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Airlines cancel flights after volcanic eruptions. An aviation expert explains why that’s a good thing

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/patrick-murray-2027113">Patrick Murray</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> At least three airlines <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-13/flights-to-and-from-bali-cancelled-due-to-volcanic-ash/104593698">cancelled flights between Australia and Bali</a> this week after a volcano eruption in eastern Indonesia spewed a vast plume of volcanic ash into the air. But while would-be holiday makers are naturally <a href="https://7news.com.au/sunrise/volcanic-eruption-in-indonesia-forces-airlines-to-cancel-flights-to-bali-stranding-frustrated-passengers-c-16732486">upset</a> at having their plans disrupted, it’s worth remembering it’s not safe to fly planes through volcanic ash. So, how do airlines decide it’s not safe to fly when a volcano erupts? And why is volcanic ash so dangerous for aircraft, anyway? <h2>What does volcanic ash do to a plane?</h2> Volcanic ash particles are very, very abrasive. They can cause permanent damage to windscreens in the aircraft and can even make windscreens look opaque – like someone has gone over them with sandpaper. Imagine getting spectacles and scraping them over and over with sandpaper – that’s what you’d see if you were sitting in the cockpit. Volcanic ash can also clog or damage external sensors, leading to erroneous readings, and can infiltrate an aircraft’s ventilation system. This can affect cabin air quality and lead to potential respiratory issues. But the main issue, in fact, is the impact volcanic ash has on engines. A jet engine works by drawing in air, compressing it, mixing it with fuel and igniting it. This creates high-pressure exhaust gases that are expelled backward, which pushes the engine (and the aircraft) forward. The correct balance of fuel and airflow is crucial. When you disrupt airflow, it can cause the engine to stall. Ash particles that get inside the engines will melt and build up, causing disruption of the airflow. This could cause the engine to “flame out” or stall. Volcanic ash has a lot of silica in it, so when it melts it turns into something similar to glass. It won’t melt unless exposed to very high temperatures – but inside a jet engine, you do get very high temperatures. There was a famous incident in 1982 where a <a href="https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-story-of-british-airways-flight-9-the-boeing-747-that-lost-all-four-engines-due-to-volcanic-ash-yet-it-landed-safely/">British Airways Boeing 747 plane</a> was flying in the vicinity of Indonesia and lost all four engines after it encountered volcanic ash spewing from Java’s Mount Galunggung. Fortunately, the pilot was able to <a href="https://simpleflying.com/gallunggung-glider-the-story-of-british-airways-flight-9/">restart the engines and land safely</a>, although the pilots were unable to see through the front windscreens. <h2>How do airlines decide it’s not safe to fly when a volcano erupts?</h2> The decision is made by each airline’s operational staff. Each airline’s operational team would be looking at the situation in real time today and making the decision based on their risk assessment. Every airline has a process of risk management, which is required by Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Different airlines may tackle risk management in slightly different ways; you might have some cancelling flights earlier than others. But, in broad terms, the more sophisticated airlines would come to similar conclusions and they are likely all communicating with each other. Mostly, they make the call based on the extent of the plume – how big the cloud of ash is and where it’s going, bearing in mind that winds vary with altitude. As you get stronger winds with altitude, the ash can drift quite far from the source. There is also a United Nations agency called the <a href="https://www.icao.int/Pages/default.aspx">International Civil Aviation Organization</a>, which issues guidance on volcanic ash hazards. Various meteorological agencies around the world work together and liaise with aviation authorities to spread the word quickly if there is an eruption. For airlines to resume flights, the ash needs to clear and there needs to be a low probability of further eruptions. <h2>Passenger safety is the priority</h2> The underpinning reason behind these flight cancellations is safety. If you lose engines and you can’t see out the window, the risk to passenger safety is obvious. Naturally, people are upset about their holiday plans being held up. But it’s actually in passengers’ best interests to not fly through volcanic ash.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/243576/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/patrick-murray-2027113">Patrick Murray</a>, Emeritus Professor of Aviation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/airlines-cancel-flights-after-volcanic-eruptions-an-aviation-expert-explains-why-thats-a-good-thing-243576">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

Passenger arrested for assaulting flight crew member

A man has been arrested after being removed from an international flight for allegedly assaulting a member of the cabin crew. Onboard a flight from Perth to Auckland on early Wednesday morning, the Australian Federal Police were alerted to a passenger who was allegedly intoxicated and disruptive. The 23-year-old man from New Zealand allegedly assaulted a crew member, after staff alleged the man refused to comply with crew member requests during the flight. The flight was diverted to Melbourne Airport, with AFP officers boarding the plane to remove the man, who injured the cabin crew member during the assault. He was restrained at the back of the plane, with AFP Superintendent Stephen Cook confirming the flight was delayed as a result of the incident. “Any violence or anti-social behaviour in a confined space in the air would be distressing for other passengers and crew,” Superintendent Cook said. “At the very least, in this alleged incident it disrupted everyone’s travel plans." “Anti-social behaviour during a flight can pose a direct threat to the safety of the aircraft that is taken seriously by airlines and the AFP.” The 23-year-old man has been charged with one count of assaulting crew affecting the performance of their duty. Image credits: Australian Federal Police

