Travelling by air is said to be the safest means of transportation but if certain safety precautions are not adhered to especially while at the airport you may end up not being truly safe.
Different individuals go to the airport for different reasons. Some individuals go there to take a flight, others for business purposes. Criminal elements also go there to perpetrate heinous crimes, an example being the breach of Kaduna airport by terrorists in 2022.
In order for you not to fall victim of criminal elements who disguise as fellow passengers or dishonest airport staff, below are safety precautions you should observe when next you visit the airport.
1. Be vigilant
The need for you to be security conscious and vigilant in the airport cannot be over emphasized especially if you are a first time traveller. There are people who are in the airport looking for unsuspecting passengers to outsmart. Have your eyes at every exit point and be at alert so you can scamper for safety in case of any emergency.
Walk briskly/ smartly and avoid wearing flashy clothes when at the airport as doing the opposite makes you a soft target for criminal elements at the airport.
2. Avoid familiarising with strangers
An airport is not a place for making friends, although this happens at times. Whenever you are at the airport avoid getting familiar with strangers or getting involved in conversations with people you don’t know before. Face your business or the purpose for you being at the airport.
If you need some clarifications on any issue when you are at the airport, you should either check it out on Google or ask uniformed airport staffs that are attending to fellow passengers.
3. Keep close eyes on your luggage
An airport is definitely not the right place for you to be careless with your luggage. When at the airport, ensure you keep a close eye on your luggage and make use of tags.
Never allow a stranger carry your luggage for you as there have been stories of passengers that had hard drugs implanted into their luggage without their knowledge. If you don’t keep a close eye on your luggage, it might also be stolen and the chances of recovery are very slim.
Also, for no reason should you help a stranger or an acquaintance you don’t trust watch over their luggage while at the airport.
4. Read ahead about travelling procedures
It would not be a bad idea if you read about the various travelling procedures observed at the airport before your flight day especially as a first timer.
Reading about various travel procedures will save you the stress of losing some of your luggage that may not be allowed while traveling by air and it will also help prevent the airport staffs from taking advantage of your ignorance.
5. Trust no one
Another safety precaution to observe while in the airport is that you should trust no one, airport workers included.
According to the Holy book, the heart of a man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
As you do not know the intention in any man’s heart, then you should not trust anyone.
6. Avoid being alone
Staying in an isolated area in the airport or staying alone increases your chances of being a victim in the airport.
When at the airport, ensure you stay in an open place and an area other passengers are. This keeps you off the target of dishonest individuals or criminals.
7. Follow instructions
Regardless of the number of times you have gone to the airport or how familiar you think you are with being at the airport, please always follow institutions given by the airport staffs.
There might be slight changes that have been made with regards to a flight or procedures in the airport that are only known by the airline staffs, so listening and following instructions given by them is another safety precaution to be observed. A single instruction obeyed might be that which will save you from an impending danger.
While at the airport, following every safety precautions should be of paramount value to you. When next you visit the airport, ensure you follow the safety precautions discussed and we trust that your safety is guaranteed.
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