Contents

Contents

* Introduction 1

* Air Fares 3

* Reservations and Tickets 6

* Delayed and Canceled Flights 12

* Overbooking 15

* Baggage 21

* Smoking 31

* Passengers with Disabilities 33

* Frequent-Flyer Programs 35

* Contract Terms 38

* æTravel Scams 40

* To Your Health 42

* Airline Safety 45

* Complaining 49

* Other Sources of Information 55

NOTICE
We make every effort to keep Fly-Rights up to date, but
airlines frequently change the way they do business. So by
the time you read this a few procedures we explain may be
different. Contact DOT or your airline or travel agent if
you have any questions.

Tenth Revised Edition, September 199


The elimination of government economic regulation
of the airlines has resulted in lower fares and a wide
variety of price/service options. In this new
commercial environment, consumers have had to
take a more active role in choosing their air service
by learning to ask a number of questions.

-Am I more concerned with price or
scheduling? Am I willing to fly at an odd hour if it
means saving $25?

-Will the airline penalize me for changing my
reservation?

-What will the airline do for me if it cancels
my flight?

This booklet is designed to explain your
rights and responsibilities as an air traveler. We
hope it helps you become a resourceful consumer.

Because of the emphasis on price competition,
consumers may choose from a wide variety of air
fares. Some airlines are trying a ôback to basicsö
approachùoffering flights at bargain basement
prices with few extras.
For fare information, you can contact a
travel agent, another ticket outlet or an airline
serving the places you want to visit. Ask them to tell
you the names of all airlines flying there. A travel
agent can find virtually all airlines fares in his or
her computer. Or, if you prefer you can call each
airline to ask about the fares they charge,
particularly any special promotional fares they may
be offering at the time. You can also pay attention to
newspaper and radio ads, where airlines advertise
many of the discount plans that apply to your city.
Finally, be alert to new companies serving the
market. They may offer lower fares or different
services than older established airlines.
Here are some tips to help you decide
among air fares:

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 or particular hours of the
day. After you get a fare quote, ask the reservations
agent if you could save even more by leaving a day
earlier or later, or by taking a different flight on the
same day.

Plan as far ahead as you can. Some airlines set aside
only a few seats on each flight at the lower rates.
The real bargains often sell out very quickly. On the
other hand, air carriers sometimes make more
discount seats available later. If you had decided
against a trip because the discount fare you wanted
was not available on the desired date, try again,
especially just before the advance-purchase
deadline.


Some airlines may have discounts that others don't
offer. In a large metropolitan area, the fare could
depend on which airport you use. Also, a connection
(change of planes) or a one-stop flight is sometimes
cheaper than a nonstop.


Find out what will happen if you switch flights or dates.

Does the air fare include types of service that
airlines have traditionally provided, such as meals or
free baggage handling? If you have a connection
involving two airlines, will your bags be
transferred? Can you get advance seat assignments?
If you are stranded, will the ticket be good on
another carrier at no extra charge? Will the first
airline pay for meals or hotel rooms during the wait?

Many discount fares are non-refundable; if you buy
one of these fares and later cancel your trip, you will
not get your money back. Some fares also have a
penalty for changing flights or dates even if you
don't want a refund. You may also have to pay any
difference in air fares if your fare is not available on
the new flight.

Some airlines will not increase the fare after the
ticket is issued and paid for. (Simply holding a
reservation without a ticket does not guarantee the
fare.) Other airlines may reserve the right to collect
more money from you if the fare that you had
purchased goes up before departure time. Find out
from the airline before you buy your ticket what its
policy is on assessing fare increases after the ticket
is purchased.


After you buy your ticket, call the airline or travel
agent once or twice before departure to check the
fare. Fares change all the time, and if that same fare
goes down before you fly, some airlines will refund
the difference. But you have to ask.

Differences in air fares can be substantial. Careful
comparison shopping among airlines does take time,
but it can lead to real savings.

Once you decide when and where you want to go, and
which airline you want to use, getting reservations
and tickets is a fairly simple process. You can make
all of your arrangements by telephone, at the
airlines ticket office, or through a travel agent or
other ticket outlet. There are a few potential pitfalls,
however, and these pointers should help you avoid
them.

