Infant Turned 02 years..everything you wanna know

Most of us take for granted that the infant (under 02 years) ticket should be free of charge as he doesn't occupy any seat. However, the infant ticketing policy varies from an Airline to Airline.

Few European airlines allow infant to travel free of charge on domestic European sector but at the same time would charge 10% of the adult base fare in-case of the international flight. The cost and the terms and conditions of the ticket are different for different Airline.

Nevertheless let's see few specific regulations that must be followed while purchasing Infant ticket:

• There is no minimum age for an Infant to take an Airline travel. Yet, he should be at least 48hours old to travel and should be accompanied by an adult aged 16 years and above
• One passenger is allowed to take maximum 2 infants out of which one can be lap baby and other one can occupy the seat. This rule may vary from country to country as well. Please call the Airline beforehand to avoid any chaos at the Airport.
• Now, lets talk about the most common and one of most confusing aspect -

Infant Turned 2: As long as the child is under 2 years he is considered to be an infant but the moment he completes his second b'day he is considered as child and he has to pay the child fare for an Airline Travel. There can be 2 scenarios where in the infant can turn 2:

1. Before the journey commences: In-case the infant has completed his 2 nd b'day before the travel then he has to travel as a child and has to pay the child fare.
2. Turns 2 during the travel: If the infant turns 2 during the Airline travel then he can simply travel as an infant and pay infant fare only. However, the policy can vary from Airline to Airline.
3. Another best way to tackle the situation is to pay per direction for e.g: If the infant is 23 months while traveling London to San Francisco and above 24months at the time of return then the infant fare can be paid per direction i.e. infant fare for London San Francisco and child fare for San Francisco to London sector. This rule is not permitted by all the Airlines, so please make sure to call the customer service in advance.

Let me know in-case you have any other reservation regarding Infant ticketing policy. I would be glad to assist you. Till then Happy Airline Travel with the little angel!!

British Airways- Premium Economy Cabin

A long flight in economy class makes us dreadful. Lots of us get cold feet with the thought of travelling in the cramped economy class cabin for more than 09 hours. However, now most of the Airlines have introduced new premium economy cabin to make your journey more comfortable and relaxed.

British Airways is the first Airline to launch Premium Economy cabin known as World Traveler Plus (WTP) Cabin. Cabin has been designed to provide the extra privacy, more relaxation and wider seats. Airline ensures that you have comfortable Airline Travel and you reach your destination with full of zeal and energy. WTP cabin is available on BA flights across 70 destinations worldwide.

Lets give attention to the unique features of this premium cabin:

WTP Check-in :

• On-line check in gets opened 24 hours before departure and you can select your seat and print your boarding cards even before reaching the airport. Seat can be selected from your mobile phone by just clicking on the site ba2go.com
• WTP passengers gets increased baggage allowance of 2 free checked bags weighing up-to 23kg's each.
• Almost all the BA flights with WT cabin departs from Terminal 5 that gives you the opportunity to explore the British Airways new Home 'Terminal 5' which everything starting from shopping to hotels

In Flight Experience

• The premium cabin is devised to provide more comfort as it just has maximum 6 rows
• Complimentary bar service, larger and wider seats with adjustable headrest and extra legroom are the few attractions
• All the WTP seats are facilitated with laptop power and an in-seat phones.
• The menu is specially made by the known chefs from various part of the world.
• Passengers are given priority to leave the aircraft early.

Whats More

• All the seats have individual screens attached with the noise reducing headphones.
• High life and Travel magazines can be enjoyed through out the flight
• There are almost over 100 movies,more than 50 audio and music Cd's .
• Interactive games for the kids

In addition to this you have an option to stop, pause, forward or rewind your favorite programme as per your wish.

This premium economy would cost a bit more then the economy class fare but the experience is totally amazing and you can feel the difference. Next time, make sure that you save some extra bucks to experience the difference.

All the best for this astonishing airline Travel..

Carrying Car Seat for your toddler?

Are you planning to take your little one on your lap or do you want to carry the car seat for your toddler on the flight?