Travel Trouble

What to claim for lost, delayed or damaged bags on overseas flights

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-johnston-123333">Rebecca Johnston</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-australia-852">University of Notre Dame Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-hodgkinson-6574">David Hodgkinson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> If you get on a plane and your baggage ends up being delayed, damaged or lost, who’s responsible: you or the airline? And what rules apply when you’re flying between different countries – even if you don’t have travel insurance? Airlines (otherwise known as carriers) generally include baggage requirements in their terms and conditions of carriage, which are set out or referred to on your ticket. These are the rules that apply to the journey that you have booked. But for international flights, a carrier’s liability for damage, loss or delay of baggage is governed by a number of overarching international treaties, which many passengers aren’t aware of. <h2>International agreements</h2> The <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.1929/doc.html">Warsaw Convention</a> of 1929 was the first of these treaties, and the latest is the passenger-friendly 1999 <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.unification.convention.montreal.1999/">Montreal Convention</a>. In order for one of these treaties to apply to a particular journey, the same treaty must be in place at the point of departure and the passenger’s final destination. For many trips, the agreement that will apply will be the Montreal Convention, which has to date <a href="http://www.icao.int/secretariat/legal/List%20of%20Parties/Mtl99_EN.pdf">108 state parties</a>, covering everywhere from Albania and Australia to Zambia. In time, the Montreal Convention is expected to apply to almost all air travel. The Warsaw Convention (as amended by the <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.hague.protocol.1955/doc.html">Hague Protocol</a> and <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.montreal.protocol.4.1975/doc.html">Montreal Protocol No. 4</a>) will generally apply where the Montreal Convention does not. It is less favourable to passengers. All these treaties have similar provisions to deal with baggage claims – but very different limits to what you might get if you need to make a claim. <h2>What the airline is responsible for</h2> A carrier is liable if your checked baggage is lost, delayed or damaged regardless of fault. This is so unless the damage resulted from the inherent defect or quality of the baggage or, in terms of delay, if it proves that it took all reasonable measures to avoid the damage occasioned by that delay. As for unchecked baggage (that is, carry-on baggage), the carrier is only liable if the damage is due to the fault of the carrier or its agents. Unless otherwise specified, reference to “baggage” includes both checked and unchecked baggage. <h2>Calculating baggage compensation</h2> Under the Warsaw Convention (as amended by the <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.hague.protocol.1955/doc.html">Hague Protocol</a> and <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.montreal.protocol.4.1975/doc.html">Montreal Protocol No. 4</a>) and the Montreal Convention, liability limits are expressed in <a href="http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/facts/sdr.HTM">special drawing rights</a> (SDRs). An SDR is a type of foreign exchange reserve asset created by the International Monetary Fund. Its value is based on an artificial basket of currencies consisting of the US dollar, the euro, the pound and the Japanese yen. The liability limits are reviewed every five years. As of October 16, 2014, the <a href="http://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/data/param_rms_mth.aspx">value of an SDR</a> is about US$1.49, £0.93 or A$1.70. Current SDR values for other currencies are also listed <a href="http://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/data/param_rms_mth.aspx">here</a>. <h2>So what is your baggage worth?</h2> In terms of baggage liability limits, the Warsaw Convention is of relatively little assistance to passengers. If your international travel is subject to Warsaw (for example, if you flew out of the United States on a one way ticket to Guatemala), liability for delayed, damaged or lost baggage is limited to 17 SDRs (about US$25.33, £15.81 or A$28.90) per kilogram per passenger for checked baggage and 332 SDRs (about US$494.68, £308.76 or A$564.40) per passenger for unchecked baggage. In contrast, a carrier is liable to pay far greater damages if the Montreal Convention applies. For any travel covered by Montreal, the carrier’s liability for baggage is limited to 1131 SDRs per passenger (US$1685.19, £1051.83 or A$1922.70), unless otherwise declared. The carrier is not liable for damages caused by delay if the carrier took all reasonable measures, or if it was impossible for it to take such measures. <h2>Time limits on baggage claims</h2> Time limits are imposed on making a claim for delayed, damaged or lost baggage. Any potential claims should be made to a carrier in writing within these specified limits. Article 26 of Warsaw provides that any complaint as to delay of baggage must be made at the latest within 21 days from the date the baggage was placed at the passenger’s disposal. <figure class="align-right zoomable"></figure> Similarly, under Article 31 of Montreal, a complaint must be made within 21 days of a passenger receiving their baggage. With respect to damaged baggage, under Warsaw, any claim must be made “forthwith” after the discovery of the damage and at most seven days from the date of receipt of the baggage. Montreal also gives passengers seven days from receipt of checked bags to report a damage claim. Neither convention imposes a time limit for reporting lost baggage claims. But it is advisable that you make your complaint as soon as possible. Warsaw does not state when baggage is considered “lost”, leaving it up to carriers to make that ruling. Under Montreal, baggage is only considered lost after 21 days or if the carrier admits that they have lost it. If a passenger fails to make a complaint within the specified times, the carrier will not be liable unless there has been fraud on the carrier’s part. <h2>Insurance alternatives</h2> If you are concerned that the contents of your baggage exceed the liability limits outlined above, you can make a special declaration of the value of your baggage prior to check-in and pay any additional fee (if required). In this case, the carrier will be liable to pay a higher amount, unless it is proved that the declared amount is greater than the actual value of your baggage. Alternatively, prior to travelling, check with your insurance company as to whether your travel insurance covers any excess from delayed, damaged or lost baggage. You might also want to <a href="http://www.icao.int/secretariat/legal/List%20of%20Parties/Mtl99_EN.pdf">check this list</a> to see whether the places you’re departing from and finally arriving at are parties to the Montreal Convention. If not, you might just find yourself out of pocket.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/32111/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-johnston-123333">Rebecca Johnston</a>, Adjunct Lecturer, Law School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-australia-852">University of Notre Dame Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-hodgkinson-6574">David Hodgkinson</a>, Associate Professor, Law School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-to-claim-for-lost-delayed-or-damaged-bags-on-overseas-flights-32111">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

Cruise director shares little known ship facts

A cruise director has revealed little known facts about cruise ships and their dedicated staff, while sharing tips for eager travellers. Luigi Incarnato, cruise director for MSC, is often seen hosting events, introducing acts and getting involved with passengers onboard his cruises. He shared his top tips for passengers with <a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/cruising/cruise-ship-worker-msc-world-europa/cab3f458-35e0-4989-aa3e-ce0cec1eee6b">9Travel</a>, while also revealing some industry secrets. When asked what people may not have considered about the crew and vessel of a cruise ship, Luigi shared that even more work goes into pulling off a trip than one might think. He said, “Our crew onboard comes from more than 60-70 countries of the world, spread on all continents, leading to an exceptionally culturally diverse team, which we are very proud of.” “Each one of our crew members is remarkably hard working and skilled in their trade. Our crew comes onboard for an average of six to seven months then goes home to rest for an average of two months and reembarks, possibly on a new ship.” “We also work on national holidays, on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve.” Luigi added that there is one thing many people may not think to bring onboard, that is of vital importance. When asked what essential to pack, he said, “Their complete health issues history and a medicine list with any prescriptions that may be needed during the cruise.” “A suitable wardrobe for the theme nights, especially for the elegant and white dress code evenings, and sunscreen.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Cruising

