Story by Louis Ibah
There is nothing that can be as traumatic as arriving at an
international airport with all the excitement of travelling out of the country
only to be turned back at the airline counter for having not fulfilled some of
the critical conditions to board the aircraft.
International flights are indeed different in so many ways from travelling from
one local airport in Nigeria to another.
In fact, hardly will you run into Immigration, Customs,
Quarantine, or National Drug Law Enforcement Agency officials at local airports,
but their presence is a must at international airports and lots of things could
go wrong with them to terminate your trip or even land you behind bars. It is
therefore very Important that you know the potential pitfalls and
obstacles you may come across at airline counters or with airport
security or regulatory officials. Here are some of the things to consider in
your quest to travel abroad for the first time.
Passport and visa
All first time international travellers must note that the
possession of an authentic passport and a valid visa counts as the number one
priority and that they must get those two subjects correct before they set out
for the airport. But it is in these two requirements that some first time
travellers do get it wrong and suffer their worse trauma. The only exception
though being those countries where visas are issued at the point of entry
or those where Nigerian nationals are visa-exempted, like within the West
African sub-region. That you have paid for a flight ticket does not
confer on you any right to board the aircraft as you do on local flights.
Airlines get severely sanctioned whenever a passenger is
discovered to have flown on a fake passport or invalid visa, and they have also
taken extra steps to prevent such passengers from boarding their flight.
But whether it is out of sheer ignorance, or being naive, countless number
of Nigerian first time travellers end up patronising touts or falling into the
hands of fraudulent persons in their procurement of passports and visas.
Some are persons who have voluntarily offered themselves to
be trafficked out of the country by agents who promise them greener pastures in
Europe or America. Sadly, the activities of these fraudsters have serious
problems for hundreds of first time travellers. Sights of frustrated or
disillusioned passengers seeking to travel out of the country on fake passports
or visas continue to characterise Nigeria’s major international airports,
notably the NnamdiAzikiwe International Airport, Abuja; the Mallam Aminu Kano
Airport,Kano; the Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu; and the Murtala Muhammed
International Airport, Lagos.
It is therefore important that you avoid the services of
touts. Where in doubt, you can approach the airline days ahead of your travel
date to verify your passports and visa status. Airlines have the facilities to
verify these major travel requirements for you at zero cost.
Buying a ticket
International travels are often more expensive than local
flight fares. While some would go directly to the airline and buy their air
tickets them, others would prefer hiring the services of a travel agent to do so.
But technology has made life a lot easier these days. So, to be sure that you
are being charged a good fare either by the airline of your choice of by the
travel agent, it is advisable to take some time and search online for other
flights that are plying that route.
For instance, rather than fly directly and pay more, you
could get 20-30 per cent fare reduction on some airlines that offer connecting
flights to your destination and enjoy enjoy the benefit of visiting another
country and sight-seeing another airport on one trip. Aside comparing
ticket prices online, researching online also helps you learn a lot about the
cultures, rules and regulations of the country that you are visiting. It also
helps you to know what the weather condition will be when you get there so that
you can pack appropriately.
Check-In
Since you are travelling for the first time and hence not so
conversant with some of the Do’s and Don’ts about the airport and airline you
are flying, it is important to arrive the airport at least two hours before the
scheduled departure time. Try to identify the airline counter once you gain
access into the airport. Head there straight and join the queue with your
passport and online ticket printout. Be sure to keep an eye on your luggage at
all times and do not accept to carry any luggage for anyone even if temporary
at the airport. And be extra careful in accepting dying minute parcels from
even friends who rush to meet you at the airport terminal on your way out of
the country. Open and search thoroughly the contents of such parcels to
convince yourself they are not contents that could land you in trouble. If
drugs or undeclared weapons are found on you, ignorance would serve no excuse
once you are picked up by law enforcement officers. The airline staff at the
check-in desk will collect your passport and scan it alongside the visa, and
match the names on the tickets in the airline computers and once they are valid
will issue you a boarding pass and luggage labels for your bags. You will also
be issued an Immigration departure card where you will fill your bio-data,
carrier information and addresses etc. Ensure that your passport is
physically always with you – never keep it in a bag that is being checked in.
Banned items
Airlines operate on strict safety and security rules. And
for this reason, some substances are banned and prohibited from being carried
on board an aircraft. It is important to find out these items days or weeks
ahead of your travel. Some items may be allowed in check-in bags and
not allowed on carry-on luggage. For instance, most foodstuffs have to be
properly dried before being accepted by airlines. Try to find out online what’s
permissible or not on the airline you are travelling. It can sometimes be
disheartening to buy at great cost lots of foods, vegetables etc and pack them
to the airport only to be disallowed from flying with them and also having no
friend or family member at the airport to hand them over to take back home for
you.
Physical cash and excess luggage
Physical cash and excess luggage
Individual airlines have limits on the luggage weight or
capacity assigned to each passenger. Therefore, make efforts to be acquainted
with what constitutes excess luggage on the airline that you are flying. As a
first time traveller on an international route with little experience, it is
better to travel as light as possible. Where possible avoid to collect gifts
meant for others in the country that you are going to. Nothing can be as
depressing as paying the un-budgeted cost of an excess luggage that does not
belong to you.
And in as much as you try to carry enough cash with you in
order not to be stranded, you should also watch the limits. In so many
countries around the world, carrying cash in excess of $10,000 (or its
equivalent in naira) without declaring it to Customs can constitute a breach of
money laundering law. You don’t want to be on the wrong side of the law for
going about with cash that is quite perfectly normal on the street of Nigeria
but a crime inside an airport terminal.
Landing Cards
A landing card is an Immigration form that visitors to a country are required to fill. Moments before the flight touches down at your final destination, the airline cabin crew will move around distributing these cards to passengers who are non-nationals of that country. Travellers are required to present the completed form at the immigration desk at the point of entry. The card has spaces for details like your full names, nationality, occupation, residential addresses etc. First time passengers must note that the countries that they are visiting take seriously the details provided in this card. As such, be very honest in what you state. And don’t volunteer to fill in the data for persons you do not know on board the aircraft.
A landing card is an Immigration form that visitors to a country are required to fill. Moments before the flight touches down at your final destination, the airline cabin crew will move around distributing these cards to passengers who are non-nationals of that country. Travellers are required to present the completed form at the immigration desk at the point of entry. The card has spaces for details like your full names, nationality, occupation, residential addresses etc. First time passengers must note that the countries that they are visiting take seriously the details provided in this card. As such, be very honest in what you state. And don’t volunteer to fill in the data for persons you do not know on board the aircraft.
Final destination
When the aircraft lands and you disembark, remember
that you are in another country that offers you limited rights than the
country of your birth. It could even be that it’s a country that speaks a
different language than English that you are used to. As much as you are fatigued
from the long hours and stress of sitting in one spot inside a moving aircraft,
it is important that you stay very alert as you queue to get pass through that
country’s immigration post. At this stage you have to take responsibility
for just yourself; don’t offer any form help to persons you do not know.
Once you are face to face with the immigration officer be very courteous
in your responses to questions. They have the right to admit, detain, or even
deport you, it all depends on how you carry yourself and what you tell them.
Don’t give them any reason to deny you entry. When you are done, proceed to
carry your check-in luggage and leave the airport. Lastly, except there are
persons around to carry you to your designation in the country or city of your
visit, try to use a bus or airport-hotel shuttle or trains. Taxis are usually
the most expensive mode of transport abroad.
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