Most of the Airlines permit the passengers to carry their own car seat provided the car seat qualifies the specific dimensions outlined by the Airline. The main question that comes up is - Can you carry your own car seat during the Airline Travel. Lets look at the few golden tips for using Car seat during the Airline Travel:

• To be able to use your car seat, it should be certified to be used in Aircraft and in motor vehicles. These labels can found across the globe and on all the car seats.
• The car seat should be not more than 16" (inches) in its dimension. Any car seat with this dimension can be fixed in most of the airlines.
• Do check out the Airline policy regarding the bringing of the car seat. Its not mandate that you would get discounted airfares for the infant occupying the seat. The Airline can either charge child fare or full adult fare occupying the seat. So, don't forget to call the Airline before taking your seat.
• One golden tip to avoid paying for extra seat is to plan your travel during mid week or late in morning. The flights are relatively less occupied during these hours and there are more chances of getting the empty seat on the flight. Airline staff at the gate or at the check-in can assign these seats to you.
• Car seat should either be placed in a window seat or in middle seat in the middle bank.

Government has the different rules and regulations for the car seat. Hence always make sure to check the policy of the specific country. Bringing car seat on the flight is always good option as it not only makes the child comfortable but also make the Airline Travel relaxed for the parents as well.

6 Easy tips to get the special Meal on board

Are you vegetarian? Do you have an allergy from nuts or milk products? Are you tired of the usual Airline meal?

If the answer is yes, then don't be bothered as special meal can be pre-requested on all the major International and domestic Airlines. Today, I would share few simple and easy tips that would ensure that you get the special meal on board:

1. Always request the special meal in advance. Best is to get the request added at the time of the booking. Most of Airlines have huge list of diverse meals from different part of the world.
2. Request can be made on-line as well however its good idea to call the individual Airline to make certain that the request is already added in the Airline system
3. If you plan to change your booking or change you flight then remember to add the meal request again as the special meal would not get assigned to the new changed flight on its own.
4. Best is to request the special meal at least 24 hours before the departure as Airline system rejects the "late meal request"
5. Meal can be requested at the check-in desk as well but the chances of getting this special meal can be minimal. Firstly, you would only to be get that meal if its available on board secondly, If some other passenger who ordered for this meal is a no show
6. The crew would have the seat number, booking reference and the name of all the passengers who have ordered the special meal. Hence make sure to let the crew know in case you have swapped your seat with someone else on the flight.

These are the few tips that would get you the special and best meal on board. So, now satisfy those taste buds on Airline Travel as well.

Till then Bon Appetit and Enjoy the Airline Travel !!

New Baggage policy - British Airways

Almost all the major European Airlines are changing and adopting new baggage allowance policy. British Airways, one of the largest Airlines in the world is also switching to the latest strategy.

However these new rules and regulations would only apply to all the passengers, who are booking and travelling post 07 October 2009. Hence all those passengers who have booked their tickets before 07 Oct09 would be permitted to take the baggage as per the old policy.

The checked baggage allowances:

Each bag:

• Should not exceed 23kg
• Maximum limit for check in can be upto 32kg only.
• Amount of £30 ($50 for journeys from all US airports) has to be paid the bag or item that weighs more than 23kg (51lbs) and up to and including 32kg (70lbs).
  

This fee will be charged as in local currency of the origin

The baggage allowance differes from country to country.Hence make sure that you check www.ba.com for exact dimensions and baggage allowance.

Extra payment needs to be done in case you want to check in more bags apart from your free allowance.

Good To Know:

If you are transferring to another flight, which is not operated by BA then the baggage allowance for that new flight would apply i.e the baggage allowance or policy can vary.

However If you are holding different tickets for each airline in your journey:

• the individual airline's baggage allowances will apply for each flight

British Airways always offer great discount if you pay prior to your check-in. Its always best to pay on line.

The additional bag charge of £90 ($140) will apply for each additional bag up to the 10 bag limit on international flights.

All the best for the world class experience with British Airways.

Looking for the best seat during the Airline Travel?

