10 Things I learnt whilst flying Virgin Blue domestic

1. Apparently, silver bangles can set off metal detectors, but silver bracelets are fine.
2. The metal detectors are temperamental; after taking off the bangle and still setting the metal detector off, the attendants told me to walk through keeping to the very centre, and without pausing, which actually worked!
3. Laptops have to be taken out of your bag and put in a separate tray before they’re put through the scanner.
4. You can be randomly selected to undergo ‘explosives screening’!
5. When they give you a laminated card to read that explains that there will be some physical contact involved (eek!) with the screening, don’t be worried; the ‘physical contact’ is just 2 brief touches on the hips (through your clothes) and then on your bags with some sort of explosive-detecting instrument.
6. Remember to pick up your boarding pass after being screened!! Otherwise you have to walk back down and go through the metal detecting process all over again……..
7. The ‘explosives screening’ guy will generally send your boarding pass with a staff member into the terminal for you..
8. You won’t be able to find the aforementioned staff member.
9. Waiting at the ‘Enquiries Desk’ at 6am with the hopes of finding the staff member with your boarding pass is pointless; no-one comes.
10. Don’t stress. At Virgin Blue (not sure about the other airlines) they can print you a new boarding pass at the boarding gate desk. The male staff member there was very friendly and helpful and quickly printed me a new one, easy!