Most travelers find connecting flights an excruciatingly boring delay. However, it could be different! Try to think of a layover as an added bonus of travel that allows you to get out into an unfamiliar world and explore it, even if it's just within the confines of an airport. A transplant can be a positive experience that gives you the opportunity to meet new people and see things that are unfamiliar to you. Perhaps the time between flights will become a productive part of your business trip or an extension of your vacation. It's likely that you'll never be thrilled about transplants, but there are plenty of ways to make them more bearable.

Steps

Getting ready for the upcoming transplant

Research the airport where you will be connecting. If you are booking a connecting flight, prepare in advance by reviewing the information on the airport website. Find out if there are restaurants, shops or other places where you can while away the time. Some airports (usually in larger cities) have theatres, museums, gyms and even play areas for children.

• If the website has a map, print it out and mark the places you want to see.

1. Explore luggage storage options. While on the airport website, look to see if they offer luggage storage during your transfer. Many airports provide this option, and it is very convenient because you do not have to carry suitcases everywhere, especially if you are leaving the airport to see a couple of local attractions.

   • This service is usually not free. However, it will most likely be worth it. It all depends on how long the transplant lasts and what you plan to do during it.

2. Join the airline's VIP club. At major airports, most airlines have lounges for VIP members or lounges where you can enjoy a relaxing, luxurious environment coupled with food and drinks. VIP clubs also provide services for those who need an “office away from the office.” For example, reliable Wi-Fi access and comfortable places with a table where you can put your laptop and work materials.

   Take in your hand luggage what you will need during the transfer. If you plan to get some work done, bring your laptop and other necessary items. Pack gym shorts and a tank top if the airport has a gym. Add a couple of small toiletries so you can freshen up before boarding your next flight. Being able to wash your face and brush your teeth during a long layover can have a huge impact on your well-being.

   Sort out your email, do your homework or work. Bring a laptop and take advantage of free wireless internet access if available at the airport (most often it is). You can finally clear out all the emails you've been meaning to send and make final edits for that important presentation that's coming up.

   • If you're studying, start writing your essay due next week, or try reading a couple of chapters of a book from your home reading list.

3. Make a to-do list when you arrive at your destination. Whether you're traveling on a business trip, vacation, or anywhere else, chances are you'll have a ton of things to do once you arrive. While you're waiting, make a list so you don't waste a second later!

   • Include all errands and other necessary items on the list, but be sure to allow some time for sightseeing or even just relaxing.

4. Find out if you can change your flight. At your connecting airport, check with your airline representative to see if you can change your flight. You may be able to transfer to an earlier or later flight for free if there are seats available. If you're not pressed for time and really want to explore the city or area you're connecting to, consider giving up your seat and taking a later flight.

   • This is not always possible, but if there is such a chance, take it!

Let's spend time

1. Take something to read. If you have a layover, take a book or magazine with you. If you don't have anything to read, explore the selection of shops at the airport and buy something there. Choose something that will absorb your attention. Once you're immersed in reading, you won't even notice how quickly time flies! Keep several options on hand so you can switch from one to another if desired.

   • For example, buy your favorite magazine to take your mind off a serious romance. If you change your reading from time to time, you will not get bored, because even the most exciting thriller can get tired.

2. Get some sleep. A quick nap is a great way to pass the time, especially during an overnight layover. Even a quick 20-30 minute nap will help revitalize you. If you are not traveling alone, ask your companions to guard your belongings while you sleep. If you are traveling on your own, be careful, as thefts do occur at airports.

   • Some airports have designated sleeping areas with comfortable chairs, where you don't have to worry about the safety of your belongings.
   • If you are very tired and have a long layover ahead, check the prices for an airport hotel room. Some airports even have rooms you can rent for a few hours.

3. Take a walk. If you're connecting between two long flights, take a walk around the airport to get some circulation in your legs. Many airports have displays or exhibitions available to passengers. In addition, you can study store windows or local posters, look at airplanes, or simply familiarize yourself with the area and find your way to the next flight. If you have the opportunity, go outside and get some fresh air.