If your travel plans fall into a busy period, call for
reservations early. Flights for holidays may sell out
weeksùsometimes monthsùahead of time. Don't
buy a standby fare or an open return ticket if you
need to fly during a high-demand period, especially
the end of August. You could be stranded for a week
or more before a seat becomes available.


Ask the reservations agent for your flight's on-time
performance code.

Ask the reservations agent to give you the on-time
performance code for any flights that you are
considering. This is a one-digit code in the
reservations computer that shows how often that
flight arrived on time (within 15 minutes) during the
most recent reported month. For example, an ô8ö
means that flight arrived within 15 minutes of the
scheduled arrival time between 80% and 89.9% of
the time. If you are deciding between two flights
with similar schedules and fares, you may want to
choose the one with the better on-time record. (Only
the largest U.S. airlines are required to maintain
these codes.)

When you make a reservation, be sure the agent
records the information accurately. Before you hang
up or leave the ticket office, review all of the
essential information with the agentùthe spelling of
your name, the flight numbers and travel dates, and
the cities you are traveling between. If there is more
than one airport at either city, be sure you check
which one you'll be using. It's also important to
give the airline your home and work telephone
numbers so they can let you know if there is any
change in their schedule.


Your ticket will show the flight number, departure
time, date, and status of your reservation for each
flight of your itinerary. The ôstatusö box is
important. ôOKö means you're confirmed. Anything
else means that the reservation is not yet certain
(e.g., waitlisted).


A direct (or through) flight can have one or
more stops. Sometimes flights with only one flight
number can even involve a change of planes. Ask
about your exact routing.

If you are flying to a small city and your flight
number has four digits, you may be booked on a
commuter airline that has an agreement with the
major carrier in whose name the flight is held out. If
you are unsure, ask the reservations agent about the
airline and the aircraft type; these flights are
identified in the computer.

When a reservations agent asks you to buy your
tickets by a specific time or date, this is a deadline.
And if you don't make the deadline, the airline may
cancel your reservations without telling you.

Try to have your tickets in hand before you go to the
airport. This speeds your check-in and helps you
avoid some of the tension you might otherwise feel
if you had to wait in a slow-moving ticketing line
and worry about missing your flight.

If your reservations are booked far enough ahead of
time, the airline may offer to mail your tickets to
you. However, if you don't receive the tickets and
the airline's records show that they mailed them,
you may have to go through cumbersome lost-ticket
procedures (see the end of this chapter). It is safer to
check the telephone directory for a conveniently
located travel agency or airline ticket office and buy
your tickets there.

As soon as you receive your ticket check to make
sure all the information on it is correct, especially
the airports (if any of the cities have more than one)
and the flight dates. Have any necessary corrections
made immediately.

Bring a photo I.D. when you fly, and have your
airline ticket issued using your name as it appears on
that I.D. Many airlines are requesting such
identification at check-in in order to reduce the re-
selling of discount tickets. (Airlines don't permit
tickets to be sold or given to other persons.) On
international flights, make sure your name is the
same on your ticket and your passport. If your name
has recently changed and the name on your ticket
and your I.D. are different, bring documentation of
the change (e.g., a marriage certificate or court
order).


It's a good idea to reconfirm your reservations
before you start your trip; flight schedules
sometimes change. On international trips, most
airlines require that you reconfirm your onward or
return reservations at least 72 hours before each
flight. If you don't, your reservations may be
canceled.

Check your ticket as you board each flight to ensure
that only the correct coupon has been removed by
the airline agent.

Paying for and refunding airline
tickets


If you plan to pay in person and with your own bank
check, take at least two forms of identification with
you like a driver's license, major credit card, or
employee I.D. card. Particularly when you purchase
tickets far from your home town, airlines, travel
agencies and other ticket outlets will want to
confirm your identity.


Count your ticket coupons after checking in for each
flight.

If you paid for your ticket with cash and you have a
refundable fare, you can often get an immediate
refund from the issuing airline or travel agency. If
you paid by personal check, the refund will gen-
erally have to be mailed to you. NOTE: In some
cases tickets purchased overseas in foreign currency
can only be refunded in that same currency and
country, due to foreign government monetary
restrictions. Keep this in mind if you are considering
buying a ticket in a foreign country.


When you pay by credit card, your charge account is
billed whether you use your tickets or not. You
won't receive credit unless the original unused
tickets are returned to the airline. You usually can't
get a cash refund for a credit card purchase.


