layover?
Okay, so I'm 17 years old and I have plans to travel alone to Missouri from Boston this summer, which makes me an unaccompanied minor. I've been on planes a few times before, but I've always been with other people who are more experienced with flying and actually know what they're doing in an airport, so I just have a few questions. Also, if this was a nonstop flight, I wouldn't be too concerned because I would be with my parents until I departed from Boston, and then when I arrived, I would be with my friend's parents, but there are no nonstop flights. They all have connecting flights, so I'll either have to stop in Cincinnati or Memphis. I'm most likely flying with Delta both ways and on each connecting flight. I looked up Delta's unaccompanied minor policy, and all I could find was this program that you have to pay 100 bucks for, but they said that it was optional for 15-17 year olds. I'm just curious as to whether they have any other sort of policy for unaccompanied minors who aren't using that program, because I couldn't find anything on that. Also, are there any teenagers out there who have flown alone with connecting flights before, or any parents that have children that have flown alone with connecting flights? I'm just curious as to how it went. To the other kids, was it confusing? Did you get where you wanted to go without having panic attacks in the process? Do you have to check in with anybody when you get to the connecting airport, or do you just walk off the plane and then wait around for however long and then get on your plane? When you get off the plane and enter the connecting airport, are all the gates in the same area in most airports, or do you have to go through hell and back to find the gate for your connecting flight? See, because I'm not really that concerned that I'll be alone, I'm just worried about finding my way through the connecting airport, because I'm not very observant and I'm not very directionally oriented. To the parents, what formalities did you have to go through for your child? Also, when I get to Logan Airport and I'm looking for the gate for my departing flight (say my connecting flight is from Cincinnati) do you look for the one on the board that says "Boston to Cincinnati" or will it be "Boston to Kansas City?" I don't know, that's probably a silly question, but I'm just being cautious. And lastly, are airports generally safe in terms of being an alone minor? I mean, I'm 17, I'm not like, 10, so I think I'll be okay, but I don't want to get mugged or anything.
Air Travel - 4 Answers
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1 :
even though you are 17 you could still use the program of course it will cost you but it migjt help as the airline wiil help you
2 :
I have never flown alone, but i have gotten lost in one the biggest airports in the world. Just look on the tv screen that tells you where ur departing and destination. If you act like you know what your doing, then you probably wont get mugged. Or stay close to an adult so if there even is a mugger, (i doubt it) they will think you are with an adult and safe... good luck
3 :
I flew on my own with a connecting flight at the age of 19. It was hell because my first flight got delayed (due to fog), which made me miss my second flight and have to switch over to a later flight (making me have to wait an extra 3 hours). Overall, if you aren't rushed it shouldn't be too hard to find your gate. I flew in to an unfamiliar (and rather large) airport and just looked at the boards to see what gate I needed to be at (plane ticket didn't have it on there, just said something like "to be determined"), went there, and fell asleep until 15 minutes before my flight, haha. It's not too hard, really. Even with all the problems I kept having on debating whether or not to switch over to the later flight, and having a 3 hour wait after the first half hour or more delay it wasn't hard to figure out; especially if you've flown before. The general layout isn't too different, you'll arrive in the terminals as always and will just have to go from one to the other (unless your next flight is using the same gate). I'd also say it's pretty safe in airports...have you seen how anal security is these days? If someone was stupid enough to mug you or something, than I'm sure someone would notice and step in. If not, then hey, just yell as loud as you can, "NO!" and keep yelling it and put up a fight, or hell, if you're in an airport, start yelling, "THEY HAVE A BOMB! THEY HAVE A BOMB!" and I'm sure security will come flying towards you and whoever is giving you trouble will stop immediately! In that case it's easier to ask for forgiveness