   Eat, drink or have a snack. Many airports have restaurants and bistros, even within the control area. Food will give you energy. In addition, it will taste better on the ground than on board an airplane. During the trip, the body loses moisture very quickly, so buy a bottle or two of your favorite drink.

4. Observe those around you. At the airport you have a unique opportunity to observe people from all over the world, representing a wide variety of cultures. Sit in a crowded area and see what other travelers are doing. You will no doubt see a couple of exotic characters that you would never have met under other circumstances.

   • Try not to look at people too openly and do not make your occupation obvious. This may make the person feel awkward or even suspicious.
   • If you notice someone interesting, go and meet them if you think it's appropriate. Time will fly by with a good conversation.

This is a first-person account with impressions of short and long transfers. Not without advice either. If you have never flown with transfers, then perhaps we can save you from a fatal mistake. Or just make the “whites” laugh with their problems.

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Too short connection in Frankfurt

July 2017. Flight Moscow - Frankfurt - Amsterdam. Transfer 1 hour.

What motivated me

It seemed that a short transfer was a brilliant idea. You can save 10 thousand on tickets and not spend a lot of time at the airport.

How it was

According to Murphy's law, our flight from Moscow was delayed. You experience a very interesting ride of emotions when the plane to Amsterdam takes off in 5 minutes, and you are still in the air and have not even made it halfway to Frankfurt.

The stewards did not want to answer questions not related to food and drinks, and pretended that I was asking them about their personal life. There were even suggestions that we know different English.

As soon as we finally landed, I immediately turned on my phone to find some article (like this one) and understand what to do. It’s good that the airline for both flights was the same: a message immediately came with information about the flight to Amsterdam and a new ticket.

Just great. Only we landed in Frankfurt around 10 pm. And I’m leaving at 8 am the next day, because the flight I missed was the last one. Great time saver, smart girl.

Upon arrival, we (a group of tired, swearing travelers) found ourselves in a deserted part of the airport, but as soon as we walked a little further, there it was, a huge crowd, which also did not succeed in making transfers due to the fault of the company.

It was terribly hot, the cafeterias were no longer open (at 10 pm). Water dispensers too. There are only hard fucking dicks around and other variations of swear words that have expanded my English vocabulary.

Then I stood in line for 2 hours to get... a ticket to the queue for a voucher! According to the ticket, there were 89 people in front of me. At first I thought it would be easier to hang out at the airport than go through all this. But I hardly managed to sleep, and I would have lost another half day (out of 4) in Amsterdam.

Then they brought a lot of different water and sweets. I decided that I would do everything.

As a result, they gave us a voucher for a hotel near the airport, checked us in for the flight, gave us a boarding pass and told us where to go to get on the bus to the hotel.

By the way, they tried to hide the brochure and information about how and where to write in order to receive monetary compensation. One girl’s old boarding pass was taken away and torn up (and it was really needed to get money).

I found out about everything in detail, collected all the papers in a separate place, but at the time of writing this article (September) I had not done anything. In such matters, I am not a fighter, but rather a whiner and a bleeding heart, who will be helped only out of pity. I can’t even figure it out with the cashier at Pyaterochka. Don't be like that.

I needed to break up a long story with a title.

When I walked out to the bus stop, I immediately remembered this joke from GTA about “Listen, I’m in the middle of big shit right now.” There were about 100,500 people, approximately zero buses.

When the next bus arrived, it was occupied by the Chinese, with whom it is difficult to compete in terms of elbow fights in line. And now it’s already one in the morning, and I’m not at the hotel yet. Get up at 5.

When I was already desperate and just sat down on the curb in my pajama pants, an airport worker ran up to me. Even Johnson's baby doesn't protect his cheeks from tears like this guy who said that there is 1 more seat in the free taxi.