09 hour flight can be unpleasant if your seat is right next to lavatory and you keep getting bumped by the passengers who are walking in the Aisle. Poor seat on the plane can be awful as you are unable to recline your seat properly.

On-line pre-seating can always help you to get the best seat. I would give you some excellent tips to get the finest seat during the Airline Travel.

1) Whats your class of Travel: Seats are quite comfortable and relaxing if you are travelling in First or Business class as these cabin gives more leg room and space. However the seats in Economic class are smaller and has less legroom and comfort.

2) List your preferences : Whats your preference like:

• Do you want window or aisle seat?
• Do you want seat right in the front or at the back of the plane?
• Do you need Infant cot seat or items?
• Do you require Internet access?
• Are you planning to use the electronic device and need an in-seat power outlets?

Making this checklist would help you to choose the best seat suited to your requirement.

3) Airline Pre-seating: Few of the Airlines allow seat allocation at the time of booking. So make sure you check the policy of pre seating with an Airline and block your seats on-line to avoid any chaos in the end.

4) Emergency Exit Seat : Exit seat is considered to be the best seat with more legroom. However these seats are not assigned right away as the passenger sitting on this seat should be capable to help during emergency. Its Airline discretion to assign the seat to well suited passenger.

5) Front Row Seats: Seats in front of exit row don't usually recline hence give you the less room than normal. The seats are quite narrower as the tray table are stowed in the arm rest

6) Planning: Try and look for aisle seat towards the rear of the plane where someone is already seated in the window seat. This would give you more space as these middle empty seats, where there are two people on either side gets filled in the end. So you might get the benefit and extra space.

7) Best seat :Always find out the best seat in an Airline as these can vary from Airline to airline. Many time even an extra inch can make it spacious. Its always good to know the pitch of the seat.

8) Best seats are available On-line: Always always book your seats on-line as this gives you the control to assign your own seat and you can pick up the best seat as per your requirement. Few major Airlines gives an option of printing your boarding cards with the seat number on it.

9) Reach Airport early: If you have not printed your boarding card then on the day of your flight, please reach the airport early as If you don't report within the specific time then your seat can be offered to any other passenger as well. Hence make sure that you reach the Airport early.

Hope these small tips would help you to get the good seat on the plane. Enjoy your good seat and have safe Airline Travel!!

Discounted Airfare for Funeral

Most of the Airlines gives discounted fare commonly known as 'Bereavement Airfares' for taking Airline Travel due sudden death in the family, funeral or emergency in the family. However there are certain restrictions and policies around these discounted fares. Let's discuss them one by one:

Who is eligible for the bereavement Airfare?

Immediate family is eligible for these discounted fares. Immediate family is defined as blood relation, parents, grand-parents, spouse, children, siblings, aunts and uncles.

What documents are required by the Airline?

• Death certificate from the regulatory authority
• The name of the deceased and the relationship of the passenger with the deceased
• The full contact details including the date of the funeral service

Please make sure that you provide all the above required information to the Airline in advance as this would ease the process.

Good to know:

• Airlines provide standby option to the passenger in-case he needs to return back to his base immediately due death in the family. Stand by is not confirmed space but would only be given if the flight load is relatively less and the passenger can be accommodated.
• Refund is another option that can be used in-case you are not able to get all the above mentioned required documents in advance. Always remember to submit the death certificate, boarding cards and copy of the ticket along with the refund application. Also retain the photocopy with you as well.
• Refund would only be made if the Airline already has policy of giving special Bereavement Fares prior to travel. No refund would be made in case the Airline does not have any such discounted fares.

Not all the Airlines have the policy of special discounted fares for the funeral or death of the family member. Hence don't get upset if Airline refuses to give you any such refund. Bereavement fares exist to ease your stress of traveling due imminent death of the near-one.

Do you have fear of flying? No more anxiety..

Airline travel can be fun for one and at the same time can be stressful for the other. Airline Travel certainly not free size that fits all. Its natural to have fear of flying as you would be 40,000 feet above the earth and there can be turbulence in the plane. However don't let this phobia frighten you.