from the security than get hurt or robbed, but again, unless someone pick-pockets you I doubt you'll have any troubles. Security is all over the place in an airport, they're not exactly a place where you're going to be jumped. And for the question of what to look for on the boards, you'll probably want to know what the airport's name and symbols are. For instance, I went to the San Francisco Airport, so I was looking for SFO. I believe it's called the airport code? Look them up on Google using the name on the airport, if you don't know them or have them listed on your ticket. Or they'll probably list the city. Honestly I can't remember, but know both just in case. If you get confused, just ask someone at one of the gates and show them your ticket; I'm sure they'd be happy to point you in the right direction! Keep your belongings close, make sure you know which gate is yours, don't miss your flights, and have fun =) It's not too bad going alone your first time.
4 :
I am certain that you will find this is not very hard. Airports have tons of signs about where things are, so I do not think you will get lost. When you make your reservations, you will reserve a seats on flights with a specific number. Say your itinerary is Delta Flight 3267 from Logan airport to Cincinnati, then Delta 4065 from Cincinnati to Kansas City. If you get your boarding passes at the airport, they will have the gate from which your first plane leaves printed on the boarding pass. You will get a second boarding pass for the second flight, and that may or may not have a gate number printed on it as well. Airports are divided into terminals, concourses and gates. Airlines leave form specific terminals, so you will already have to be in the proper terminal since that is where the check in desk for Delta will be. The gate numbers are designated like A18, or B12, or C6. The letter is the concourse - basically which wing of a terminal you need to look for, and the number is the physical gate number. ALL concourses and gates are well marked. There will be dozens of signs that point to Concourse A, or Concourse C and so on. Once you get to the right concourse, it is just a matter of walking to the right gate. When you get to the gate, the information displayed at the gate will list the flight number, and the destination. The destination is the FIRST place that the plane stops. So, using the itinerary I mentioned above, you would look for a gate with the information about flight 3267 to Cincinnati. It does not matter to you if that plane actually goes somewhere else after you get off in Cincinnati - it certainly does, and the information may say "...with continuing service to Des Moines..." or somewhere - but you won't care about that. Once you land in Cincinnati, then you just look for the gate that is on your second boarding pass. CVG is a relatively small airport, so the gate should be within the same concourse. Just a matter of walking in the right direction until you find it. Now... several things to be aware of: = = = = = = = = = = = Many flights are "code share" flights, meaning that different airlines will sell tickets on the same physical plane, and they will each have their own, different, flight number for that flight. So - when you look for your flight, you might also see "Mumble Airlines, flight 1234 to Cincinnati." If you wait a bit, it will also show your flight number. So don't panic. Gate assignments sometimes change, so even if you get boarding passes with gate numbers printed on them, they may change. So - there are TV screens all over the airport that have departures listed on them. You should <<always>> check those to see if the gate they list is the same as is on your boarding pass. The flights are listed alphabetically by the destination city. Look for flights going to Cincinnati, then find your airline/flight number and check the gate that is shown in the TV. You should also to this when you get to Cincinnati - look at the TV monitors for the flight to KC and confirm the gate number. Airports are really not that hard, usually to find your way around in. IF YOU ARE UNSURE WHERE TO GO - you can always as a ticket agent, or an agent who is at a gate, or other uniformed airport or airline people. Below are links to the Logan airport terminal map, and to the CVG terminal map. Personally, I think that the way the information is presented is poor, but you may be able to print some part of these maps to help you out. Logan airport terminal map: http://www.massport.com/logan-airport/inside-airport/Pages/logan-interactive-maps.html Cincinnati airport: http://www.cvgairport.com/terminals/map.aspx Good luck - have fun and don't worry too much.