Pilot dies mid-flight prompting emergency landing

A Turkish Airlines pilot has tragically died in the middle of a flight from Seattle in the US to the Turkish city of Istanbul, prompting an emergency landing. Pilot İlçehin Pehlivan, 59, “lost consciousness” at some point after the flight took off, with the plane then landing in New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, almost five hours into the journey. The diversion came after initial medical intervention on board failed to revive the captain, with the second pilot and co-pilot making the landing in New York. Pehlivan was declared dead on arrival when the plane was met by authorities, and no cause of death has yet been released. Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Üstün said the pilot, who worked for the airline since 2007, underwent a routine health check in March and “no health problem was detected that would prevent him from working”. He recalled the moment onboard, saying, "After the first medical evaluation to our captain on board was inconclusive, the cockpit crew ... decided to make an emergency landing, but our captain died before landing." “As Turkish Airlines, we deeply feel the loss of our captain and extend our sincerest condolences to his bereaved family, colleagues, and all his loved ones,” he added. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Qantas faces the music for selling seats on cancelled flights

Qantas has been fined a whopping $120 million for purposefully misleading customers on flight bookings for several years. After being sued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over dishonest conduct relating to the sale of tickets on cancelled flights, the airline admitted they were deceiving travellers by continuing to sell tickets on flights that had already been cancelled. On Tuesday, Justice Helen Rofe formally ordered Qantas to pay a $100 million fine for their conduct, and another $20 million to travellers who were affected. Qantas agreed to pay $225 to affected customers on domestic flights and $450 on international flights. "This is a substantial penalty, which sets a strong signal to all businesses, big or small, that they will face serious consequences if they mislead their customers," ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said in a statement following the court orders. Earlier this year, Cass-Gottlieb described Qantas’ conduct as “egregious and unacceptable”, after data showed that between May 2021 and August 2023, the airline sold tickets on cancelled flights to more than 86,000 customers. In addition to cancelling the flights, the airline also failed to inform travellers that their flights were no longer going ahead as scheduled. ACCC barrister Christopher Caleo claimed that some senior airline managers knew about different aspects of the issue, including the fact that cancelled flights were not removed from booking pages or that customers could still book those flights, but no single manager was aware of the severity of the issue. "Qantas was aware of deficiencies in their systems," Caleo said. "Despite their awareness, it persisted over an extended period of time and affected a large number of consumers." Caleo added that the sizable fine presented to Qantas was required in order to deter them from any further devious conduct. "A penalty must send a signal to other companies in Australia, particularly to other large companies, that contraventions of Australian consumer law will not be tolerated," he said. "It must sting and must not be an acceptable cost for Qantas for failing to have systems in place." Qantas said it has made changes to its systems and agreed to notify customers of cancelled flights no longer than 48 hours from cancelling a flight and stop selling tickets for those journeys within 24 hours, with these changes also taking effect with subsidiary Jetstar. "The fact that Qantas made these changes makes it clear that Qantas wants to avoid the matter from occurring again," barrister Ruth Higgins said. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

"Super uncomfortable for everyone": Qantas plays R-rated movie for every passenger

Qantas has issued an apology after an R-rated movie was played for every passenger onboard a flight from Sydney to Tokyo. On Saturday, the flight was delayed by an hour due to problems with the in-flight entertainment system, which resulted in cabin crew only being able to play one film on everyone's individual screens. After requests were taken by passengers, the movie Daddio was chosen. The 2023 drama stars Sean Penn and Dakota Johnson as a taxi driver and his passenger as they discuss their relationships, including an affair Johnson’s character had with a married man. One passenger took to Reddit to share their experience of the flight, saying it was "extremely inappropriate", due to scenes of “graphic nudity and a lot of sexting”. “The kind where you could literally read the texts on screen without needing headphones,” the passenger wrote. “It was super uncomfortable for everyone, especially with families and kids on board.” Another passenger said the airline made the switch to Inside Out 2 followed by a New Zealand nature show after playing “40 minutes of penis and boobs”. “These poor kids and the parents because y’all should’ve heard the audible gasps across the plane,” the passenger said. Cabin crew members attempted to fix the screens of those who didn't want to watch the R-rated film, but when this didn't work, resorted to switching the movie entirely. “The movie was clearly not suitable to play for the whole flight and we sincerely apologise to customers for this experience,” a Qantas spokesperson stated. “All screens were changed to a family-friendly movie for the rest of the flight, which is our standard practice for the rare cases where individual movie selection isn’t possible." “We are reviewing how the movie was selected.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Flying to a footy final? Watch your wallet. Here’s why airfares soar

