Please read the information displayed on the screen during every stage of the booking process to be aware on the terms and conditions of your air carrier including additional fees you agree on.
The Civil Aviation Authority presents a guide of key issues related to air travel. Full understanding of these rules is crucial for passengers to make sensible choices while making a booking.
General Conditions
General Conditions also referred to as the Condition of Air Carriage, Travel Terms and Conditions) should be carefully read. These are required by law to be presented to the passenger to read and the passenger must accept (usually by checking in an appropriate, designated area) to complete the booking process. General Conditions are an integral part of an air transport contract and consist the detailed rules of the transport. General and conditions are available both during the booking process as well as directly on the website of the air carrier.
Additional Charges
We recommend to read the table of additional fees. These charges are related to services that from the passenger’s view are necessary. CAA’s observation indicates that additional fees (which are not included in the total price displayed at the beginning of the booking process) are for services which are considered by passenger to be already included in the cost of air travel.
Airlines often charge for:
- Check-in at the airport
- Web Check-in
- Luggage check-in
- Oversized, custom luggage and sport equipment
- Administrative fees according to which card or bank transfer is used to make a payment
- Change of personal data
- Change of route
- Change of date and hour o flight
The final price of booking
Final price of your booking may be affected by many factors such as:
- Time of booking In general – if you book in advance the ticket would be cheaper.
- Departure date – during peak season, such as vacation, holidays, winter holidays – ticket prices are higher
- Period of stay. If you travel from Friday to Sunday, the “Sunday rule” often applies. It is commonly used by regular airlines and according to this rule ticket is cheaper when your stay includes at least one Sunday.
Some of the air carriers specialize in operating on selected routes – they consider them as priority routes and often they are well promoted and cheaper. It applies also to the new routes.
Comparing airfares of regular and low cost airlines it may be concluded that low cost airline’s tickets are less expensive on two conditions:
The passenger buys only flight service without any additional services
The passenger makes a booking in advance at least few weeks prior departure, because ticket prices increase which is particularly noticeable for about 2 weeks before planned trip.
Methods of payment for air travel
There are usually few payment methods which are accepted by the airline / travel agent. It should be noted that different methods of payments are associated with a different transaction fee, which in the case of certain types of payments can be a significant component of the total price of the trip.Typically, types of payment accepted are:
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credit card (specific type or company of the card may be preferred which often means cheaper or no booing fees);
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bank transfer,
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cash
This information especially applies to the pricing policy of low-cost carriers.
Online check-in and check-in at the airport
More and more airlines offers you the chance to check on-line through its website from any computer connected to the Internet not only at the airport (some carriers, especially low-cost, resigns from check-in at the airport, or charge a fee for it). If you make an online check-in remember to separate printed boarding pass otherwise it may be necessary to pay for its re-issue at the airport.
Checked and hand luggage
Checked luggage which can be brought on board of the aircraft should meet weight allowance and the quantity which depends on the booking class - usually it is 20 kg in economy class and 30 kg in first and business class - although it is recommended to check the conditions in order to significant differences in the limits used by each carrier.
Regardless of checked luggage limit, the passenger is entitled to carry hand luggage (usually free of charge, although there are exceptions). Its dimensions should not normally exceed 55 x 40 x 20 cm, and the weight should not be greater than 5 - 10 kg. We advise you to check each time the general conditions of carriage of the carrier. Hand luggage which excess weight / dimension limit will be put in the hold, as an checked luggage - usually for an additional fee.It is important to respect individual baggage weight limits specified in the General Conditions of Carriage. Air carriers charge extra for exceeding the legal limit, usually plus, a certain amount for every kilogram of baggage.For an extra fee you can also transport animals, sports equipment, strollers / baby seats and other custom luggage.
Changes in the flight reservation
The possibility of making changes to your reservation depends on the conditions of the air fare. Typically, the lower the price of an air travel, lower air fare, the more strict the conditions which allows changes to your reservation. Low-cost carriers fares generally are not authorized to make any changes. If it is possible the additional fees for any changes are high. Some carriers offer in the form of an additional paid service possible unlimited changes to your reservation. Usually business class or first class tickets entitles to make changes without restrictions and additional charges.The Civil Aviation Authority reminds that, in accordance with regulations, air carriers are required to present at all stages of the booking process, the final price of the ticket, the passenger is obliged to pay. The price does not include additional services which are not necessary to make a flight. Check in luggage, credit card payment or check-in at the airport are considered by airlines as such additional services. If the air carrier charges such additional fees, the information about them should be clear, transparent and indicated at the beginning of the booking process and acceptance by the customer for the purchase of such services cannot be presumed, but must be expressed by the customer.