The hotel ended up being a 15-minute drive from the airport, the room was great, and they woke us up in the morning for the bus. I thought about getting up a little earlier so I could start hating the airline because I was afraid there wouldn't be enough time during the day. But the breakfast was too delicious and the sunrise too beautiful.

What to do if you miss your connecting flight?

As you can see, this can all be resolved - long and nervous, but solvable. It is important that both flights are from the same company. Otherwise, the task will become at least 2 times more difficult.

There is always a chance of being late for a connecting flight due to your own fault - you don’t know English well, the queue was too long, or you yourself are very stupid. In this case, you need to run to the airline representative and ask to take you on board, if this is still possible. Most likely, you will be led through, since it is simply unrealistic to be very late if the first plane arrives on time.

Suppose that with you the impossible becomes possible. You're late. If you have business class, then there is no need to worry. With a ticket purchased at a special fare or an economy class ticket, things are different. You will have to pay a fine or even buy a new ticket.

Is it worth flying with a short layover?

If you have a long vacation ahead, then nothing bad will happen. At a minimum, you'll lose half a day, but you'll gain experience and a story that makes you an interesting conversationalist. Maximum - buy another ticket.

Here is a list of circumstances under which you should absolutely not fly with short layovers:

• You are flying with children.
• You have a limited budget.
• You are flying for 3-5 days.
• You don't know English well.

Too long connection in Munich

July 2017. Amsterdam - Munich - Moscow. Transfer 9 hours.

What motivated me

“Fool, the ticket is cheaper, and there are more countries. You can walk around the city all day.”

Flight with a transfer: how it was

It was easy to find your way around Munich Airport - there are signs and signs everywhere. In order not to carry a heavy backpack everywhere (yes, I’m one of those), it was decided to give it to the storage room. Storing a bag up to 5 kg - € 3.5 per day. Walking lightly around the city is priceless.

After reading a bunch of forums where the information is chaotic and chaotic, I managed to find out that the best way to get to the city is by train.

I bought the ticket easily from the machine, there was no line. Perfect.

I reached the main square of Marienplatz in about 40 minutes and went for a walk.

At first everything went well. Then I caught myself thinking that I had already walked around everything in the area, there was too little time to “get away”, and too much time to continue walking around the point of return or sitting in a cafe.

Plus I’m tired and generally bored. As a result, I returned to the airport and stayed there for another four hours. Correction: this was the longest four hours.

If you want the same: useful information

Luggage storage is located in the central area (Z), level 03. Follow the signs with the word “Bulky Luggage”. “Buns” are large-sized luggage.

The location of another camera is difficult to describe; it’s better to ask at the information desk (which is what I did). If you correctly understand what the airport employee tells you, then soon on your way you should find a room separated by transparent walls. There are also computers and the Internet there, but I didn’t use them.

Bag weight	Price per day
up to 5 kg	€ 3,5
up to 20 kg (up to 90 x 60 x 30 cm)	€ 4,5

I was advised to check my luggage in a locker at the station, but there was no point in that. First of all, I don't trust robots (damn Decepticons). Secondly, it’s strange to drag your bag to the station and be surprised that all the slots are occupied.

Next to “Bulki” there are machines where you can buy a train ticket to the city. You can recognize them by their badge with a white letter S on a green background and the inscription Bahn Munchen.

One train ticket costs 12 euros. But if you are two, three, four or five of you, then it is more profitable to take Airport-City-Day-Ticket Group. It costs 22.30 euros and will allow you all to ride for a whole day there and back. And by metro too.

To get to the main site you need to take the S8 train. There is also S1, but it is longer and there may be confusion with it on the way back. Better not to worry and remember only S8.

The interval between departures is 20 minutes. The station is located right at the airport, you need to look for it by following the signs, of which there are many.

Is it worth flying with a long layover?

If you have thoughts like “Why should I go somewhere, this is an additional expense. I’d rather wait at the airport,” then you’re wrong. There is no telling how much you will spend waiting and surrounded by so many sausage shops.