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-drury-1277871">Doug Drury</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Planning a flight to an AFL final is like trying to decide when and how to hop on an amusement park ride that hasn’t stopped. You don’t know where you need to be until the very last minute, and by then, it seems everyone else wants to be there too. This annual dilemma is now in sharp focus, with preliminary finals coming up this weekend. Sydney will face Port Adelaide at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday night, then Geelong will take on Brisbane in Melbourne on Saturday. Getting to these locations on the right dates can be no mean feat, and some fans have already been stung by surging prices. For those who tried to book over the weekend, prices to fly from Adelaide to Sydney in time for Friday’s game <a href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/port-adelaide-fans-will-have-to-pay-a-hefty-price-for-airfare-tickets-to-sydney-for-prelim-final-at-scg/news-story/e549e292c50eb9798f6735d2270aafc3">reportedly ranged</a> from $597 to an eye-watering $1,723. Australia’s airline duopoly is already under intense scrutiny. According to government <a href="https://australianaviation.com.au/2024/09/domestic-airfares-rise-after-rexs-demise/">data</a> released this week, domestic airfares have risen by more than 10% since Rex shut down its capital city services. So how exactly do airlines price their fares today, and then again once the teams are decided? Why are they allowed to charge so much? <h2>How are airfares priced?</h2> Airfares are set through a process called revenue management. Airlines use <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969699714000556">mathematical modelling</a> to help determine what we as consumers are willing to pay. Airlines plan out their entire year based on what services they predict will be needed at certain times – such as travel for school breaks, winter skiing, or summers in Hawaii. In economics, this is known as seasonal supply and demand. Airlines have the supply, planes, and we as consumers provide the demand. The cost of flights to cities hosting footy finals might seem outrageous. But these games are one-off events that happen at the same time each year. Using historical data, airlines have determined that enough people are willing to pay these fares to justify charging them. <h2>Two types of traveller</h2> Airlines base their <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksuci.2019.02.001">pricing strategies</a> on the assumption that we as travellers fall into two groups: elastic and inelastic. Here, elasticity simply describes how sensitive demand is to a change in price. Vacationers with a flexible calendar are an example of elastic travellers, who are able to change their flight dates to get the lowest airfare. Inelastic travellers, on the other hand, include business travellers who need to be somewhere specific on a particular date, and aren’t paying fares out of their own pocket. Airlines factor in both of these groups to determine <a href="https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/hms_fac_pubs/27">demand-based pricing</a>. Footy finals create huge amounts of inelastic demand, allowing airlines to push up their prices. <h2>Does the price actually reflect the value?</h2> <a href="https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/hms_fac_pubs/27">Transactional utility</a> is a theory based upon the assumption that the price we pay for a product or service should reflect the value we receive. In this case – how much fans are willing to pay to be there to watch the game live. But individually, this depends on who you barrack for, as well as whether you have the disposable income to pay a premium for the experience. Last year, some airfares to the grand final soared <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/travel-tsunami-2300-grand-final-flights-for-diehard-brisbane-footy-fans/news-story/270a34ad89d49cc68f1e7202b0d22e59">above the $2,000 mark</a>. So how are the airlines able to set these prices? Are they not regulated by the government? It all comes back to what we as consumers are collectively willing to pay for a diminished supply during high demand. The government does not regulate airfares on that level. Airlines will not want to sell discounted seats if they know enough of us are willing to pay. They might run more flights, but that doesn’t necessarily mean airfares will come down. Our decision to buy a seat is based on the perception of its fairness. Getting into the final is costly enough – does the price charged to fly there also <a href="https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/hms_fac_pubs/27">seem fair</a>? Airlines know the psychology of fairness is what will fill the seat. So they will continue to test our perception of fairness on last minute purchases. <h2>Less competition makes it worse</h2> These types of pricing strategies are not unique to Australia. Airlines all around the globe understand the passion associated with championship sporting events and position themselves to take advantage of such moments. But we also know that here, airlines are pricing what they can in part due to very low competition, only worsened by the recent demise of Bonza and Rex. We can <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/by-industry/travel-and-airports/domestic-airline-monitoring">voice our displeasure</a> about this situation with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, but in the short term, many of us simply continue to pay the airfares. This is because the other methods of travel either don’t exist, such as high speed rail, or aren’t reasonable, such as driving for multiple days. Remember, airlines see this as an opportunity to increase their bottom line as part of their revenue management system. So what should you do if your team makes the grand final? Sell your car or house? Take out a second mortgage? What if you book now while it’s still relatively cheap and your team doesn’t make the final? Well, there is plenty to do in Melbourne in September! I, for one, will be watching from the comfort of my lounge room.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/239104/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-drury-1277871">Doug Drury</a>, Professor/Head of Aviation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/flying-to-a-footy-final-watch-your-wallet-heres-why-airfares-soar-239104">original article</a>. </div>

Domestic Travel

Qatar Airways celebrates special milestone with huge sale

Qatar Airways launched its first service in Australia 15 years ago and to celebrate the special milestone they have announced an epic sale. Prices have dropped for a bunch of their popular destinations including Nice, London, Dublin, Lisbon, New York and Seychelles. The sale is on now until September 30, 2024 for flights between October 1, 2024 to June 10, 2025. Economy flights from Sydney to London start from $1849, or business class from $8189. For those in Melbourne wanting to experience their Europe summer, flights to Nice start from from $1849 or on business class from $8099. And if you're looking to visit the concrete jungle, flights to New York from Brisbane start from $1839 for economy or $7859 for business class. The fares include taxes, fees and airport surcharges. The Doha-based airline offers services to more than 49 destinations from Australia across Europe and the UK, 29 destinations across Africa, and 33 destinations across the Middle East. They also offer flights to 13 destinations across North and South America. In 2024, Qatar Airways was voted the World's Best Airline in the annual Skytrax’s World Airline Awards in June, for the eighth time. It also won the awards for World’s Best Business Class, World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge and Best Airline in the Middle East. “This is a proud moment for Qatar Airways. I am honoured to share this award with my dedicated team,” Qatar Airways group chief executive officer, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said at the Skytrax event in London. “This award is a testimony to our relentless commitment to providing unparalleled service and innovation. We look forward to continuing to serve our customers with the highest level of excellence.” Image: Vytautas Kielaitis / Shutterstock.com

International Travel

The travel hack giving travellers two holidays in one

When it comes to a long-haul flight, a stopover can be exactly what you need to stretch your legs and recharge before the next leg of your journey. But some eager travellers are getting even more out of their stopovers, by booking a few nights in their stopover destination and effectively getting two holidays in one. The “two-for-one holiday” trend is especially popular for those travelling from Australia and New Zealand, as it takes many, many hours to travel from Oceania to Europe, the US, or basically anywhere else in the world. Rather than looking at layovers as a hassle that just prolongs your journey, data shows that travellers are opting to use them as a way to explore new destinations and extend their holidays. According to data from travel search engine <a href="https://www.skyscanner.com.au/">Skyscanner</a>, there has been a notable uptick in bookings for long-haul flights to destinations such as Istanbul, London, Shanghai, and India. When travelling to Europe or the US, many travellers stopover in Asian cities such as Hong Kong, Bangkok in Thailand, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, or Singapore. Alternatively, many stopovers occur in the UAE and Middle East area, with some flights stopping in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, or even Qatar. It’s easy to book your stopover holiday when booking your flights. Just select your original flight to your final destination, but change your second flight to leave the stopover destination a few days later. Skyscanner's travel expert Cyndi Hui told <a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/holiday-hacks-two-in-one-stopover-destination/9e77c117-3a14-49a0-903f-b9847bc92fe0">9Travel</a> of the travel hack: "With Australia being so far from many global hubs, taking the time to enjoy a stopover instead of rushing through airports allows Australians to truly make the most of their travel experiences". "It's a savvy way to make the most of their travel time, turning what used to be just a stopover into a memorable part of the adventure." Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

