TOP TIPS TO STAY ON THE PLANE

You probably have heard of the recent scandals surrounding what appears to be high-handed behavior and poor customer care in the airline industry. More and more stories came public for being bumped off or got refused to board on their international flights and domestic as well.

Let us look at the issue from a passenger's point of view. In other words how to avoid being bumped off an airline flight. The technical term is being removed from the flight list in an overbooked flight when you have a confirmed reservation.

The bright side is that if you did get bumped, then you may get a quite impressive amount of compensation. In the case of United Airlines recent public relations gaffe, they have now decided to offer passengers up to $10,000 to vacate the flight, other forms of compensation may include meal coupons or travel vouchers.So a tidy sum may make that decision rather sweet. Remember the payoff should go up if the airline cannot find volunteers, so it may be best to hold out.

The US law says: It requires airlines to seek volunteers before bumping people involuntarily. And that appears to be about it.  Airlines are in control of themselves as to how they handle overbooked situations.

Obviously many people book a flight and time for a particular purpose and cannot change a flight. If you are in that category here are some tips:

DONT ARRIVE LATE FOR YOUR FLIGHT

If you run up to check in a few minutes before departure, you will have lost your reservation. Then you run an almost certain risk of getting bumped off the flight and airlines have no legal duty to compensate you. If you put your ticket in no-show status - meaning is showing at the airport when boarding closes - your ticket automatically loses its value. Recommended time of arrival at ticket counter ( not on the line ) is 3 hours before departure for international flights and 2 hours before departure for domestic flights. If you arrive less than 2 hours prior to departure on international flights and less than 1 hour prior to departure domestic flights, the airline can refuse you boarding for being late.

CHECK-IN ONLINE FOR INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC FLIGHTS

Checking in on-line, before you even get to the airport, is a must-do. That avoids the pitfalls of arriving late (unless you actually miss the flight). If you checked in online and you are late for the flight, you need to contact the airline before the flight departure to uncheck your status and release the seat that you are holding. Otherwise, your ticket can go into no-show status. No show status ticket has no value. Latest you can release your seat is 1h prior to departure on domestic flights and 1,30 hours prior to departure on international flights. Some airlines will have unusual policy, like 24hours cancellation prior to departure, or 5 , or 3 hours prior to departure. Make sure you know your airline ticket rules when you are purchasing your ticket. If your ticket has  two or more airlines involved, or is a special negotiated fare, or a consolidated fare, or a last minute fare, or same day travel fare, or destination sale fare, airline ticket rules might be confusing and unclear for the unexperienced traveler. Please contact one of our agents at Payless Flights to check on your ticket rules. Our toll free number is 1800-890-3731

ARRIVE EARLY AT THE AIRPORT

Your chances of being bumped off a flight are significantly decreased if you are an early arrival at the gate. A common standard used by airlines is the ‘last in, first out’ principle. So early birds are in with a better chance of staying on board.


BE POLITE WITH AIRLINE STAFF

If for any reason you are rude to airline staff, or make a scene, then you will be on their mind and this is not a good thing to be on an overbooked flight. You will stand a pretty good chance of being bumped off your air flight. The airline employees have the authority to ask you to leave the flight if they have strong believe that you are a threat to the passengers and the safety of the flight.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND YOUR AIRLINE TICKET RULES

Make sure that you know what a Confirmed Reservation is. This may be that you have checked-in, but other forms of proof may be a written confirmation and this can be from one of three sources: An agent, an airline or a reservation service. This applies even if (surprise, surprise) it cannot be located on the airlines computers.

U.S. Federal Rules on bumping from flights do not apply to flights with under thirty people, charter flights (for instance summer season holiday destinations) inbound flights from outside the US, or international flights outside the U.S.A.However you may well find that you are covered by other national regulations. For example the European Union has, in most cases, stricter rules than the US authorities.

HOW MANY PASSENGERS ARE IN YOUR PARTY

If you are in a large party, traveling together, you are less likely to get bumped. It is too much trouble removing 12 sports fans from a plane, especially with a flight delay.

HAVING A CONNECTING FLIGHT

This usually reduces your chances of being bumped from your flight as airlines will not want the hassle of re-booking two flights. One flight delay is bad enough two is terrible.

BOARD YOUR INTERNATIONAL OR DOMESTIC FLIGHT PROMPTLY

Don’t get in the McDonald’s line, board as soon as your seat row is called. If you do not it may be presumed that you have not arrived and your seat given away. A burger is not worth a flight delay.

CLASS SERVICE OF YOUR FLIGHT

It is generally accepted that being in economy class makes you more likely to get bumped from your flight. Similarly, if you have a membership of an airline loyalty scheme/frequent flyer cards you will probably not get bumped. In fact you are more likely to get bumped as an economy class traveler, then business or first class passenger.

CHOOSE YOUR DAYS TO FLY

Fridays and Sundays are busiest, and therefore you are more likely to get bumped from your flight.


BEING BUMPED FROM YOUR FLIGHT IS COMPARATIVELY RARE

On a more positive note, your chances of being bumped off your flight are around 1 in 10,000. These chances rise somewhat in the summer, and for other peak seasons such as major holidays.However offers of large amounts of cash and other attractive goodies mean that the volunteering system remedies most overbooking problems.