If you buy your tickets with a credit card and then
change your flights, the ticket agent may want to
credit the amount of the old tickets and issue another
set with a second charge to your account. You may
want to insist that the value of your old tickets be
applied to the new ones, with the difference in price
charged or credited to your account. While this
creates a little extra work for the airlines, it prevents
double-billing to your charge account.


Airline tickets should be treated like cash; lost tickets
are not easy to refund.

Payment by credit card provides certain protections
under federal credit laws. When a refund is due, the
airline must forward a credit to your card company
within seven business days after receiving a
complete refund application. If you paid by credit
card for a refundable fare and you have trouble
getting a refund that you are due, report this in
writing to your credit card company. If you write to
them within 60 days from the time that they mailed
your first monthly statement showing the charge for
the airline ticket, the card company should credit
your account even if the airline doesn't. This
procedure is particularly useful if your airline ceases
operations before your flight.

Lost tickets

Airline tickets are similar to negotiable documents.
Because of this, refunds can be difficult to obtain if
tickets are lost or stolen. Many passengers believe
that air tickets can be replaced as easily as travelers
checks just because the reservation is in the
computer, but that is not the case.
Your ticket number may be shown on your
credit card receipt or travel agency itinerary. If it is
not, jot down the number on a sheet of paper and
carry it separately from your ticket. Bring it with
you on your trip. If the ticket does go astray, the
airline can process your refund application more
quickly, and perhaps issue an on-the-spot
replacement ticket, if you can give them this
number.
You should report a lost ticket immediately
to the airline that is shown as the issuing carrier at
the top of the ticket. You may be required to
repurchase a ticket in order to continue your trip. If
you no longer meet all of the restrictions on your
discount fare (e.g., seven-day advance purchase) the
new ticket may cost more than the old one did. In
that event, however, it is generally the higher fare
that is eventually refunded, as long as you don't
change any of the cities, flights or dates on your trip.
Once the airline establishes that you
actually bought the ticket, they will begin processing
your refund application. There is often a waiting
period of two to six months. If anyone uses or
cashes in your ticket while the refund is pending, the
airline may refuse to give you your money back.
Finally, there is a handling charge that the airline
may deduct from the refund.
All in all, getting a refund or replacement
for a lost ticket is a lot of trouble, and there's no
guarantee you'll receive either one. So the best
advice is don't lose the ticket in the first place.


Airlines don't guarantee their schedules, and you
should realize this when planning your trip. There
are many things that canùand often doùmake it
impossible for flights to arrive on time. Some of
these problems, like bad weather, air traffic delays,
and mechanical repairs, are hard to predict and
beyond the airlines control.
If your flight is delayed, try to find out how
late it will be. But keep in mind that it is sometimes
difficult for airlines to estimate the total duration of
a delay during its early stages. In so-called ôcreeping
delays, developments occur which were not
anticipated when the carrier made its initial estimate
of the length of the delay. Weather that had been
forecast to improve can instead deteriorate, or a
mechanical problem can turn out to be more
complex than initially determined.
If the problem is with local weather or air
traffic control, all flights will probably be late and
there's not much you or the airline can do to speed
up your departure. If there's a mechanical problem
with the plane for your particular flight or if the
crew is delayed on an incoming flight, you might be
better off trying to arrange another flight, as long as
you don't have to pay a cancellation penalty or
higher fare for changing your reservations. (It is
sometimes easier to make such arrangements from a
pay phone than at a ticket counter.) If you find a
flight on another airline, ask the first airline to
endorse your ticket to the new carrier; this could
save you a fare increase. Remember, however, that
there is no rule requiring them to do this.
If your flight is canceled, most airlines will
rebook you on the first flight of theirs to your
destination on which space is available, at no
additional charge. If this involves a significant delay
find out if another carrier has space, and ask the first
airline to endorse your ticket. Finding extra seats
may be difficult, however, especially over holidays
and other peak travel times.

A departure early in the day is less likely to be delayed
than a later flight.