Is there a good airline ticket site that lets you search for air fare from your local airport

Is there a good airline ticket site that lets you search for air fare from your local airport?
For instance, if I am only interested in finding good fare from the Memphis airport. It is so disappointing to see these great vacation or flight deals advertised, only to search a little further and find that those fares and/or flights are not even offered at my airport.
Other - Destinations - 3 Answers
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1 :
what i do is.... go to a cheap airfare ticket site for example.... expedia.com travelocity.com look up for the cheapest flight that u find, write down all the information like flight number and the company like alaska airlines, the departure date and time etc. and dont forget the price too! then go to the airport, go to the plane companys section or their customer service desk and give them the info u wrote down and wala!!!! u purchase the ticket for the price u chosed. just when ur on the websites look for the cheapest ticket.
2 :
Go to Yahoo main page; hit travel; go from there. Then call the cheapest airline and check their rates. The airlines are usually cheaper. Luck to you !!
3 :
Go to a reputable travel agency. Travelocity (Yahoo Travel is their "search engine", Expedia, Orbitz are ALL online Travel Agencies even Priceline. And they do not come the cheapest any longer !!!! What they show is the same that ALL front-stores travel agencies may advertise.

What is the best airline to fly on

What is the best airline to fly on?
I just got back from a trip across the country and I flew Delta. I now realize Delta sucks....BAD. All their employees are RUDE RUDE RUDE!! And someone scheduled a connecting flight where we had only 17 minutes to get to the next gate. Then, they changed that connecting flight without telling us, so when we get to the airport we think we're going to Memphis, and turns out we're going to Minneapolis. So I just want to say, Delta sucks! Next trip I take what airline should I use?
Air Travel - 8 Answers
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1 :
Who booked your flight? Seems that is where the problem originated. I always fly with NWA which is now merging with Delta and I've never had any problems with them.
2 :
Personally I like Ted and American Airlines. Like you I have flown with Delta and I agree, Delta is really bad. Ted amd American Airlines are my two favorite because they have great service and get me to my destination ON TIME. I just got back from South Carolina and United delayed my trip by 6 hours! So I would advise you not to go with United. My recommendation: Ted or AA.
3 :
Well, not all Delta flights are bad. It depends on the route you are taking. The short flights usually have new flight attendants and the long flights usually have old flight attendants (this is the same for every airline. The best bet is to always fly with the airline with the most flights to your destination with the least amount of stops. This usually insures they are well equipped to deal with any delays, can direct you around the airport better and if they happen to be local to where you are flying - even provide ideas for things to do. Best Bets- Delta- If you are going somewhere Non Stop especially Europe American- If you go to Central/South America alot United- Big on Asia and they have CS agreement with many Asia airlines Singapore Airlines- If going to somewhere they fly Virgin America/Atlantic- Even their subsidiaries are excellent. Alaska Airlines- They seem to have a good rapport with their customers Avoid: Southwest UsAir
4 :
Depends where you are flying to and from. My favorite airlines in the US are Southwest Airlines and US Airways. Both are almost always on time, and I have had great experiences with them both.
5 :
Southwest. The planes never crashed once.
6 :
honestly, just find the cheapest one. there are quite a few sites that you can search that will likely give you the best prices available. check out the website BookMe and you will be able to compare prices on all the reputable travel sites in just a couple minutes. it's very convenient and will save you a bunch of time and money. Also, make sure you buy them online... otherwise they charge much higher fees for phone orders. good luck.
7 :
Air Tran is what I find the best. They always have deals, the website is easy to use, and they aren't so strict about unaccompanied minors. American Airlines took out an extra 200 bucks cause I was a minor when airtran lets me fly for normal price. Then the flight attendants were so annoying, they kept talking to me like I was 2. I looked at the fare for Airtran for minors, and even though I am not one, if I was, It would be only $40. Plus American Airlines starves you to death while Airtran gives you food for free. The one time I flew American they made it a big pain in the neck. Airtran is so easy. Oh also Southwest is nice they have good service. And the flight attendants are always really nice, they even sing you a song at the end of your trip. lol
8 :
I would like to personally apologize for the inconvenience that service agent caused you. I know how it is sometimes because i've actually seen it with my own eyes. If only i could clone myself; we would never have any hiccups of this kind. I am a Delta employee and even i get treated bad at times when im flying as a non revenue passenger. The famous saying for most of us goes "it takes seconds to lose a customer but months to gain another". If only all of us had that same mentality we would be problem free. Hopefully this wont be your last time taking Delta, and i also hope your next experience will be an enjoyable one.

Downtown Aviation in Memphis TN

Downtown Aviation in Memphis TN?
I have my eyes on Spartan College but ran across Downtown Aviation. I just need some info on it if you have taken courses there. Im real hesitant when it comes to local flight schools. I dont want to fritter my money away to a school that wasnt worth my time and money.
Aircraft - 2 Answers
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1 :
Spartan is a very old and respected name in aviation BUT it will cost you more to get your ratings there than at Downtown Aviation. If you're going to enroll in the degree program at Spartan, that's one thing, but if you're just going for flight training I'd choose DA. I've been to Memphis many times as a corporate pilot and have used their maintenance services. Nice folks to do business with and they really seem to care about their customers. Spartan and similar "pilot mills" are very stressful environments and you won't get treated like a member of the family like you will at DA. I don't think you'll waste your money at DA especially since they have a designated examiner on staff (which is rather unusual for a smaller flight school) plus they have some very experienced pilots on staff, and you can do some tailwheel and aerobatic training which I highly recommend. No matter where you choose to go, you're well-advised to visit and look things over before putting any money down. Personally, I like Memphis. If you happen to like music and a little nightlife it's a great town. Tulsa is OK, but a bit bland for my taste. I'd give DA a closer look. If you're looking for a degree program, take a look at this school. I know a fgew people that have gone there and were very happy with it. http://www.bigbendaviation.com/ It's also quite affordable as aviation colleges go.
2 :
I agree about the pilot mills, visit several schools and instructors and make an informed decision. The best thing to do is pay as you go.. Don't borrow a lot of money and give it all to one place at once. best of luck