There are many simple ways that can help you to fight against fear of Airline travel. Few golden tips are:

1. Let the crew in the flight and at the check-in desk know that you are afraid of flying. Most of the times the the crew as well as the co-passengers makes you comfortable during the flight and keep check on your well being
2. You can always seek medical advice for anxiety of flying. These medicines would help you to remain calm during the flight
3. There are several Fear of flying courses available on-line. You can opt for these courses to conquer your fear
4. Don't be afraid to seek help and to ask questions from the frequent flyer's or the Airline staff. Few airlines also provide assistance during the flight for the first time Flyer's.
5. Do you like music? Do you like to squeeze the soft ball to ease the tension? If yes, then its good. Try and get some items that give comfort to you. Listening to MP3 player or taking your favourite fleece blanket can help you to keep the fear at bay
6. Enjoy the in flight entertainment programes. Checking out the weather or watching movie can help you relax.

Always keep in mind that you are not the only one, who is afraid of flying. There are many more passengers like you who are first time flyer's. With 8 years of experience in Airline industry, I can certainly vouch that preparing in advance and reassurance can help you to fight against any kind of fear. Have confidence in you and see the difference.

So let me know how was your first Airline Travel?

How safe is it to take Airline Travel during Swine Flu?

All the news channels, news papers, media are full of reports about Swine Flu outbreak. Scientifically known as H1N1 where H stands for hemagglutinin and the N means neuraminidase and the 1s refer to their antibody type.

WHO has divided this flu into different stages. Each stage represents different level. Swine Flu has been declared as pandemic. It started in Mexico and now has spread across different countries and populations.

One question that keep coming to our mind is - HOW SAFE IS IT TO TAKE AIRLINE TRAVEL DURING SWINE FLU? Many of us are reluctant to travel during this outbreak and want to know the ways to protect ourselves from this seed of global pandemic.

Lets go through little steps that can protect us during Airline Travel against Swine flu outbreak:

1) Reshuffle Travel in-case you are feeling sick: It's always good and recommended to postpone your travel plans if you are not feeling well and has flu symptoms.It has been observed that lots of passengers don't follow this. However, as far as possible please avoid any non essential travel during international and national health emergency

2) Curtail exposure on board: Please keep the air vent over your seat and pointing on your face. This would reduce the contact of any infectious droplets that gain foothold in the body through nose, eyes or mouth.

3) Hand Hygiene should be top priority: Make sure that you wash your hands frequently and properly to reduce the risk of disease. All the alcohol based hand sanitisers are effective against any kind of viruses or infection.

4) Grab that face Mask: Simple face mask can prevent the large droplets that are sneezed or coughed. It's believed that the simple mask prevents 62% of the small infectious droplets. Always carry an extra mask and step forward to offer the mask to any passenger, who looks sick, and has been coughing and sneezing.

Above are the few precautions that can be taken during Airline Travel.

However, risk of on-board transmission of virus is mainly limited to the passengers sitting next to you or sitting in the next two rows. Obviously, we can't change or control the seating procedure but can certainly take these few steps to fight against this global outbreak- Swine Flu

So next time, don't forget to carry the face mask and Have a safe and Healthy Airline Travel.

No more name Change- 7 best ways to handle

Welcome back!! Hope you have made a note of all the key items that needs to be included in your family medical kit during Airline Travel.

Have you ever had an experience where in you have entered wrong name in the booking and the ticket got issued with incorrect name. Today, I would cover few scenarios of incorrect name entered in the Airline booking system and the procedures to rectify the same.

