:Yes, although that particular bit of "security theater" is not worldwide, and is hopefully temporary.  Is it worth modifying the article?  How about "If airline security allows it, take...".  Of course that disclaimer could be placed upon the whole article - everything is subject to the whim of airline security.--[[User:Justfred|justfred]] 11:56, 21 December 2006 (EST)

:Yes, although that particular bit of "security theater" is not worldwide, and is hopefully temporary.  Is it worth modifying the article?  How about "If airline security allows it, take...".  Of course that disclaimer could be placed upon the whole article - everything is subject to the whim of airline security.--[[User:Justfred|justfred]] 11:56, 21 December 2006 (EST)

+

+

As for the banned liquids, do you know the specific limits in the US and the UK in terms of quantity (i.e. how many quarts should each liquid be and where should they fit-in)?  --[[User:58.69.69.113|58.69.69.113]] 10:11, 22 December 2006 (EST)

== Keeping fares low ==

== Keeping fares low ==

Some airlines, particularly low budget carriers say to passengers that to keep prices low, they should pick-up rubbish, give them to the flight attendant as well as pick up pillows and blankets and keeping them on the seat?  I would like to believe that is truth to this but is this really true?  If so, what other moves do airlines suggest and why would these keep fares low?  I would like to include a section like this in the article, thanks.  --[[User:58.69.69.113|58.69.69.113]] 09:49, 22 December 2006 (EST)

Some airlines, particularly low budget carriers say to passengers that to keep prices low, they should pick-up rubbish, give them to the flight attendant as well as pick up pillows and blankets and keeping them on the seat?  I would like to believe that is truth to this but is this really true?  If so, what other moves do airlines suggest and why would these keep fares low?  I would like to include a section like this in the article, thanks.  --[[User:58.69.69.113|58.69.69.113]] 09:49, 22 December 2006 (EST)

Revision as of 15:15, 22 December 2006

So, I removed a tip to the tune of, "Report anyone suspicious or different to airline personnel immediately."  Reporting people who are different seems a little spooky.  Can anyone give a better way to say this?  Without sounding too McCarthyist?  --Evan 02:12, 4 Jun 2004 (EDT)

Well, it did say "acting different" rather than just "are different".  I'd immediately report anyone who was not different from myself in any way! 

Seriously, I'd just as soon leave it out (and the other safety tips are questionable as well).  Tips should be things that you can do to improve your own experience and prevent likely problems.  Looking out for terrorists will not do either of those to any degree. --  Paul Richter 12:27, 4 Jun 2004 (EDT)

Avoid booking flight segments close together

I have some problems with this tip.  It is predicated on the notion that you have to clear security between flights, which is nonsense on domestic flights at most airports, and ignores the fact that airports differ widely in their ease of getting around.  Text revision follows. --  Bill-on-the-Hill 10:26, 24 Sep 2005 (EDT)

Overbooking

this may mean you have the chance of obtaining compensation if you volunteer to be bumped, or this may mean your day is made hell as the airline refuse to board you, despite having a prepaid and confirmed flight ticket

Could anyone re-state this more clearly?  I'm not sure I understand the complex question well enough for simplyfing it myself. 

In my experience, there may be choice on what route your flight will be changed to, but it is really rare case when traveller may decide to not fly at all, even for some compensantion.  Another point I'd like to add is that, for example, Austrian Airlines offers 600EUR compensation IN ADDITION to alternative way to flight, not INSTEAD of it.  I believe it would be smart to collect such experiences, as such compensation policies are internal to specific companies and are never published officially.  --DenisYurkin 06:18, 17 Oct 2005 (EDT)

Those €600 is according to the european rules for delays > 4hours.  --elgaard 06:35, 17 Oct 2005 (EDT)

I added a short note of EU rules here and a longer on Europe --elgaard 07:11, 17 Oct 2005 (EDT)

Thanks for sharing info.  I left a question in the talk page there, to make your paragraph there even more clear. 

As for my initial request here, could you help to explain (or simplify) the piece quoted above?  Thanks. 