You should definitely decide on a long transfer if:

• The city where the transfer is planned is not of particular interest and you would not want to go to it specifically.
• You know how to accurately calculate time, plan routes and in general you are a control freak.
• Life is a merry carnival.

Long transfers are not for you if:

• You are constantly afraid of being late, you are nervous and do not know how to let go of the situation.
• You are traveling with small children.

I hope that the article was useful and that you will not get into the same troubles, but will approach planning your trip wisely.

It is always better to travel in comfort; hardly anyone will argue with that. And sometimes comfort is possible where many are not even aware of it.
Those who travel a lot, especially over long distances, are often faced with the inevitability of a long layover, when they have to spend the whole day or night at the airport. But some airports and airlines offer their clients a free hotel during transit and even breakfast!
There are few such companies, and there are also certain conditions for providing the service, but if they offer it, then why not use the service.

I’ll warn you right away: keep in mind that almost all airlines provide free hotel services when connecting only if both flights are on the same itinerary receipt, i.e. as part of a linked ticket, rather than two purchased separately.
So, the most interesting hubs for traveling from Russia:

Turkish Airlines
Airport transfers and: Ataturk (IST), Istanbul

Turkish Airlines offers business class passengers with layovers over 7 hours and economy class passengers (over 10 hours) free accommodation, transfers and meals in Istanbul. The offer applies only to international flights, and provided that the duration of the connection is determined by the schedule (it is not possible to depart earlier).
If you wish, instead of accommodation, you can choose a free city tour (with a 6-24 hour connection).

Booking: Go to the Hotel Desk after customs.

Emirates
Transfer airport: Dubai (DXB)

If your flight with Emirates includes a long layover in Dubai, the airline provides free hotel accommodation, meals, transfers and visas.
The service is available for first class and business class passengers with a forced connection of 6-24 hours and for economy class passengers with a connection of 8-24 hours.
Dubai Connect may be offered in other circumstances. Additional rules may apply depending on the date of booking, fare, selected flight from the origin and the first available flight from the connecting point.

Booking: Pre-registration is required at least 24 hours before flight departure to Dubai and is subject to availability.

Qatar Airways
Transfer airport: Hamad (DOH), Doha

For transit passengers with a long layover at Hamad International Airport (Doha), Qatar Airways provides hotel accommodation, entry visa, transfer and meal services.
This service is only available if there is an emergency connection (no other Qatar Airways flights with a connection less than 8 hours) and if the airport transit time is between 8 and 24 hours. Not provided if departure or arrival is from the following cities: Abu Dhabi (AUH), Bahrain (BAH), Dubai (DXB), Dubai (DWC), Kuwait (KWI), Muscat (MCT), Ras Al Khaimah ( RKT) and Sharjah (SHJ).

Booking: either at least 72 hours before departure, or directly at the airport.

Air China
Transfer airports: Beijing (PEK), Chengdu (CTU), Dalian (DLC), Hangzhou (HGH), Shanghai (SHA or PVG)

Air China provides passengers with an overnight layover of less than 24 hours a 24-hour shuttle service to the hotel, breakfast and comfortable rooms. The offer applies to both international and domestic flights and is valid at five airports.
This offer is not valid for the following categories of tickets and passengers:
- tickets whose starting numbers are not 999
- combined flights
- tickets for unaccompanied children
- tickets purchased in exchange for miles
- passengers with a free ticket

Booking: on the website or at the airport; Passengers departing on overnight flights who have booked an Air China transit hotel in Beijing can find the Air China transit service counter at Gate B on the 2nd floor of the terminal.

China Southern
Transfer airport: Guangzhou (CAN)

Passengers on China Southern flights connecting to Guangzhou will now be able to enjoy one night's free accommodation at a variety of hotels, including five-star hotels.
The benefit applies to passengers traveling on China Southern or codeshare flights.
Connection time:
- connection without an overnight stay of 8 hours or more (6 hours or more for routes Australia, New Zealand, London);
- connection with overnight stay 8 - 48 hours.
Free accommodation is not available for heavily discounted economy class tickets, tickets purchased using miles or free staff tickets.