1. Ticket issued on the credit Card Holder: Its one of the common mistake where in while making the booking on-line the ticket gets issued under the name of the payee and not the traveller. Best is to call the Airline and get the changes at once. Few Airlines allow the name change free of charge in-case the call is made between the 72hours of the issuance of the ticket.
2. 2-3 Characters change in the name: Almost all the major Airlines allow 2-3 characters change in the last name. So in case your last name is Jackson and the ticket is issued under the name of Jokson then the Airline should allow the change up to 3 characters. Airline might charge you with some local service fee.
3. First name to last name: It does not matter if the ticket displays your last name as first and vice-a-verse on the ticket. There is no need to change the same.
4. Married name or Maiden name: Many of us still have our passport under maiden name however if the ticket is still issued with the married name then the simple way is just to call the Airline and ask them to change the name in the system. However if they are not willing to change it due policy then just carry your marriage certificate to the airport and show it to the duty manager or at the check-in desk. There should be no problem while travelling
5. No body swap Allowed: None of the airline allows the body swap i.e Jones/Nicolas can never be changed to Sam/Jack Mr.
6. Fare rules Restrictions: Few of the airlines have restricted fare rules that does not allow the name change at all not even 2-3 characters. In this case either put the ticket for refund or use the same value for future travel.
7. Title Change: At times the ticket gets issued under different title like Fox/Jane Ms incorrectly issued under the name of Fox/Jane Mr, There no need to panic, just let the Airline know.

Best way to handle the name change during Airline Travel is to create the booking carefully and re-check the spelling, last name, title before you press the "Enter" button on your keyboard.

Let me know in-case you have any further queries with regards to name change and Airline Travel.

Happy Journey!!

15 Vital items in the Family First Aid Kit

Taking Airline travel to various part of the world, travelling with kids or travelling with parents and elderly people can be stressful at times.

Therefore, its always good and advisable to carry the Family First Aid kit to tackle any kind of invisible wounds or damage. The list must-must have following 15 key items, like :

1. Band-Aids of all sizes
2. Sterile cotton pads
3. Adhesive Tapes
4. Antibacterial cream and hand wipes
5. Sterile gauze pads
6. Digital thermometer
7. Small scissors, safety pins and tweezers
8. Medicines for headache, cold, stomachache and fever
9. Cough syrups
10. Vaseline
11. Inhalers
12. Prescriptions from your doctor
13. Medical reference book
14. Anti-mosquito lotion
15. Syringe or spoon for giving medicine to the kids

These are few common but very important key items.Carrying these little things would make your Airline travel and your vacation carefree.

Last but not the least, carry the first Aid kit in your hand bag as all the Airlines have different rules regarding the carriage of the medicines. Its always good to call the Airline in advance.

All the best for the Airline Travel..

Must see Video...

Lately, I just saw video named, Where the hell is Matt ? and trust me this video is a "must watch" as Matt ,featured in this video have taken Airline Travel to travel across 42 countries. He seems to be in high spirits and it must be the best time of his life.

His dance is simply superb and trust me this video would bring back the smile even when the things are not going right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY

I really want to be a traveller like him and want to explore the whole world by dancing and jumping.

Enjoy the Video....Tell me which is your best destination? Happy Airline Travel

All about Strollers at the Airport

Often, all of us, mainly the first time parents are quite anxious about travelling with an infant or with the child. We want to make sure that everything is in place and the Airline travel should be soothing and wonderful experience.

Travel experience with young children roaming around the airport in the stroller. All the airlines have different rule and policies with regards to the stroller. Today, I would share the incident that you may likely to experience at the airport in case you are travelling with the stroller.

• Tag would be given to you for the stroller at the check-in counter by the airline staff and you would be required to meet the Airline staff at the gate
• Make sure that you call the Airline in case the stroller is really big and if its non collapsible
• Security screening of the stroller is must and you would be required to remove the baby from the stroller.
• All the major Airline allows pre- boarding for the passengers travelling with small children and passengers with the special requirements. Hence make sure that you reach the boarding gate early.
• Stroller is generally taken by the Airline staff at the gate and then is returned back at the gate upon arrival.
• Only small and collapsible strollers that can be fitted in the overhead bin and are allowed inside the flight.

These are few formalities and procedure that you would required to go through at the airport before the Airline Travel. In my next blog I would cover the process of taking strollers on connecting flights..

Till then Happy Airline Travel with the little one's !!

6 Brilliant Safety Tips for the Students staying abroad

Now a days news channels are flooded with the reports of killing of Indian students in Australia. Every now and then students are being attacked by the youngsters, mostly in their teens. These reckless killing of the students has spread the fear among the families and students are actually leaving their courses halfway to come back to their own country.

