Unless you travel a lot for business or take vacations on a regular basis, the world of flight is probably a little intimidating – especially if you don’t know your rights as a flyer. Here, our EWR Airport parking company shares six things you may not know about the industry:
You can get cash instead of vouchers
If you’re bumped from a flight because of overbooking, airlines will usually offer you a voucher for a certain dollar amount that you can use to purchase a flight in the future. However, these vouchers tend to have an expiration date (usually 12 months), which means you’ll have to remember to use them and you’ll only be able to use them through that airline. Instead, you have the right to ask for a compensation check. And if your check doesn’t cover the cost of your troubles, you can always opt to not cash it and take the airline to court for more money.
Airlines will pay if your itinerary changes
If your flight is severely delayed, your airline should make other flight arrangements for you through another airline. This means there will be charges (either from the original airline, new airline, or both) and your original airline should pay them. Whether it’s a first-class seat, a last-minute booking fee, or another charge, you shouldn’t be responsible for them. And that original flight ticket? You can use it as a voucher for another flight in the future.
You can cancel your flight within 24 hours
Many people believe that once they book their flight, they’re locked into the price and if they want to cancel it, they’ll have to pay up to $200 to do so. The truth is, almost all airlines let you cancel your flight booking within 24 hours for free. This means you have a little time to think about your plans before you’re charged to change or cancel it. Just make sure you book your ticket through the airline’s website and not a third-party seller.
Tickets booked together are higher in price
If you’re looking to book a group of airline tickets together, don’t search for them in a group. If you search for four tickets and there are only three tickets at the lowest price, all four of the tickets will be bumped to the higher price bracket. Instead, search for them in pairs or individually to make sure you’re getting the lowest price.
You can be paid more for delayed luggage
If your bags are lost or delayed, airlines will offer you $25 or $50 as compensation, but if your delayed bags are part of a time-sensitive situation, you’re entitled to more. For example, if you’re part of a wedding or going on an important business trip and there were valuable things in your luggage that you needed soon after you landed, you may be entitled to up to $3,500. You’ll have to prove how much your belongings were worth and that you needed them for your event, but with the right actions, you can get more compensation.
There are germs everywhere
They say the air that circulates through an airplane is purified and while that may be true, it’s still easy to pick up germs when you fly. Airplanes should be “cleaned” after every flight, but this cleaning usually consists of picking up any extra trash and restocking the bathroom. Unfortunately, there are still millions of germs all over surfaces like seat belts, tray tables, arm rests, door handles, and more, making it easy for you to pick up a virus or an illness.
