Newbie flyer questions - flight timescales, food, etc

[frammy77]

Hi all.
Some very random newbie questions coming up… I’m new to the SQTalk boards and to flying in general (as I have never actually flown before), so I hope someone can help me out…

I have booked to fly from UK to Singapore to Australia in a couple of months on Singapore Airlines. I have found answers to nearly all of my (mainly very random!) questions about flying except a couple which I am just curious about... so if anyone feels like filling me in, it would be most appreciated!

1. How long after boarding do the doors close/push-back take place? Does that actually happen at the departure time - and hence why the boarding gate closes ~20minutes earlier?

2. Then how long is it usually before you are at altitude and the seatbelt sign is off? Is it half an hour from the departure time, an hour… how long does it usually take before you can start to move around, play on a DS, etc?

3. On an average long haul flight (although I gather there isn’t really such a thing), how much of the time is the seatbelt sign on for? Is it usually only take off/landing, or are there nearly always other times? Do the FAs put it on when they have the carts in the aisle, etc?

4. Do the FAs mind if you decide you don’t actually want dinner/breakfast/whatever it is they are serving? I don’t always eat when I’m travelling, but don’t want to seem rude to get it served, then not eat it - will I get a chance to say beforehand that I'd rather not have any?

Obviously I appreciate every flight is different - but I'm only after rough guesstimates to things - as I think I will prefer to have a vague idea as to what is going on, rather than looking lost all the time...!

Thanks!!

[SQflyergirl]

Hi all.
Some very random newbie questions coming up… I’m new to the SQTalk boards and to flying in general (as I have never actually flown before), so I hope someone can help me out…

I have booked to fly from UK to Singapore to Australia in a couple of months on Singapore Airlines. I have found answers to nearly all of my (mainly very random!) questions about flying except a couple which I am just curious about... so if anyone feels like filling me in, it would be most appreciated!

1. How long after boarding do the doors close/push-back take place? Does that actually happen at the departure time - and hence why the boarding gate closes ~20minutes earlier?

2. Then how long is it usually before you are at altitude and the seatbelt sign is off? Is it half an hour from the departure time, an hour… how long does it usually take before you can start to move around, play on a DS, etc?

3. On an average long haul flight (although I gather there isn’t really such a thing), how much of the time is the seatbelt sign on for? Is it usually only take off/landing, or are there nearly always other times? Do the FAs put it on when they have the carts in the aisle, etc?

4. Do the FAs mind if you decide you don’t actually want dinner/breakfast/whatever it is they are serving? I don’t always eat when I’m travelling, but don’t want to seem rude to get it served, then not eat it - will I get a chance to say beforehand that I'd rather not have any?

Obviously I appreciate every flight is different - but I'm only after rough guesstimates to things - as I think I will prefer to have a vague idea as to what is going on, rather than looking lost all the time...!

Thanks!!

First up - Welcome to SQTalk I'd have to say these are probably one of the most unusual set of questions ever asked here - and to be honest, I'm not sure why you're asking, so if you could share the thought process behind the questions, I'd appreciate it. Just curious.

Anyhow, seeing it's your first flight - I'll take a crack at it.

1. How long after boarding do the doors close/push-back take place? Does that actually happen at the departure time - and hence why the boarding gate closes ~20minutes earlier?

There's no fixed time after boarding that the doors close. Firstly, there could be dispatchers/ramp agents/ground crew still aboard after all the pax have also boarded. Secondly, the time between doors closed and push back can be short (matter of seconds) or there could be a lengthy period between - an example of this is all aboard, ground crew disembarked, but cargo doors might still open due to loading. Boarding gates close 20 minutes before SCHEDULED time of departure (not necessarily actual time of departure) - it's closed at that time to ensure that latecomers don't disrupt flight ops. When pushback occurs - everyone should be seated and buckled up.

2. Then how long is it usually before you are at altitude and the seatbelt sign is off? Is it half an hour from the departure time, an hour… how long does it usually take before you can start to move around, play on a DS, etc?

Typically, 10000 feet. Some airlines choose a higher altitude before switching off the belt. On really short flights on SQ (Kuala Lumpur-Singapore) this could be a bit less. It's NOT time specfic - it's altitude specific, and the time it takes to reach 10000 feet is dependent on many factors - ATC restrictions, airplane weight etc.

3. On an average long haul flight (although I gather there isn’t really such a thing), how much of the time is the seatbelt sign on for? Is it usually only take off/landing, or are there nearly always other times? Do the FAs put it on when they have the carts in the aisle, etc?

You're right - there is no such thing as an average long haul flight. The seatbelt sign is on for these period
1) Under 10000 feet 2)Severe turbulence - the rest of the time, you're free to roam the aisles. Obviously these are variable - but generally on a long haul flight, there's more "sign off" time than "sign on" time simply because the pilots will ask for diversions/altitude changes if it gets really bad.

4. Do the FAs mind if you decide you don’t actually want dinner/breakfast/whatever it is they are serving? I don’t always eat when I’m travelling, but don’t want to seem rude to get it served, then not eat it - will I get a chance to say beforehand that I'd rather not have any?