Booking: On the official website (6 months and up to 24 hours before arrival in Guangzhou) or at the airport transit counter.

Royal Air Maroc
Transfer airport: Mohammed V Airport (CMN), Casablanca

If you are traveling to Africa, North America, Brazil and Cape Verde on Royal Air Maroc's own flights with a layover in Casablanca of more than 8 hours, the airline will provide hotel accommodation for a maximum of one night. There is a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel. If the layover is 4-8 hours, then you will be taken to the lounge and fed.
Hotel accommodation is only provided if there is no earlier flight to your destination.

Booking: early hotel booking is not possible; to receive a voucher for accommodation, you must contact the Services d’hebergement/Accomodation desk, presenting a printout of the electronic ticket indicating the route.

There are unsuccessful connections when there is no point in going to the city, but you want to sleep. The flight may be delayed or cancelled. Plus, if you travel regularly, staying overnight at the airport can save you hundreds of dollars.

Can you sleep at all airports?

To be honest, you can’t sleep in any. But some airports are lenient with sleepers, while others close at night. It is better to clarify the operating hours of the airport where you may have to spend the night.

Is it safe?

Not really. An airport is not a train station, but there are also plenty of thieves, scammers and people with unclean intentions. It is best to sleep where surveillance cameras are installed, or contact airport security, they will tell you a safe place.

And I'm worried about my luggage. How to protect it?

Hide small items, money and documents under clothes. handcuff to an arm or leg. We're serious. Toy ones will do.

What will be useful if I decide to spend the night at the airport?

• Air mattress or mattress, headrest. Airport seats are not designed for sleeping; you will most likely feel uncomfortable lying on them. Please note that in many airports, employees are especially unfriendly towards sleeping on the floor; resort to this method in the most extreme cases.
• Sweater (or blanket), wear a T-shirt under it. It is difficult to predict what temperature will be inside the airport where you will spend the whole night. Prepare for heat and cold.
• Earplugs or headphones. There is no need for boarding announcements and conversations from neighbors in the waiting room to disturb your sleep.
• Water and cookies. At night, most shops and cafes close. The remaining coffee shops can charge such a price that an overnight stay in a hotel with dinner included will be cheaper.
• Book. You may find it difficult to fall asleep in a new and not very peaceful environment. The book will help pass the time.
• Tee. There are few chargers at airports, and there may not be enough for everyone. In order not to wait for a colleague at an overnight stay to charge all his equipment, invite him to charge together using a tee.
• Wet wipes. There is a lot at the airport. And dragging with all your luggage to the washstand before dinner is not entirely convenient.
• Cash and credit card. You need to anticipate situations in which an airport employee will demand a bribe to go to the toilet or you will have to pay for Wi-Fi.

How to behave?

The rules are simple. Do not disturb others, do not make noise, do not attract unnecessary attention to yourself and try to behave as appropriately as possible. Having allowed you to spend the night at the airport, its employees have already met you halfway. Respect their kindness. If airport workers are not very enthusiastic about your idea of ​​spending the night in the terminal, try to placate them - it works.

Will I sleep through the plane?

Quite possible. Write on a piece of paper a request to wake you up before departure, indicating the time (preferably in English). Typically, airport visitors are willing to wake up travelers. But it’s better to additionally insure yourself with an alarm clock.

What to do if you can’t spend the night at the airport?

If sleeping at the airport is not possible, here are the simplest options: rent a hotel room or a place in a hostel near the airport. In some countries, it is cheaper to rent a car for a day and sleep in the parking lot. Some airports offer sleeping boxes right in the terminals. Always have a backup plan. Spending the night at the airport is far from a 100% reliable undertaking.