Parents under fire for taking their sick toddler on a long-haul flight

A couple has come under fire after documenting their experience online of boarding a long-haul flight with their toddler, despite the child being sick. Alina and her husband were excited to go on their long-awaited holiday to Thailand with their one-year-old son in tow, taking off on their first big family trip. However, shortly before they were set to take off, their child developed a raging fever, and they decided to go on the trip anyway. Taking the experience to social media, Alina said her son’s temperature soared to around 40 degrees, with their little boy’s condition escalating so rapidly that the parents were considering calling off their entire trip. “My husband and I even wanted to cancel the flight,” she confessed in the video, which has received around 1.4 million views. However, after realising they would be out of pocket by several thousands of dollars if they cancelled the trip at such short notice, they decided to take the risk and board the plane. “Our tickets would have been wasted, and the trip that cost us $3,000 would have been wasted,” the mum wrote. "One plus of this flight was that the flight was at night, and the child could sleep and recover.” In the clip, the parents were seen walking their son around the plane, cradling the sick toddler as he cried uncontrollably. Luckily, the parents “managed to bring down the temperature”, but they weren’t convinced their son would keep quiet for the rest of the trip. “We were so worried about how the baby would feel on an eight-hour flight,” she continued, walking the baby up and down the corridors of the airport, trying to calm him down. As they tried to settle the child, they realised that their hopes that he would sleep the whole way were misguided. “The flight turned out to be difficult,” Alina confessed. “The baby kept waking and crying.” In the middle of the night, their son’s fever returned, which forced the parents to “bring the temperature down again” and left them “very worried” about their son’s health. Their baby’s fever took a toll on the parents as well, who complained of feeling “squeezed like a lemon” while trying to keep his temperature down, as Alina recalled, “We took turns looking after the baby so each of us could sleep.” In a later video, the parents defended their choice to take their son on the flight despite his intense fever and blamed it on his teething, not sickness. “Our baby wasn’t sick, he was teething, and that’s why he had a fever,” she said. “If our child had been sick, we would have cancelled everything … I consider myself a wonderful mother.” Despite the mother's clarification of her son's fever, the parents were slammed for even considering taking a sick child on such a long flight. “It’s OK, don’t worry about making anyone else on that flight sick,” a sarcastic comment read. “This is so tremendously selfish, you are appalling for doing this to him and others.” “I was in the same situation,” another parent said. “I lost all bookings, but who cares, my daughter comes first always and forever, no matter the amount of money!” “Trips come and go; your baby’s health is priceless!” read another comment. “Forty degrees is a hospital admission! Not a flight to Thailand!” However, not everyone was as judgmental, with many parents extending their sympathies to the first-time parents, as one person wrote, “You know what’s best for your baby. Everyone will say things. But only you will know when you are in that situation.” “Everyone is a first-time parent,” another defended. “This was a lesson learned. A baby’s health is of utmost importance. No holiday is more important than that. I hope he is OK now.” Image credits: TikTok

Travel Trouble

"No show": Wild reason couple denied refund on flights scheduled during Covid

A Melbourne couple, who had booked flights with Qantas during the state's fifth lockdown, were left furious after they were told they were ineligible for a refund because they were a "no show". Kieran McGregor told news.com.au that he and his partner had originally booked the flights to Darwin for July 18, 2021 through travel giant Expedia. When the number of Covid cases started rising, he moved the flights forward to fly out on the 16th of July, hoping that they would be able to get out before another lockdown, but the day before their flight, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced the state's fifth lockdown. Three years later, McGregor was still stuck between trying to get the refund from Expedia, who said Qantas had the money, and Qantas, who said the travel agent had it. Last year, McGregor contacted Expedia on their X account to try to resolve the issue, but the company said: “We just got off the phone with the airline, and as per advised, the ticket shows suspended on their end due to a no show." “Your ticket is no (sic) eligible for a refund, and has no value as per the airline. We apologize for the inconvenience.” He was "incredulous" when he received the message. “How could I fly if the state of Victoria was in lockdown and I couldn’t move more than 5km from the house?” he told news.com.au. When he contacted Qantas, the airline claimed “the funds will still remain with the agency that you’ve booked with” and to contact them directly for a refund. McGregor told news.com.au the ordeal was “utterly disgraceful” and that he was unaware if the flight went ahead or not. The publication reportedly contacted Expedia and Qantas and on Tuesday morning they finally said that a refund would be issued, but McGregor said he was yet to be contacted. “For flight bookings at Expedia, we generally follow the policies of our travel partners, so any refund is determined by the airline,” an Expedia spokeswoman said. “We have looked into this case with Qantas, and we will be contacting the traveller to process the refund.” While a Qantas spokesman said: “We apologise for the extended delay in resolving this issue and are processing a full refund for their bookings.” It is unclear which company held McGregor's funds, which was reported to be around $2,500. Adam Glezer from Consumer Champion told news.com.au that McGregor came to him recently when he felt he had nowhere else to turn. He said that these situations were quite common. “What Kieran has gone through with Expedia and Qantas is extremely common where the third party says the airline has the money and the airline says the third party has the money. I call it the blame game and there’s only one loser out of it and that’s the customer," he said. “Transparency in these situations is of utmost importance and unfortunately it just doesn’t exist.” Images: news.com.au/ DLeng / Shutterstock.com

