It's natural for us to want to know if our family or relatives have arrived safely at their destination when they're traveling by air. This need is even more pronounced when we're the designated pick-up person at the airport.
Fortunately, there are three simple and efficient methods we can use to determine whether a plane has landed, regardless of where we are.
The easiest method is to go to the airport and checking the information screen at the arrivals terminal. These screens, available in both domestic and international terminals, provide real-time updates on flights arriving at the airport.
The information on these screens typically includes the airline's name and flight number, the city of origin, the scheduled arrival time, the estimated time of arrival, and, crucially, the flight status.
If the flight status displays "Arrived," you can breathe a sigh of relief—the plane has safely touched down. A status of "As Scheduled" indicates the plane is en route and expected to land as planned.
If the screen reads "Delayed," the plane will land later than initially scheduled. Should you see "Cancelled," unfortunately, the flight has been called off.
If you're not physically at the airport, several airports have proprietary apps with various features, including live tracking of arrivals. One such airport is Singapore's Changi Airport, which offers the iChangi app. This handy tool lets you monitor planes scheduled to land at Changi Airport from the comfort of your smartphone.
Flightradar24 is a highly accessible and efficient tool that gives you access to real-time information about flight arrivals worldwide. Here's a step-by-step guide to using it:
First, download the Flightradar24 app from Google Play Store (for Android devices) or Apple App Store (for iOS devices). Once installed, open the app.
Next, search for the flight you're interested in tracking. You can do this by typing the flight number or route (for example, "GA208" or "CGK-DPS") into the search bar at the top of the screen. The app will then present a list of flights that match your search parameters.
Once you've found the flight you're interested in, click or tap on it to reveal further details. You'll be able to see information such as departure time, arrival time, current altitude, aircraft speed, and more.
Crucially, you'll see the flight status, displayed as "Landed," "In Flight," or "Canceled." If the plane has arrived, the status will read "Landed" or "Arrived," depending on the language of the app.
One of the particularly compelling features of Flightradar24 is its real-time tracking function. An interactive map allows you to trace the plane's journey from take-off to landing—a boon for the more anxious or curious among us.
In conclusion, these are three practical methods for anyone looking to confirm whether a plane carrying their loved ones has safely landed. Everyone has their preferred method, what's yours?
