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A Consumer Guide to Air Travel
Contents
* Introduction 1
* Air Fares 3
* Reservations and Tickets 6
* Delayed and Canceled Flights 12
* Overbooking 15
* Baggage 21
* Smoking 31
* Passengers with Disabilities 33
* Frequent-Flyer Programs 35
* Contract Terms 38
* ‘Travel Scams 40
* To Your Health 42
* Airline Safety 45
* Complaining 49
* Other Sources of Information 55
-Am I more concerned with price or
scheduling? Am I willing to fly at an odd hour if it
means saving $25?
-Will the airline penalize me for changing my
reservation?
-What will the airline do for me if it cancels
my flight?
This booklet is designed to explain your
rights and responsibilities as an air traveler. We
hope it helps you become a resourceful consumer.
Because of the emphasis on price competition,
consumers may choose from a wide variety of air
fares. Some airlines are trying a “back to basics”
approach—offering flights at bargain basement
prices with few extras.
For fare information, you can contact a
travel agent, another ticket outlet or an airline
serving the places you want to visit. Ask them to tell
you the names of all airlines flying there. A travel
agent can find virtually all airlines fares in his or
her computer. Or, if you prefer you can call each
airline to ask about the fares they charge,
particularly any special promotional fares they may
be offering at the time. You can also pay attention to
newspaper and radio ads, where airlines advertise
many of the discount plans that apply to your city.
Finally, be alert to new companies serving the
market. They may offer lower fares or different
services than older established airlines.
Here are some tips to help you decide
among air fares:
Be flexible in your travel plans in order to get the
lowest fare. The best deals may be limited to travel
on certain days of the week or particular hours of the
day. After you get a fare quote, ask the reservations
agent if you could save even more by leaving a day
earlier or later, or by taking a different flight on the
same day.
Plan as far ahead as you can. Some airlines set aside
only a few seats on each flight at the lower rates.
The real bargains often sell out very quickly. On the
other hand, air carriers sometimes make more
discount seats available later. If you had decided
against a trip because the discount fare you wanted
was not available on the desired date, try again,
especially just before the advance-purchase
deadline.
Some airlines may have discounts that others don't
offer. In a large metropolitan area, the fare could
depend on which airport you use. Also, a connection
(change of planes) or a one-stop flight is sometimes
cheaper than a nonstop.
Find out what will happen if you switch flights or dates.
Does the air fare include types of service that
airlines have traditionally provided, such as meals or
free baggage handling? If you have a connection
involving two airlines, will your bags be
transferred? Can you get advance seat assignments?
If you are stranded, will the ticket be good on
another carrier at no extra charge? Will the first
airline pay for meals or hotel rooms during the wait?
Many discount fares are non-refundable; if you buy
one of these fares and later cancel your trip, you will
not get your money back. Some fares also have a
penalty for changing flights or dates even if you
don't want a refund. You may also have to pay any
difference in air fares if your fare is not available on
the new flight.
Some airlines will not increase the fare after the
ticket is issued and paid for. (Simply holding a
reservation without a ticket does not guarantee the
fare.) Other airlines may reserve the right to collect
more money from you if the fare that you had
purchased goes up before departure time. Find out
from the airline before you buy your ticket what its
policy is on assessing fare increases after the ticket
is purchased.
After you buy your ticket, call the airline or travel
agent once or twice before departure to check the
fare. Fares change all the time, and if that same fare
goes down before you fly, some airlines will refund
the difference. But you have to ask.
Differences in air fares can be substantial. Careful
comparison shopping among airlines does take time,
but it can lead to real savings.
Once you decide when and where you want to go, and
which airline you want to use, getting reservations
and tickets is a fairly simple process. You can make
all of your arrangements by telephone, at the
airlines ticket office, or through a travel agent or
other ticket outlet. There are a few potential pitfalls,
however, and these pointers should help you avoid
them.
If your travel plans fall into a busy period, call for
reservations early. Flights for holidays may sell out
weeks—sometimes months—ahead of time. Don't
buy a standby fare or an open return ticket if you
need to fly during a high-demand period, especially
the end of August. You could be stranded for a week
or more before a seat becomes available.
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