One thing that keeps coming to my mind is why are the students being targeted?
I just want to help the students, who have taken loans from banks and whose parents have struggled and sacrificed the whole life to give the best education to their children.

Today, lets talk about few brilliant tips that can help the students to stay safe in abroad.

1. Stay Alert. Avoid lonely and deserted places after dark. Keep safety tips and precautions in mind. Keep your ears and eyes open.
2. Its always good to know the laws and rules of the country as this would help you to understand your rights.
3. Don't indulge in drinking and drugs. Underage drinking is an offence and can land you in the jail as well
4. Be familiar with the local cabs, bus stops, train information as this would help you to get acquainted with the local area
5. Now, the very common but most important Tip- Never ever agree and accept anything from the stranger before Airline Travel. Make sure that you check your bags carefully before crossing the border or boarding the flight.
6. All women students should be extra cautious. Be alert and attentive, do little homework before going out but don't restrict your self to home only.

All in all the education and awareness would make you recognizable with the local area. Don't be afraid to explore the local area but yes please travel with safety sense and use your senses to come out of any bizarre situation.

Enjoy Airline Travel and enjoy your studies abroad.

10 Best tips for the solo Women Traveler

Few days back my friend travelled to Middle east and trust me, her journey was full of excitement and adventure. Though Airline Travel is safe but women are likely to encounter more problems than man.

Today,lets talk about few excellent tips that can really help all the solo women taking the Airline travel.

• Visa and Passport should be intact. Make sure you are well versed with the visa requirement of the country. Also your passport should have at least 6 months of validity.( It may differ from country to country)
• Always remember to leave your photocopy of your passport, Ticket information, Flight details & records and the contact details of your hotel with your relatives or friends.
• Costly jewellery, too many credit Cards are simply NO NO. Travel light without valuables
• Be careful about your health. To be on safer side always take health Insurance and don't forget to carry the necessary medicines and prescriptions
• Please be alert and attentive, keep your ears and eyes open, use common sense and be aware of your surroundings. If someone is following you then make sure that you step into some shop or approach the nearby tourist or police booth.
• Don't venture out alone in secluded places and during wee hours and these can be quite unsafe. As much as possible go to public places. Ask your hotel for further assistance
• Confidence is one thing that can help you to come out of any odd situation easily. Act and move with confidence as this would prevent you from being soft target
• Planning of the day, make sure that you ask for the directions from the hotel and follow the map or landmark.
• Dressing sense should match with the local women. Some countries are not open with casual clothing. Hence make sure that your dress, jewellery and make up should be very loud as this can be considered as inappropriate in some cultures.

Remember the golden phrase,When in Rome.. So its always best to know and read about the culture and customs of the destination. Following these simple tips can make your Airline Travel safe and secure.

Thread behind the last 2 pics before Air France flight Crash

Air France Flight crash between Rio and Paris raised lots of questions about Airline Travel.

The sadden news of death of 223 passengers spread the shocking wave around the world. The whole world witness the vanishing of AF 330 flight during transition between transatlantic ocean from Rio to Paris.

Recently I received 2 pictures that was taken before the crash. Its incredible and as per the sources was retrieved from the memory stick of one of the camera. The picture was taken by one of the passenger, Paulo G Miller, an actor. He managed to click the last pics where the passenger was sucked out of the gaping hole. He also died and left behind 2 daughters.

May heart goes with all the victims and their relatives. May God give them strength to bear this tragic loss

Lets hope that Airline Travel becomes safer.

Best Tips to avoid Jet Lag

So, how was your day? Are you also one of those passengers, who gets jet lag and waste 1-2 days of their much awaited holidays. These are the passengers that usually needs time to beat the Jet Lag. I have few golden tips that can help you to avoid Jet Lag and would make your Airline Travel and your vacation as the most memorable time of your life.

