1. Consider ‘hidden city’ ticketing for serious savings
This is the idea of buying a cheaper airline ticket for a flight to anywhere that has a layover at your actual destination.
It’s clearly a controversial travel trick, however. When a New York City man developed a website, Skiplagged.com, last year, which helped travellers find cheaper flights through this style of ticketing, both United Airlines and Orbitz filed a civil lawsuit.
It’s also important to note that this strategy only works if you book a one-way flight, have no checked
bags, and happen to be heading to a destination that is not a regional airline hub.
2. Full refunds on flights are possible to redeem
Have you ever booked a flight months in advance, only to have your flight schedule changed just weeks
ahead of your trip?
As it turns out, when an airline does that, most are obligated to re-book customers on new flights without any additional fees – and if they newly proposed travel times aren’t acceptable, travellers just may be eligible for a full refund.
3. Compensation owed on delayed bags may be greater than you think
In the United States, the Department of Transportation issued a directive to all airlines stating that in the event of lost checked bags – and also delayed bags – that there cannot be ‘arbitrary limits’ placed on monetary compensation.
Essentially, this means that while often airlines offer very little in compensation (if any) for delayed bags, or simply hand out a future travel voucher or frequent flyer miles, the maximum liability that you can claimed may actually be as high as $3,300.
However, this particular number does only apply for domestic US travel and the limits on international travel are often less.
4. Flight delays could offer a major payout
It’s not just American passengers who benefit from compensation. In the EU, you are entitled to a pay-out if your flight is delayed by more than three hours on arrival – if it was the airline’s fault.
On a short flight, the amount payable is €250 (about £200) per person; on a mid-length flight, it’s
€400pp (around £320); and on a long-haul flight, it’s between €300 and €600pp (about £240 to £480), depending on the length of the delay.
And don’t feel obligated to accept vouchers, you’re entitled to the cash, according to EC Regulation 261/2004.
5. Fly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays
Recent research from Expedia and the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) has found that it’s best to buy tickets on a Tuesday – and ideally, more than 21 days in advance – to take advantage of the best possible rates.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays tend to be the days when airlines have a greater surplus of seats
available – likely because they are the least convenient days when it comes to accommodating work schedules and weekend getaways – and so, offer the cheapest fares.
6. After three hours of Tarmac delays, you can get off the plane
At least in the United States! The Department of Transport mandates that during a lengthy Tarmac delay
in the U.S. (arrival or departure), an airline cannot keep passengers on a plane for more than three hours on a domestic flight or four hours on an international flight without allowing you to disembark.
After two-hour delays, airlines also must provide you with food and water, provide regular 30-minute
updates. So even if you are just connecting through the US, this applies to you.
In the UK or the EU, however, no equivalent rule exists. According to the Civil Aviation Authority,
while there is not a specific length of time that airlines can keep passengers on a parked aircraft during a delay, it is expected that ‘all operators abide by the regulations that are in place regarding delayed flights and ensure a
suitable level of welfare is maintained.
7. Save hundreds by ‘booking the wrong date’
EasyJet’s Flexifares let you switch the date of your flight by a few weeks, without paying more, Steve Nowottny, consumer and features editor at MoneySavingExpert explains.
This offers a sneaky way for you to bag peak-time flights for less.
For example, you can buy cheap flights during in-term time, then swap for your chosen school holiday date.
8. Code-share and always check for cheap seats
There are plenty of ways to ensure the cheapest possible fare on the flight of your dreams.
‘Sometimes, two or more airlines sell the same flights and booking via one partner is cheaper,’
Nowottny tells MailOnline Travel.
‘For example, a United flight from Birmingham to New York can be cheaper via Lufthansa. This can be a
good way of flying with well-known airlines for less.’
The MoneySavingExpert editor also recommends checking how many cheap seats are left on a flight if you’re thinking of booking, but not quite ready to commit just yet.
‘Many airlines let you book seats for up to about nine passengers, so pretend to make the booking for more seats than you need,’ he says.
9. Whenever possible, use a credit card for your booking
Although plenty of airlines offer incentive for completing a booking on your debit card, it may be
wise to pay via credit card instead. If that’s not possible, using a debit card is still preferable to paying with cash, cheque or bank transfer.
10. Keep all tickets, receipts and any other documentation
To make any sort of successful claim, you’ll need to have kept all travel receipts, tickets and any
other relevant documents.
This information was taken from www.dailymail.co.uk
Read more about it by clicking on their link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2945796/The-time-money-saving-tips-airlines-never-tell-you.html#ixzz3RQgYq4fM
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