Not at all. You're free to decline. You could possibly remind them before the meal service, or you could leave it till the time the cart comes through to your seat where you can also decline at that time also if you so choose.

Hope that helps. I've been on a plane once or twice, and at least that's how I remember it

[Kyo]

I've been breaking the 20-minute rule plenty of times, it seems

(don't want to confuse the first-timer, so please get there at latest 20 mins before departure, frammy77)

[SQtraveller]

I've been breaking the 20-minute rule plenty of times, it seems

(don't want to confuse the first-timer, so please get there at latest 20 mins before departure, frammy77)

post deleted

[SQueeze]

20 min? Is this a UK-departure rule?
In Singapore, I thinK the cutoff is 10 minutes before scheduled departure.

To decline service, in Y, there is a sticker which you can request at the beginning of the flight and which the will paste at your seat. It is called DnD ( do not disturb) and I think they wil indicate which service you want to skip.

[frammy77]

Thank you all for the replies...

SQflyergirl; Thanks for your help. Well I’m happy I made it to the top of your unusual list
I guess I want to know because I’m odd. I’m just the sort of person who likes to know as much as possible about what is likely to be going on and when (an attempt to stop me being stressed I guess) and yeh, I have no idea what a ‘12hour flight’ actually means in terms of how long you’re in the air, how much time you’ll be in your seat, how long you’ll be on the ground, etc - most random things I can Google – but answers to these (probably unsurprisingly if normal people don’t ask them) don’t seem to be out there – so they equated to some random questions.

The 20minute rule does confuse me though – why don’t airlines just state the departure time as the time when the gate closes – so say a 3pm flight, departure closes at 2.40pm for example… why not just say flight is at 2.40pm…?
Letting people know the flight probably won’t leave for another 20mins just sounds like they’re asking people to push it and be late…? (especially the British...)

Will be flying cattle class all the way. A380's though, so hopefully will be nice (& since I won't have anything to compare it to).

[Kyo]

They want to make sure everyone boards on time and the plane takes off as scheduled. Relax, I'm sure you'll have an enjoyable flight. Have fun and enjoy the drinks...

[jhm]

frammy77, welcome to SQTalk!

As it's your first flight (not that unusual - there are many others like you), I would forget about 20-minute rules etc and allow plenty of time so that your experience is as pleasant as can be.

Are you flying from London Heathrow ? If you are, here's what I would do for your first time:

* aim to arrive at the Heathrow terminal 3 building (which is where Singapore Airlines is based) around 2 hours 30 minutes before the departure time of your flight

* look on a display to find out where you check-in for your flight

* go and check-in, i.e. you give them your suitcase(s) and you get your ticket (boarding pass) in return

* go upstairs and go through security

* once past security (i.e. you're now inside the departure area), have a look around the shops (you definitely won't accidentally miss them! ); get something to eat/drink if you want

* about 45 minutes before the departure time of your flight, make your way to the gate shown on your boarding pass

* once at the gate, go inside, sit down and then follow the annoucements for when to board etc

Have a great flight!

[frammy77]

rules on liquids after secuity...?

Yep. Heathrow to Changi to start with. I'm trying to allow plenty of time, as the last thing I want to do is miss it

* once past security (i.e. you're now inside the departure area), have a look around the shops (you definitely won't accidentally miss them! ); get something to eat/drink if you want

Regarding things bought after security; am I right in understanding you can take liquids over 100ml onto the flight if you have bought them after security...? Except on flights to Australia - in which case you can't as their rules state nothing over 100ml at all? (or is that actually for all places?)
(Curious for just random food/drink, etc - rather than duty free) - I have read the rules many times, but I'm still not 100% sure about this...?

[jhm]

Regarding things bought after security; am I right in understanding you can take liquids over 100ml onto the flight if you have bought them after security...? Except on flights to Australia - in which case you can't as their rules state nothing over 100ml at all? (or is that actually for all places?)
(Curious for just random food/drink, etc - rather than duty free) - I have read the rules many times, but I'm still not 100% sure about this...?

Yes, once you get past security at LHR T3 (London Heathrow terminal 3), then you can take any liquids/gels/whatever you buy in the departure area on to the plane.

The reason why there's the exception for Australia is that planes can't fly all the way there. They have to stop somewhere like Singapore to refuel. I've never flown from London to Australia but I believe that once you arrive in Singapore, you have to get off the plane and then you have to go through security again meaning that your > 100ml liquid can't pass through.

[frammy77]

Yes, once you get past security at LHR T3 (London Heathrow terminal 3), then you can take any liquids/gels/whatever you buy in the departure area on to the plane.

The reason why there's the exception for Australia is that planes can't fly all the way there. They have to stop somewhere like Singapore to refuel. I've never flown from London to Australia but I believe that once you arrive in Singapore, you have to get off the plane and then you have to go through security again meaning that your > 100ml liquid can't pass through.

Ok cool. I wondered if it might be something like that. I'd only be trying to take on food/drink, so if I have to ditch things at some point, then no huge loss.
But it's reassuring to know at LHR at least I can take things onboard