I do not think it can be simplified as it depends a lot on the airline and what part of the world it is.  I.e. Austrian airlines is part of Star Alliance and can get you another flight to most destinations with a short delay.  But many discount airlines only have one flight a day and will probably not give you a ticket to another airline.  --elgaard 08:51, 17 Oct 2005 (EDT)

I tried to re-state the original paragraph more explicitly, with simpler words.  Let me know if I changed the meaning somewhere.  --DenisYurkin 12:13, 17 Oct 2005 (EDT)

" should ask passengers for volunteers who decide not to flight in exchange for benefits" is unclear.  What does "should" mean.  Is there some regulation and if so we should have a link to it.  Also I do not think it is a very european thing.  I have seen it in the US and Canada but never in Europe.  --elgaard 15:02, 17 Oct 2005 (EDT)

I don't have official info on such regulations beyond Europe, which you cited on the Europe#Passengers Rights page.  Do you suggest to add US and Canada to the list? 

Would the following re-phrasing be closer to truth? "  may ask passengers for volunteers..." --DenisYurkin 16:20, 17 Oct 2005 (EDT)

boarding time

Boarding starts at, and even then it's usually after the printed time.  The gate closes (boarding stops) usually only 10-15 minutes before departure.  Jpatokal 22:32, 18 Oct 2005 (EDT)

Great article

I haven't been over here in a while, and this has turned into a exemplar "Tips for..." article.  The random bullet points layout of many of them is depressing, this is a breath of fresh air.  Hypatia 23:27, 24 July 2006 (EDT)

Videos on exercises at your seat

> Most airlines will now periodically show video programs you can follow to get some exercise in your seat

I've never seen such videos on any of european carriers--was it meant primarily US carriers?  Changed to SOME instead of MOST in a meanwhile.  --DenisYurkin 04:26, 6 November 2006 (EST)

Extended Delay vs Cancelled Flight

We need a clarification in this article on what is considered an Extended/Long Delay (as used in Refund for delayed flight orOfficial Passenger Rights) vs Flight Cancellation.  For example, when you have a 24-hour delay due to broken aircraft, which is promised to get repaired and then the flight by that aircraft will be provided (and any other flights by that time declared to be fully booked), is it a long delay or rather a cancelled flight?  --DenisYurkin 04:47, 6 November 2006 (EST)

OK for dedicated PassengerRights page? 

It looks more convenient to have all the Passenger Rights-related information in a separate page: Overbooking, Flight Cancellation, Long Delays.  The main reason for separation is that passenger rights info is needed when you least expect it, unlike the rest of Tips for flying that are read once, in advance and is hardly used during your flights.  I would also move there the PassengerRights section from Europe#By plane to have all the related information in one place.  Anyone would object on such a separation?  --DenisYurkin 06:59, 6 November 2006 (EST)

I would object.  I think it's fine on this page, and the pointer in Europe should also stay where it is.  Jpatokal 07:21, 6 November 2006 (EST)

Jpatokal, could you please provide your arguments more specifically?  I gave mine, and can think of more.  Let me show on a demo page how it may look like... --DenisYurkin 11:44, 7 November 2006 (EST)

There are only 3-4 paragraphs of information, I don't think it needs a standalone article.  If you place it behind another link, even fewer people will find it.  Jpatokal 11:57, 7 November 2006 (EST)

Delayed flight affected working day

I heard that according to some EU regulations, a delay in flight that overlapped working day for a passenger are subject to certain compensation.  Does anyone know any official links to information like this?  Any success stories known when a particular sum was compensated for a reason like this?  --DenisYurkin 13:09, 7 November 2006 (EST)

luggage can be stolen by airport personnel

> In some airports, security of checked luggage is also an issue, as contents may be stolen by airport personnel while the baggage is in transit to and from your plane. 

In early-90s Russia this was also the case, especially when many people bought PCs and VCRs in Moscow and they brought it themselves to their regions by air.  Typical solution for that in Russia was to bribe personnel who normally handles luggage after it's checkied in. 