• No tension and no stress. Just calm yourself and avoid any kind of anxiety
• 8-10 Hours of goodnight sleep before the Airline Travel can help you to avoid jet lag
• Wear comfortable clothing during the flight
• Drink lots and lots of water as this would keep you hydrated
• Eat gum during take off and landing to ease the pressure of the cabin
• Alcohol and caffeine is simply NO-NO before and during the flight
• Plug in those earphones and listens to the soothing music on the flight. This would reduce the cabin pressure
• Take off your shoes and try to take some rest or sleep.
• Take walk around the cabin as this would relax the muscles and you will feel nice
• Taking shower during long layover flights would relax and calm the body

These tips might be sounding familiar and simple but trust me are very useful. Try these tips and Jet Lag would never dare to get near to you. These can make your Airline Travel very comfortable and calm.

Do remember these golden mantras whenever you fly next time and let me know the outcome..

Till then Happy Airline Travel !!

Indian Airlines Advertisement Video..Can't miss it

Just watched Indian Airlines advertisement and couldnot resist myself from posting the same on our own Airline Travel Blog.

Watch out the video by clicking on the following link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg7ajcTNPDA&feature=player_embedded

Happy Watching and let me know your views as well..

Best Advice to avoid Bumping

I am back with some more and useful information about etting bumped off from the Airline Travel. Apparently, there are few tips that can provide you from getting bumped off from the oversold flight.


Lets talk about best advice around the same:

• Can you afford to travel on different date than the scheduled flight time? No, then please do not volunteer yourself to be bumped off from oversold flight. Its always good to pre-assign the seat number. Pre- booking of the seats lessen the chances of the getting involuntarily moving to another flight. 80-85% is the maximum threshold for an Airline to allow the pre-seating.


• Another best advice to avoid bumping is to check in early as this would give you an edge over the others and there would be less chances of you getting bumped off. Remember one thing that waiting till last minute to get involuntary upgraded to business class is not an good idea for the oversold flight.


• Its mostly the holiday or peak season during which the flight is oversold. Don't assume that the flight would be oversold and you would surely be bumped off. Its always good to call the Airline in advance to check the total flight load or the capacity. They usually give you the fair idea if the flight is oversold or not.
• If you have the luxury of the time and you don't mind delaying the Airline Travel then its sometime benefit to get bumped off and enjoy the wonderful lounges and meal vouchers
• Airlines gives good compensation for getting bumped off . I was compensated EUR 600 for oversold Lufthansa flight and trust me I was really happy on my way back

So my friend, Its always not bad to be bumped off from the flight as it sometimes gives you the reason to be happy. Airline Travel can be full of adventure so enjoy each and every trip.

All the Best !!

Oversold Flights, Bumped Off- Best alternatives

Welcome back..So how was the weekend? Yesterday I was speaking to my one of my friend,who was recently bumped off from his scheduled Airline Travel as the flight was overbooked and the Airline couldn't take passengers more than the seat capacity of the aircraft..

Presently, lots of the major Airlines virtually overbook their flights by 20-40 percent because there tends to be few passenger that do not show up at the airport resulting financial losses to the Airlines. Airlines can be oversold at any time of the year and the percentage is often not disclosed by the airlines.

Now, lets see few best alternatives available for the overbooked flight :

• The Airline would ask for the volunteers,who can take the later flight or is ready to stay back.
• Sometimes, the passengers can be bumped off the flight even though they have not volunteered to take the later flight as the airlines is oversold and there are no seats available. These passengers are still entitled for the compensation.
• Airline staff would give the MCO known as Miscellaneous charge order. Its the travel voucher and can be redeemed for future travel
• MCO is not cash but like a boarding card and the value of their MCO is higher than the cash
• Always remember to check if this MCO can be transferred to other family member so that in case you are unable to use it then your family member can use it.
• Check the validity of the voucher plus if this voucher can be used both for domestic and international travel
• Few Airlines can extend the validity of the voucher.Hence, always remember to explore that option
• Check out the restrictions on the travel voucher, It should not restrict your future travel, your seat should be confirmed, you should be able to use the voucher on the partner airlines as well. For e.g: If you are taking British Airways (BA) from London to New york and American Airlines (AA) for New york to Seattle then you should be able to use the voucher for both the Airlines as BA and AA are one world partner
• Its your right to ask for meal voucher or hotel accommodation in case you are bumped off due oversold flight.

