Between the time you check your luggage in and the time you claim it at your destination, it may have passed through a maze of conveyor belts and baggage carts; once airborne, baggage may tumble around the cargo compartment if the plane hits rough air. In all fairness to the airlines, however, relatively few bags […]

Items and materials that may be commonplace and necessary at home or in the workplace are sometimes banned inside aircrafts because of the dangers they pose to both passengers and crew. It therefore becomes important to check with the airline which items they allow as carry-on luggage or as checked baggage, or banned altogether. The […]

Over 40 million Americans have disabilities. The Air Carrier Access Act and the Department of Transportation (DOT) rule that implements it set out procedures designed to ensure that these individuals have the same opportunity as anyone else to enjoy a pleasant flight. Here are some of the major provisions of the rule. A person may […]

Report any problems to the airline before leaving the airport; insist on filling out a form. Open your suitcase immediately when you get to where you are staying. Any damage to the contents or any pilferage should be immediately reported to the airline by telephone. Make a note of the date and time of the […]

For domestic flights, ensure that you check in 2 hours before your flight time.  For international flights you should check in 3 hours early.  For either type of flights, make sure that you have all your documentation readily available.  You will need your ticket, proper identification, and for international flights, your passport and, if required, […]

When selecting a flight, remember that a departure early in the day is less likely to be delayed than a later flight, due to “ripple” effects throughout the day. If you book the last flight of the day, you could get stuck overnight. If you have a choice between two connections and the fares and […]

When passengers comment on airline service, most airlines do listen. They analyze and keep track of the complaints and compliments they receive and use the information to determine what the public wants and to identify problem areas that need special attention. They also try to resolve individual complaints. Like other businesses, airlines have a lot […]

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 (often Tuesday through Thursday, or Friday night through Sunday morning) or particular hours of the day (e.g., late-night departures). This applies to each of your flights, not just […]