Does it make sense to put a recommendation like this?  BTW, Justfred, in what countries do you think it still happens?  --DenisYurkin 06:09, 28 November 2006 (EST)

It's a good idea anywhere in the world not to check in valuables.  Not only is there the risk of theft, but things like laptops, cameras and bottles break easily if checked-in.  Jpatokal 06:23, 28 November 2006 (EST)

It's happened to me, in the St. Louis Airport, about 4 years ago (don't recall pre- or post- 911).  CD player, bunch of CDs, GPS, cables - I zip-tie my bag pockets and it had been opened and removed between Delta checkin in St. Louis and rolling down the bag rack in San Diego.  Airlines don't care (boilerplate letter, sorry for your loss, we take no responsibility, take it up with your homeowner's insurance - Thanks, Delta!)--justfred 11:21, 28 November 2006 (EST)

I suggest to recommend to lock all luggage for check-in.  This should help considerably--although there's no guarantees here, as in anything else.  --DenisYurkin 11:38, 28 November 2006 (EST)

Actually, you're not allowed to lock it, except with special locks that airport personnel have keys to, or are allowed to cut off.--justfred 12:33, 28 November 2006 (EST)

I've never encountered any airline that doesn't allow to use your own locks (or to use build-in locks many cases have out of the box).  Is this the case for flights within US/for US careers?--DenisYurkin 13:09, 28 November 2006 (EST)

Direct/nonstop flights

Just a couple of things about direct/nonstop flights.  First, they are not always more expensive than those with mere stopovers.  In fact, when I recently checked the price of tickets for a certain airline, those where one had to change planes/make a stopover turn out to be more expensive.  Second, direct flights in some cases may not use the same aircraft on all legs.  For instance, when I was travelling back to Manila from LA in 1999, I had to stopover via Osaka and we were on a certain flight number for Northwest.  From LA to Osaka, we used a 747-200 while from Osaka to Manila, a 747-400 was utilised, all carrying the same flight number.  Other things that can change in each leg of a direct flight is the crew who will be accompanying passengers on succeeding legs.  Depending on the airline and airport, passengers continuing on a direct flight will have to a) stay on the aircraft, b) wait in the transit area to be reboarded onto that same aircraft, c) choose either a or b or d) change planes. 

a, b, c are all true, but having to change planes on a direct flight is pretty darn unusual and I don't think you'll find any cases of this in a published schedule. ( Look at it from the airline's point of view: why would they want to station a plane at the halfway point on a long route, never returning to home base?)  Yet another reason to avoid Northwest like the plague they are... Jpatokal 03:49, 20 December 2006 (EST)

E-ticket vs. the paper ticket

Another suggestion I have is to try to put a section dedicated to e-tickets and comparing and contrasting them with paper tickets, giving their respective pros and cons. 

What to carry on

One of the tips in the said section says "Take a large bottle of water with you.  Airliner cabins are very dry and drinking plenty of water helps to avoid dehydration."  Aren't liquids, including bottled water brought in by passengers banned in some places unless purchased at stalls beyond security checkpoints?  Besides, the "During the flight" section tells us that water is available upon request from the flight attendants.  --210.5.110.56 10:44, 21 December 2006 (EST)

Yes, although that particular bit of "security theater" is not worldwide, and is hopefully temporary.  Is it worth modifying the article?  How about "If airline security allows it, take...".  Of course that disclaimer could be placed upon the whole article - everything is subject to the whim of airline security.--justfred 11:56, 21 December 2006 (EST)

As for the banned liquids, do you know the specific limits in the US and the UK in terms of quantity (i.e. how many quarts should each liquid be and where should they fit-in)?  --58.69.69.113 10:11, 22 December 2006 (EST)

Keeping fares low

Some airlines, particularly low budget carriers say to passengers that to keep prices low, they should pick-up rubbish, give them to the flight attendant as well as pick up pillows and blankets and keeping them on the seat?  I would like to believe that is truth to this but is this really true?  If so, what other moves do airlines suggest and why would these keep fares low?  I would like to include a section like this in the article, thanks.  --58.69.69.113 09:49, 22 December 2006 (EST)