Each airline has its own policies about what
it will do for delayed passengers waiting at the
airport; there are no federal requirements. If you are
delayed, ask the airline staff if they will pay for
meals or a phone call. Some airlines, often those
charging very low fares, do not provide any
amenities to stranded passengers. Others may not
offer amenities if the delay is caused by bad weather
or something else beyond the airline's control.
Contrary to popular belief, airlines are not
required to compensate passengers whose flights are
delayed or canceled. As discussed in the chapter on
overbooking, compensation is required by law only
when you are ôbumpedö from a flight that is
oversold. Airlines almost always refuse to pay
passengers for financial losses resulting from a
delayed flight. If the purpose of your trip is to close
a potentially lucrative business deal, to give a speech
or lecture, to attend a family function, or to be
present at any time-sensitive event, you might want
to allow a little extra leeway and take an earlier
flight. In other words, airline delays and
cancellations aren't unusual, and defensive counter-
planning is a good idea when time is your most
important consideration.
When booking your flight remember that a
departure early in the day is less likely to be delayed
than a later flight, due to cripple effects throughout
the day. Also, if an early flight does get delayed or
canceled, you have more rerouting options. If you
book the last flight of the day and it is canceled, you
could get stuck overnight.
You may select a connection (change of
planes) over a nonstop or direct flight because of the
convenient departure time or lower fare. However, a
change of planes always involves the possibility of a
misconnection.

If you have a choice of connections and the fares
and service are equivalent, choose the one with the least-congested
connecting airport, so it will be easier to get to your
second flight. You may wish to take into
consideration the potential for adverse weather if
you have a choice of connecting cities. When
making your reservation for a connection, always
check the amount of time between flights. Ask
yourself what will happen if the first flight is
delayed; if you don't like the answer, pick another
flight or ask the agent to construct a connection
that allows more time.

Overbooking is not illegal, and most airlines overbook
their scheduled flights to a certain extent in order to
compensate for ôno-shows.ö Passengers are
sometimes left behind or ôbumpedö as a result.
When an oversale occurs, the Department of
Transportation (DOT) requires airlines to ask
people who aren't in a hurry to give up their seats
voluntarily, in exchange for compensation. Those
passengers bumped against their will are, with a few
exceptions, entitled to compensation.

Voluntary bumping

Almost any group of airline passengers includes
some people with urgent travel needs and others
who may be more concerned about the cost of their
tickets than about getting to their destination on
time. Our rules require airlines to seek out people
who are willing to give up their seats for some
compensation before bumping anyone involuntarily.
Here's how this works.
At the check-in or boarding area, airline
employees will look for volunteers when it appears
that the flight has been oversold. If you're not in a
rush to arrive at your next destination, you can give
your reservation back to the airline in exchange for
compensation and a later flight.
But before you do this, you may want to
get answers to these important questions:

When is the next flight on which the airline can
confirm your seat? The alternate flight may be just
as acceptable to you. On the other hand, if they offer
to put you on standby on another flight that's full,
you could be stranded.

Will the airline provide other amenities such as free
meals, a hotel room, phone calls, or ground
transportation? If not, you might have to spend the
money they offer you on food or lodging while you
wait for the next flight.

DOT has not said how much the airline has
to give volunteers. This means carriers may
negotiate with their passengers for a mutually
acceptable amount of moneyùor maybe a free trip
or other benefits. Airlines give employees guidelines
for bargaining with passengers, and they may select
those volunteers willing to sell back their
reservations for the lowest price.
If the airline offers you a free ticket, ask
about restrictions. How long is the ticket good for?
Is it ôblacked outö during holiday periods when you
might want to use it? Can it be used for international
flights? Most importantly, can you make a
reservation, and if so, how far before departure are
you permitted to make it?

Involuntary bumping

DOT requires each airline to give all passengers
who are bumped involuntarily a written statement
describing their rights and explaining how the
carrier decides who gets on an oversold flight and
who doesn't. Those travelers who don't get to fly
are frequently entitled to an on-the-spot payment of
denied boarding compensation. The amount depends
on the price of their ticket and the length of the
delay:


If you are bumped involuntarily and the airline
arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled
to get you to your final destination (including later
connections) within one hour of your original
scheduled arrival time, there is no compensation.


If the airline offers you a free ticket, ask about
restrictions

If the airline arranges substitute transportation that is
scheduled to arrive at your destination between one
and two hours after your original arrival time
(between one and four hours on international
flights), the airline must pay you an amount equal to
your one-way fare to your final destination, with a
$200 maximum.

