Notes of business traveller

The cost of the ticket depends on the date of its acquisition – the cheapest tickets are reserved primarily, as their amount is limited. Even if you are not sure in Your departure date, reserve flight beforehand – as You always can cancel the reservation.

Before You pay for the ticket, You should specify the days stay limit, whether it is possible to make route alteration or flight date. It will protect You from possible misunderstanding in case you decide to prolong or shorten Your trip.

If you are determined with a journey, take up Your ticket as quick as possible.

Until the ticket is sold, an airline has a right to change a size and amount of charges that can increase ticket cost; change the type of airplane to a smaller one, cancelling at once unredeemed ticket.

You must check up the correctness of Your passport details in the reserved ticket, they should coincide with the document which you will travel with. Be sure not to forget that tickets reserved at different agencies on the the same names, coinciding in dates and route, are canceled by the airline automatically.

Not always You can get to the desired airport with a direct flight without additional transfers. Also quite often an airline ticket, consisting of a few segments with transfers, costs considerably cheaper, than direct flight. Therefore, we would like to draw Your attention to some "pitfalls" of such trips.

Always pay attention to minimum connection time - it is not always enough in some cases for transfers in big airports with huge turnover of passengers.

Take into account the necessity of passport control procedure at the point of transfer.

If You travel with different airlines, there is a need at times to get Your luggage from transit airport. So to be on the safe side specify flying details at the travel agency/airline company.

Airport changing at the point of transfer - most unpleasant, rare, but very occurrent problem. For not being trapped, take into account the distance of airports, mode of travel between them, the time of day and the traffic. It is also important to take into account the necessity of getting transit visa.

And always keep in mind that in case when different flight segments are performed by different carriers (so-called "two tickets flight"), airlines don't take any responsibility for Your delay to the next flight due to the flight delay of the former one.

Sometimes there are situations, when being a punctual and far-sighted traveler, arriving in the airport in advance, having an actual airline ticket on a certain trip, get a "surprise" as hours-long expectation or, that yet worse, other flight in inaproptiate time. There can be a few reasons for this.

Weather conditions. There can only be one recommendation - be patient. Unfortunately nobody can predict weather whims.

Aircraft damage. As well as any techniques, an aircraft can break ranks in most unsuitable moment. To cut the risk of expectation to a minimum, choose regular flights of large air carriers with the big park of aircrafts. At times charter and low cost airlines simply have nothing to replace a disabled aircraft!

Overbooking. According to statistics there are no-show passengers. Taking into consideration this fact an airline sells more tickets than aircraft contains.

The simplest way to avoid a refuse in transportation because of overbooking - register for a flight on-line.

Nowadays most carriers offer this service on their web sites.

If You do not have such possibility, try to check-in as early as possible. In fact, in particular, late passengers will not be accepted to board an aircraft.

In case being rejected to board an aircraft, as a competent traveler, You should know Your rights. Here we do not examine a situation, if You were not accepted to join an aircraft for the reason of bad conduct or drunk and disorderly. Business travelers do not allow improper behavior! It is concerned flight cancellation or protracted flight delay, of which You have not been notified in advance, and also about overbooking.

If you have to wait more than three hours and circumstances of insuperable force do not take place in Your case, in accordance with the order of State Air Service of Ukraine You have a right to give up flight and demand full refund for the air ticket that haven't been used. In case You decide to wait, You must be provided with soft drinks, food, in case of necessity - hotel accommodation and transfer, as well as compensation of direct damages in a sum of 100 US dollars per day.

Unfortunately these rules do not spread on charter flights in Ukraine, and tickets are sold on special and group tariffs.

Laws, operating in the countries of European Union foresee larger responsibility of airlines before passengers. There You can count on help in case of two hours flight delay, which spreads also to charter and group transportations. In addition You have a right to get material consideration in sum of  250-600 euro depending on distance of flight and waiting period.

Therefore, traveling in Europe, in case of the forced refuse in boarding or protracted delay of flight, always require information on Your rights on check-in desk, considering material compensation and help. Otherwise will threaten to call to the lawyer - this argument always operates effectively!

At times, we do not realize that we make difficulties for ourselves. Not to make Your flight a disaster for yourself and people around You, try to follow my advices.

Don't be late and don't miss your flight. If the departure time will be withhold because of Your desire to spend some more time in Duty free shop, any of Your purchases does not compensate bad impressions from expectation of permission to take off under spiteful comments from other passengers.

Do not take too much hand luggage on board. In fact if all places on overhead bins will be filled, Your luggage will be sent to a luggage compartment without further ado and guarantees.

Always stick to steward advices. If you are asked to fasten seat belt, adjust seat back in the upright position, to heave up a dinner-wagon, remain seated until the complete stop of the airplane, etc. All these are made for Your safety. Most traumas onboard take place exactly for these reasons.

Always take in mind that air steward is not a waiter in a restaurant, bringing drinks and food, but a professional, rescuing Your life in case of emergency situation!

(To be continued…)