Travel Trouble

Passengers on cancelled flights to be compensated under new reforms

Plane passengers could soon be entitled to compensation or refunds for delayed or cancelled flights in Australia. The long-awaited Aviation White Paper will be handed down this morning, as part of the federal government's crackdown on the aviation sector. The white paper makes 56 recommendations, including the the establishment of an Aviation Industry Ombudsman Scheme, which will have the authority to make it compulsory for airlines to provide support to passengers and give travellers more rights. The Aviation Industry Ombudsman Scheme will also be able to refer to allegations of misconduct for investigation and enforcement. It will also introduce a new "Charter of Rights" entitling airline customers to refunds for flights that are disrupted, cancelled, or unreasonably delayed. Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said the changes were critical to ensure that passenger had better experiences in the air, and will provide them with a baseline for the services they can expect on flights. "The aviation customer experience has deteriorated post-COVID, with an urgent need to better protect the rights of the travelling public," she said. She added that Australians were often not being dealt with fairly by airlines. "The bottom line is if people don't get the service that they are expecting, then customers deserve to get their money back or they deserve to get an equivalent service," she said. "And that's really not what's been happening when it comes to the consumer space." Under the Aviation Industry Ombuds Scheme, airlines will also have to "show cause" and provide a valid reason why a flight has been delayed or cancelled, and the ombudsperson has the right to request additional information. Airlines will also be required to provide support to people to make alternative travel arrangements. As part of its white paper, the government will also establish new minimum standards for airlines to make their services more accessible to those with disabilities. Legislation to establish the aviation ombuds office will be introduced next year, but the government plans to appoint an interim ombudsperson. The scheme is expected to be fully implemented in 2026. Image: Shutterstock

Legal

Flight attendant shares travel tips for loved-up couples

A flight attendant has shared what loved-up couples should not do when taking a trip together. Seasoned cabin crew member Suzanne Bucknam has warned couples to be wary of appropriate behaviour, and advised against these travel “icks”. Suzie told <a href="https://www.skyparksecure.com/">SkyParkSecure</a>, that one thing couples should be aware of when travelling are public displays of affection (PDA), which could land you in trouble. "A kiss on the lips or handholding doesn't warrant ick status but making out and putting a blanket over each other's laps gets very uncomfortable for everyone in the vicinity," Suzanne explains. "I've seen several couples attempt to join the mile-high club either in the bathroom or, worse, at their seats with said blanket over them. In fact, I've caught a couple with their pants down in the back of our plane once. We did an emergency landing and had them escorted off the plane, then got back in the air without them.” "It should be known that you can be arrested for public indecency, and flight attendants won't be afraid to call the authorities if they see you trying to get too cosy with your partner." Another must do for travelling couples is to book your plane seats together, rather than ask other passengers to change seats. "A simple boarding process can become a nightmare if couples don't book seats together but demand another passenger to move," she says. "Not only does it slow the process down significantly, but it often causes an altercation between passengers when someone won't move. Someone picked and paid for that seat, so they are well within their right to turn down a request to switch." Suzie said that while she understands couples, especially honeymooners, are excited about their travels, that doesn’t give them the right to make demands, and being difficult will get you nowhere. "What I wish all honeymooners knew before travelling somewhere is that, just because they're celebrating, it doesn't mean others have to celebrate or contribute to that celebration. If you do get a free upgrade or a free drink, fantastic! But please don't demand one from an unsuspecting flight attendant," she explains. "And as an employee who has been in that situation, it's just plain awkward if there are no upgrades available, and it's against the airline's policy to give freebies." Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

Cause of death revealed after eight-year-old dies mid-flight

The cause of death of an eight-year-old girl who died suddenly mid-flight has been revealed. Sydney Weston was travelling with her family from their home state of Missouri to Chicago on June 13th when she suddenly fell ill on the flight and died. Now, according to Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood, Sydney was suffering from at least five different illnesses at the time of her death. The eight-year-old reportedly died from complications of chronic primary adrenalitis coupled with several infections, including enterovirus and strep, as well as inflammation of the small intestines known as duodenitis and the thyroid gland inflammation commonly known as thyroiditis. Harwood found that the long list of conditions suggests Sydney may have suffered from an autoimmune disorder which left her body attacking its own healthy cells and harming organ operation. Sydney suffered a medical emergency onboard the flight, causing the plane to divert to Peoria, Illinois, for an emergency landing, but Sydney died after being rushed to a nearby hospital. Results from a previously released preliminary autopsy were inconclusive but found that her body showed no signs of abuse, neglect or foul play. At the time of her sudden and tragic death, Sydney was just a week away from celebrating her ninth birthday. “She will forever be remembered for the happiness she brought to every single person she encountered. Our hearts are heavy. She was our baby girl and we celebrate her beautiful life,” her obituary read. Image credits: Instagram

Caring

If Australia had an aviation ombudsman, passengers could get compensation for cancelled flights