If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get
you to your destination more than two hours later
(four hours internationally), or if the airline does not
make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the
compensation doubles (200% of your fare, $400
maximum).

You always get to keep your original ticket and use
it on another flight. If you choose to make your own
arrangements, you can request an ôinvoluntary
refundö for the ticket for the flight you were bumped
from. The denied boarding compensation is
essentially a payment for your inconvenience.

Like all rules, however, there are a few
conditions and exceptions:

To be eligible for compensation, you must have a
confirmed reservation. An ôOKö in the Status box of
your ticket qualifies you in this regard even if the
airline can't find your reservation in the computer,
as long as you didn't cancel your reservation or miss
a reconfirmation deadline.

You must meet the airlines deadline for buying
your ticket. Discount tickets must usually be
purchased within a certain number of days after the
reservation was made. Other tickets normally have
to be picked up no later than 30 minutes before the
flight.

You must appear at the gate at least 10 minutes before
departure, even if you already have a boarding pass and
seat assignment.

In addition to the ticketing deadline, each airline has
a check-in deadline, which is the amount of time
before scheduled departure that you must present
yourself to the airline at the airport. For domestic
flights most carriers have a deadline of 10 minutes
before scheduled departure, but some can be an hour
or longer. (Many airlines require passengers with
advance seat assignments to check in 30 minutes
before scheduled departure, even if they already
have advance boarding passes. If you miss this
deadline you may lose the specific seats you were
promised, although not the reservation itself.)
Check-in deadlines on international flights can be as
much as three hours before scheduled departure
time, due partially to security procedures. Some
airlines may simply require you to be at the
ticket/baggage counter by this time; most, however,
require that you get all the way to the boarding area.
If you miss the ticketing or check-in deadline, you
may have lost your reservation and your right to
compensation if the flight is oversold.

As noted above, no compensation is due if the
airline arranges substitute transportation which is
scheduled to arrive at your destination within one
hour of your originally scheduled arrival time.

If the airline must substitute a smaller plane for the
one it originally planned to use, the carrier isn't
required to pay people who are bumped as a result.

The rules do not apply to charter flights, or to
scheduled flights operated with planes that hold 60
or fewer passengers. They don't apply to
international flights inbound to the United States,
although some airlines on these routes may follow
them voluntarily. Also, if you are flying between
two foreign cities from Paris to Rome, for
exampleùthese rules will not apply. The European
Community has a rule on bumpings that occur in an
EC country; ask the airline for details, or contact
DOT.

The best way to avoid getting 'bumped' is to check in
early.

The most effective way to reduce the risk
of being bumped is to get to the airport early. On
oversold flights the last passengers to check in are
usually the first to be bumped, even if they have met
the check-in deadline. Allow extra time; assume that
the airport access road is backed up, the parking lot
is full, and there is a long line at the check-in
counter. However, if you arrive so early that your
airline has another flight to your destination leaving
before the one that you are booked on, either switch
to the earlier flight or don't check your bag until
after the first flight leaves. If you check your bag
right away, it might get put on the earlier flight and
remain unattended at your destination airport for
hours.
Airlines may offer free transportation on
future flights in place of a check for denied boarding
compensation. However, if you are bumped
involuntarily you have the right to insist on a check
if that is your preference. Once you cash the check
(or accept the free flight), you will probably lose the
right to demand more money from the airline later
on. However, if being bumped costs you more
money than the airline will pay you at the airport,
you can try to negotiate a higher settlement with
their complaint department. If this doesn't work,
you usually have 30 days from the date on the check
to decide if you want to accept the amount of the
check. You are always free to decline the check and
take the airline to court to try to obtain more
compensation. The government's denied boarding
regulation spells out the airlines' minimum
obligation to people they bump involuntarily.
Finally, don't be a ôno-show.ö If you are
holding confirmed reservations you don't plan to
use, notify the airline. If you don't, they will cancel
all onward or return reservations on your trip.

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 are damaged or lost. With some
common-sense packing and other precautions, your
bags will probably be among the ones that arrive
safely.

Packing

You can pack to avoid problems. Some items should
never be put into a bag you plan to check into the
cargo compartment:

Small valuables: cash, credit cards, jewelry,
cameras.