Above are the few best alternatives that's mandatory for all the passengers that are taking Airline Travel. All of us would face this situation one day and its always good to know our rights and keeping in mind these simple steps would ease the stress at the airport.

All the best and Keep Flying !!

Outstanding Tips for Airline Travel cancellations !!

So, how was the weekend?? Let me know your views about the airport list and details...

Remember, I shared the standard Airline policies with regards to the weather related cancellations.Today ,lets focus on some outstanding tips that can save lots of time in organising Airline Travel during weather related cancellations.

• Its always good to call the Airport or Airline before starting from your place as the flight or runway might not be operational due adverse weather conditions.
• Don't waste any time and immediately call the Airline reservation centre to rebook yourself onto the other flight or onto the next available flight
• Always check on the various options like: If any other Airline is operational out of the Airport? If yes, can you be booked on that flight? If not, whats the next flight from the Airport or Can you travel to nearest port to your destination?
• Always keep checking the arrival and departure screens to get the idea of the operating flights
• Ticketing desk at the airport should be able to take care of your booking ,If you are transiting then the Airline staff should be able to book your onward connections as well
• Check the weather condition at your destination as well.

Airline staff is always there to help you so be patient and calm . Remember, shouting or creating havoc at the airport would not help you. Now, you have the rough idea of the Airline policy, so just work around the same and make your decision rationally.

Lets enjoy the Airline Travel and face this cancellation audaciously

List of the Major countries and the Airports

Don't have list of the major Airports or countries? Do you struggle to find the list of major airports in US? Do you have the airport code and don't know if this code belongs to US or Europe?

Don't worry I am here to make your Airline Travel easy. Please check out :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Lists_of_airports for the list of the major Airports in the world.
www.airportlist.com , its quite handy and gives the catalog of US major Airport directory and Airport codes.

Hope these site would help you to plan your airline travel in more better way..

You got to see it to believe it !!

First of foremost I want to thank Nikki for her comment on the Airline policies through the disruption. No, I haven't forgot about my promise of coming back with the survival tips during weather related airline travel cancellation.

However, I couldn't resist myself as I watched the much talked about the daring video of Air New Zealand, where the staff and even the CEO bares it all to promote the brand.

Just see it all and check out the link..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elD38pJX7iE

Lets hear from all of you and please tell me about your thoughts around this promotional campaign...

Enjoy the video !!

Delayed Flight..Best Available Options

Have you ever got stranded at the Airport because of flight cancellation due bad weather?

Often, we come across the news of delayed or cancelled flight due bad weather. This kind of update gives us feeling of improbability as we are totally clueless about the Airline policies and the best available options. Airline travel can be stressful during this time and all we need to check the Airline policy around the bad weather.

Today, I would tell you about the Airline Polices and the best options available during disruption:

1. When the weather is going to affect your Airline travel ,what you can do? During bad weather many of the Airlines bring into play the policies to deal with cancellations and delays. However, always remember to call your specific airline to check the Policy as this can differ from airline to airline.
2. Policy (known as commercial policy) often allows to change your ticket. It gives the flexibility to either change your ticket 07days before or 07 days after the original ticketed flight.
3. Airline would not charge the penalty for changing the date of the ticket. It should be absolutely Free of charge
4. Airlines have tie up with different Airlines and can also give different alternatives and can book you on other carriers (only if they are operating).
5. Full refund can be claimed from the Airline. Airline would give you the refund for the unused journey of the ticket.
6. Airline is not responsible to provide the Hotel accommodation or transport for weather cancellations. This is natural disaster and is not under the Airlines control.

You always have an option of writing into customer relation post your travel, in case you are unhappy with the customer service of the Airlines.

I hope above options would help you to understand the outline of the Airlines commercial policy. Feel free to let me know about your views and experience with the Airline travel cancelled due bad weather.

Watch out the space for best survival tips due weather related cancellations.