What is it?
Thanks to the internet and the developments in flight technology, it is now possible to not only check the status of your flight and reservation online, but you can actually track any flight in real time over the internet. Before leaving for the airport, it is strongly recommended that you check your flight status. You don’t want to end up sitting at the airport for hours and hours because your flight has been delayed. The status of your flight can change even when you are at the airport, so be sure to keep checking, either on status boards located throughout the airport, or on your laptop or mobile phone.
How to
You should constantly check your flight reservation in the days before your flight, just to ensure it hasn’t been delayed or cancelled for any reason. On the day of your flight, check the flight’s status before you leave. This can be done by logging onto the airline’s website or the actual airport, and selecting departing flights (or arrivals if you are picking someone up). When you arrive at the airport, look for the flight’s airline and flight number on the large computerized flight status board. These boards are located throughout the airport, making it easy for you to check the status whenever you need to. If you are in a restaurant or sitting at a gate with no status board, you can use your laptop or cell phone to log on to the airport’s website and check your flight status. Most airports have free Wi-Fi (either unlimited or for a certain amount of time), making it very easy to check your flight’s status whenever you need to.
Why do it?
It is an extremely frustrating feeling waiting for something, especially if you are at an airport. There is little to do and it can be very boring. To avoid this, make sure you are frequently checking the status of your flight. If you see that it has been delayed by an hour (or more), you can leave a little bit later, meaning you do not have to spend as much time waiting at the airport. Checking the status of your flight can also help reduce stress, as you know exactly when your flight will leave and how much time you have to get to the airport, check your bags, and get through security. Flying can be a stressful event for some people, so eliminating stress whenever possible can be very beneficial.
Risks
There are no real risks when it comes to checking the status of your flight, with the exception of misinformation. Even though the airline and airport websites are extremely accurate, there is the odd time when they make a mistake. So, even if your flight is delayed, you should still try to arrive at least an hour if not more before your originally scheduled flight time to make sure you do not miss your flight. If your flight is delayed by several hours however, you can obviously show up a few hours before the estimated departure time.