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-wastnage-489752">Justin Wastnage</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> The financial difficulties of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-02/rex-airlines-staff-notified-of-termination/104172020">Rex Airlines</a>, coming so soon after the bankruptcy of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-26/bonza-directors-accused-of-trading-while-insolvent/104022496">Bonza</a>, have brought into sharp focus one of the federal government’s key priorities for aviation: enhancing passenger rights. In each case, passengers were left with tickets for flights that did not fly. In the case of Rex, tickets were honoured by rivals Virgin Australia and Qantas, possibly trying to recapture the small toehold Rex had established in the Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne golden triangle. The Bonza story was more complex as the fledgling airline, which collapsed in May, had sought to exploit under-serviced routes to smaller leisure-based cities including Maroochydore and Port Macquarie. In many cases, passengers were left out-of-pocket and stranded. <h2>Support for an ombudsman</h2> These failures will have emboldened the federal government’s plans to introduce stronger passenger protections and an airline ombudsman. The release of its <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/aviation-white-paper">policy white paper</a> is imminent. The paper covers aviation issues including competition between airports and airlines, the sector’s environmental impact and better mechanisms for consultation. After years of opposition, <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com.au/article/qantas-and-virgin-change-tune-on-aviation-ombudsman-ahead-of-white-paper-release/">Qantas and Virgin quietly fell in behind the idea in May</a>, signalling a deal is close to being announced. The ombudsman is designed to protect consumer rights in what is often monopolistic or quasi-monopolistic operating environments. With the exception of residents of southeast Queensland and the western suburbs of Melbourne, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0967070X18302063">most Australians only have one airport from which to fly.</a> This, coupled with an effective airline duopoly, can lead to higher prices and poorer service for consumers, the <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Airline%20competition%20in%20Australia%20-%20June%202023%20report.pdf">Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC)</a> has argued. The ACCC has been calling for better passenger rights for more than a decade. But its calls grew louder after it fined Qantas <a href="https://theconversation.com/qantas-has-finally-settled-its-ghost-flights-lawsuit-for-120-million-whats-next-229368">A$120 million for selling “ghost” flights in May</a>. Passengers did receive refunds, but the process was not easy compared to many overseas jurisdictions where compensation is automatic and based on distance travelled. Australia is rare among developed countries for not having automatic compensation if a flight is cancelled or delayed. <h2>The EU model</h2> The leader in air passenger rights, as in many areas of consumer protection, is the European Union. <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2004/261/oj">The EU Passenger Rights regulation</a> is 20 years old and now also applies to rail and bus passengers. The regulation favours the passenger and awards compensation <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en-int/ec-regulation-261-2004/">of up to €600 (almost A$1,000) for delays or cancellations</a>. There are clauses for when a delay is unavoidable, but generally airlines have now built the scheme into their costs of doing business. The scheme is well publicised and in 2022, about <a href="https://schengen.news/8-million-passengers-affected-by-flight-cancellations-airport-strikes-are-eligible-for-compensation-of-up-to-e600/">eight million passengers were eligible for refunds</a>. Air passenger rights in the UK continued in the EU mould after Brexit and were even strengthened. But in a 2023 review into the UK scheme, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-aviation-consumer-policy-protecting-air-passenger-rights/outcome/response-to-the-aviation-consumer-policy-reform-consultation#chapter-3-compensation-for-delays-and-cancellations">some airlines argued</a> “private insurance was a better option for some passengers”, particularly those with disabilities. The same reasoning led to the removal of Australia’s previous consumer protection scheme for airline passengers, the <a href="https://www.travelmanagers.com.au/peaceofmind/#:%7E:text=The%20Travel%20Compensation%20Fund%20continued,and%20until%2030%20June%202014.">Travel Compensation Fund</a>, which refunded customers when airlines or travel agencies went bankrupt. The scheme was ended under the Abbott government in June 2014, with travellers told instead to take out their own travel insurance. Labor is expected to reintroduce an element of corporate responsibility for airline delays, not least since Brazil, Canada and Türkiye have also followed the EU’s lead. Brazil’s scheme is particularly generous, with up to R7,500 (A$1,950) available to passengers who have to pay for last minute accommodation if their flight is cancelled. Lawmakers there countered claims by airlines that low cost airline passengers could stay in cheaper hotels, by applying the compensation uniformly, regardless of travel class. <h2>Popular with voters</h2> Air passenger rights can be a vote winner, too. Before he withdrew his bid for reelection, US President Joe Biden trumpeted the <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/biden-harris-administration-announces-final-rule-requiring-automatic-refunds-airline">automatic airline compensation scheme</a> the US Department for Transportation will bring in this year. Until now, airline compensation was mandated by the states without coordinated processes meaning some airlines used vouchers, some credits and a few cash to compensate customers. Despite this, about <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/biden-harris-administration-announces-final-rule-requiring-automatic-refunds-airline">US$3 billion (A$4.6 billion)</a> in refunds have been issued to US passengers since 2020, including more than US$600 million to Southwest Airlines passengers alone. This was due to a serious scheduling crisis which forced the low-cost carrier to cancel almost 60% of its flights in the 2022 summer. By contrast, in Australia, air passengers have only had basic protections under <a href="https://consumer.gov.au/australian-consumer-law/legislation">consumer rights law</a> since deregulation in 2002. There is no guarantee of a seat or even flight the consumer purchased. This has led consumer advocates including <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/consumer-advocacy/policy/policy-submissions/2023/november/aviation-green-paper">Choice</a> to support calls for an airline ombudsman and automatic delay and cancellation compensation.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/235679/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-wastnage-489752">Justin Wastnage</a>, Adjunct Industry Fellow, Griffith Institute for Tourism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-australia-had-an-aviation-ombudsman-passengers-could-get-compensation-for-cancelled-flights-235679">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

"Heartbroken": Sacked Rex Airlines hostess speaks out

A “devastated” and “heartbroken” Rex Airlines flight attendant has spoken out after the regional airline entered <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/aussie-airline-s-shock-collapse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voluntary administration</a>. Following the shock decision, 350 staff from the airline were made redundant and told they would not be paid any wages or redundancy packages for months. While many frustrated travellers took to Rex's Facebook page to complain about their flights being cancelled at the last minute with no notice, one cabin crew member called for calm and understanding. Air hostess Layla Rackley issued a reality check in the comments, writing, “I know this is so frustrating but the Rex staff, including myself, have lost our jobs very unexpectedly and we are all heartbroken.” “I hope your flights get sorted.” Another Rex flight attendant Makayla Meagher said on social media that she was “devastated” and it was something she thought would never have happened. “Im so grateful for all the friends i have made along the way,” she said. “Please keep Rex staff in your prayers.” Administrator Sam Freeman said regional flights were unaffected and would continue to operate, but domestic 737 services were grounded. “Virgin Australia are offering impacted Rex passengers free of charge rebooking,” he said. In the wake of the airline's collapse, competing Aussie airline Virgin wrote on their website, "Virgin Australia is also offering support to Rex employees who may be impacted by today’s announcement." "People whose employment has been affected should visit the expression of interest form on our website to apply for open positions." Image credits: Shutterstock / Instagram

Travel Trouble

Qantas slashes cost of more than 450,000 airfares

Qantas has slashed the price of more than 450,000 airfares as part of its latest sale. The airline announced the week-long sale on Tuesday, with more than 120 routes abroad included, and almost 30 overseas destinations. Return economy flights from Sydney to New York is being offered for $1,699 and Sydney to London for $1,799. Flights from Melbourne to Los Angeles are also part of the offer, going for $1,099, while Brisbane to Seoul return economy fares are available for $949. Sydney to Port Vila is $699 and Brisbane to Queenstown is $619. Premium economy return sale fares include Sydney to Los Angeles for $3,199, Melbourne to London for $3,899 and Brisbane to New York for $4,199. For those wanting to travel in business there also return sale fares for Melbourne to Auckland for $1,199, Brisbane to Tokyo for $4,999 and Sydney to London for $8,999. Return Classic Plus fares include Melbourne to Los Angeles in economy from 73,900 points plus $360, Brisbane to New York in premium economy from 236,300 points plus $684, and Brisbane to Tokyo in business from 303,900 points plus $470. The sales will run until 11.59pm AEST on Monday, August 5, unless sold out prior, for travel dates between August and June 2025. Image: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

