Beware of Terminology Used By Travel Industry

[bealine]

Several customers have recently fallen foul of an increasing trend by the Travel Industry to mislead them by using Travel Industry Terminology. By the time you realise your error, you will probably have a completely non-refundable, non-changeable ticket so BEWARE please!!!


Often referred to as a DIRECT FLIGHT (May also be Direct Route, Direct Service etc)

A particular favourite of US Carriers, a Direct Service is one where an aircraft may stop en-route. Indeed, you will probably have to change aircraft as well!

Continental Offer a Direct Service LGW to ATL but you will have to de-plane in EWR. They even have the audacity to use the same flight number so you're only issued with one ticket! BA offers a Direct Service LHR-IAH but the aircraft stops in IAD along the way.

What you're looking for, if you want to go from A to B in the shortest possible time is a NON-STOP flight so please, please, please clarify this with the Travel Agent or Reservations clerk before committing your hard-earned pieces of eight! So called "Direct Flights" are only worth it if you're going to save loads of silver doubloons!

Similarly, if booking on-line, please ensure your knowledge of Geography is up to the mark. It was embarrassing to ask for a Visa at Check-In to the couple going to St Petersburg. They were adamant they didn't need one....... "Ain't you 'eard of the Visa Waiver programme them Yanks 'ave, mate?" said the male member of the passenger team. "Yes," I replied, "Only you're not going to St Petersburg, Florida. These tickets are for St Petersburg, RUSSIA!!!"



If anyone has come across other terminology or Travel Industry pitfalls, please add them to this thread so we can steer clear of traps.



:eek:

[TightSlot]

Too Loud for Me ! :eek:

[rsoman]

Better take a close look at WHERE these direct flights stop.
Air India has a gem, AI 432 from Kochi (India) to Singapore with 2 stops. Unless you want to do a sight seeing flight of Indian Airports better avoid the same as you will end up first flying north
2 hours to Bombay, then south east two hours to Madras and then another 4 hours soouth east again to Singapore while a NON STOP flight on Silk Air takes you to Singapore in 4 hours.

Incidentally the other thing to look out for is that many of the flights are codeshares, but you may have some pleasant surprises also (instead of the otherway round) as booking Air India 6467 will actually result in boarding the Silk Air flight to Singapore from Kochi.

Cheers
RSO

[DistantRumble]

Let's not also forget

Airline 'Marketing Speak'


Comfortable,Roomy Economy seat still makes me laugh out loud.


I remember, though the same thing Bealine is talking about - I had to go LHR-DEN once with United.

This stopped in EWR too (!) then we all had to get off, wait 3 hours(in the concourse - no lounge ) , get back on the same 777 - and then pay dollars for headsets on the Newark-Denver segment. This, too was marketed under the same flight number.

[Boss Raptor]

The US Airways thru' service Washington National - Pittsburgh - LAX...if I remember rightly their flight 002 all the way...however at Pittsburgh you have to get off one 757 march around the gates and get on another one also the 002...

Got me thinking that one!

PS. Bealine - must remember that St. Petersburg line for an after dinner speach to the 'comrades' they'll luv it :D

[t3953]

Heres another few for those of you who transit through DUB or SNN at any time.

As an IRISH GOVERNMENT RESTRICTION all transatlantic flights out of the republic must make a stop in SNN "or" for everyflight out of on IRish airport there must also be a flight out of SNN to the US!!! yes I know this sounds like a law from the 1940's and your right it is stupid but thats how it is. However, its up to the airline which is first, SNN or DUB! Aer Lingus have lost millions through the years because of this silly little law but are also doing their best to releive the inconvenience to the passengers who mainly want to go to DUB either to transit or end their journey. A number of their transatlantic departures start in SNN and then go non-stop from DUB to their destination, these include the ORD and LAX routes. The JFK is twice daily, one non-stop from DUB and the other which is the back up goes from SNN although recently has been rescheduled to also operate from DUB-SNN-JFK! BWI & BOS all both operate DUB-SNN-BOS/BWI. A number of pax do not seem to realise this and BLAME the airline for this inconvenience. It really used to **** me off when I got this hassle at the desk and when I try to explain they just moan and say that DL or CO fly direct...in fact the dont, the inbound in the morning stops at snn!!! And also when pax have to disembark at the transit stop for pre-clearance of US immigration in Ireland, they seem to forget the favour the irish are doing them for not making them line up when they arrive in the states!!!

Anyway, hope this makes sense to ye lot and happy flying!!!!

[PAXboy]

Yep, fell into this trap in 1988 going to Montego Bay with BA from LGW. Bounced in the Bahamas.

BUT, on departure from Mo Bay, we had to hop to Kingston which was where the flight REALLY ended. So the return was a double bounce. Probably still is.

[Slasher]

Yep NON-STOP is the key word your looking for. The best idea to clear up any 'direct-flight' doubts is to consult the suggested airlines timetable either on-line or in booklet form. Most reputable airlines will either specify non-stop or how many stops along the way.

And yeh there is NO SUCH THING as comfortable economy class seats. It isnt nicknamed 'cattle class' for nothing! :p