Flight cancelled after crew member loses it at passenger

An Air Canada flight heading from Morocco to Montreal was cancelled on Friday after a flight attendant lost it at a passenger who reportedly requested a blanket. Viral footage of the incident showed a female flight attendant yelling: “You will behave or we will get off!” at a female passenger. “I’ll tell the captain right away. Yes or no?” When a passenger asked the flight attendant to call the captain, she refused and said: “I don’t want no bullying against my crew”. She then stormed up the aisle before she turned around and yelled: “Everyone behave! Be quiet … or you’re getting off.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Stress levels are quite high in the sky these days : An Air Canada flight from Casablanca (CMN) to Montreal (YUL) was canceled due to the inappropriate behavior of a flight attendant on July 26, 2024. The Airbus A330-343 aircraft (C-GHLM) did the taxi aiming a departure while… <a href="https://t.co/h3s4fbGF5A">pic.twitter.com/h3s4fbGF5A</a> — FL360aero (@fl360aero) <a href="https://twitter.com/fl360aero/status/1817249195960455420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2024</a></blockquote> According to CTV News, the meltdown occurred after the passenger asked for a blanket. In a statement to the publication, Air Canada said the flight had been rescheduled for Saturday with a different crew. “We are taking this incident very seriously. It is under review, and we will take appropriate action,” the statement read. “It is under review, and we will take appropriate action. We apologise to our customers and deeply regret that their experience today fell far short of what they have come to expect when flying with Air Canada.” The airline has also offered compensation to all passengers affected by the delay. Images: X

Travel Trouble

So when should you book that flight? The truth on airline prices

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yuriy-gorodnichenko-144556">Yuriy Gorodnichenko</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-california-berkeley-754">University of California, Berkeley</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/volodymyr-bilotkach-145437">Volodymyr Bilotkach</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/newcastle-university-906">Newcastle University</a> How airlines price tickets is a source of many <a href="http://airtravel.about.com/od/travelindustrynews/a/mythticket.htm">myths</a> and urban legends. These include tips about the best day of the week to buy a ticket, last-minute discounts offered by the airlines, and the conspiracy theories suggesting that the carriers use cookies to increase prices for their passengers. None of these three statements is entirely true. Studies have suggested that prices can be higher or lower on a given day of the week – yet, there is no clear consensus on which day that is. Offered prices can in fact drop at any time before the flight, yet they are much more likely to increase than decrease over the last several weeks before the flight’s departure. Further, the airlines prefer to wait for the last-minute business traveler who’s likely to pay full fare rather than sell the seat prematurely to a price conscious traveler. And no, the airlines do not use cookies to manipulate fare quotes – adjusting their inventory for specific customers appears to be beyond their technical capabilities. What is true about pricing in the airline industry is that carriers use complex and sophisticated pricing systems. The airline’s per passenger cost is the lowest when the flight is full, so carriers have incentive to sell as many seats as possible. This is a race against time for an airline and, of course, no company wants to discount its product more than it has to. Hence, the airlines face two somewhat contradictory goals: to maximize revenue by flying full planes and to sell as many full-fare seats as possible. This a process known in the industry as yield or revenue management. <h2>Airlines and their bucket lists</h2> Here is how <a href="http://commons.erau.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1522&context=jaaer">yield management</a> works. For each flight or route (if we are talking about multi-segment itineraries), the airline has a set of available price levels – from the most expensive fully refundable fare to the cheapest deeply discounted non-refundable price. The industry jargon for these prices is “buckets.” Then, seats can be interpreted as balls that are allocated among these buckets. Initial allocation of seats between the price buckets is determined by historical data indicating how well a certain flight sells. For example, fewer deeply discounted seats will be offered on a flight on Thanksgiving week than on the same flight during the third week of February. As the seats on a flight sell, yield managers monitor and adjust the seat allocation. If, for instance, the sales are slower than expected, some of the seats might be moved to lower-priced buckets – this shows up as a price drop. As noted above, such price drops can occur at any time before the flight. However, the general trend of price quotes is upward starting from about two to three weeks before the flight departure date. Of course, an average traveler wants to know when he or she should buy the tickets for the next trip. Another important question is where to buy this ticket. Airlines distribute their inventory on their own websites and on several computer distribution systems, meaning that prices can sometimes differ depending on where one looks. We are not entirely sure what precipitates this phenomenon – likely explanations include differences in contracts between the airlines and the distribution systems/travel agents, implying that different travel agents may not have access to the airline’s entire inventory of available prices. <h2>When to book</h2> The airlines’ yield managers start looking at flight bookings about two months before the departure date. This implies that it generally does not pay to book more than two months in advance: studies show that initially the airlines leave the cheapest price buckets empty, and yield managers may move some seats into those buckets if a couple of months before the departure date the flight is emptier than expected. Between two months and about two to three weeks before the flight date, the fare quotes remain mostly flat, with a slight upward trend. However, and perhaps paradoxically, there is a good chance of a price drop during this period. We tend to monitor prices for several days – sometimes up to a week – hoping for a potentially lower quote. It does not always pay off, but sometimes we do manage to save a considerable amount of money. Two to three weeks before the flight date, the price quotes start increasing. This is the time when business travelers start booking. While price drops are still possible, a chance of a price increase is much higher if you wait to book within this time period. This is also the time when one can find significant differences between price quotes, depending on where one looks and what contract they have with the airlines. Thus, if we book a trip earlier than three weeks before the flight date, we tend not to delay the purchase. At the same time, we check quotes from multiple travel agents, or go directly to a site that allows for a quick comparison of prices (such as <a href="https://www.kayak.com">kayak.com</a> or <a href="http://www.skyscanner.net">skyscanner.net</a>). Or check the airline itself. As for answering the original question we posed, here are some simple tips. First, if you have to travel during a peak period, such as Thanksgiving week, it is generally best not to delay buying that ticket. Otherwise, it might pay to monitor the offered prices for some time before committing. The best strategy for booking within the last couple of weeks before the flight, however, is not to delay the purchase, but to try getting quotes from several agents, which is easy to do in the internet age.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/34033/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yuriy-gorodnichenko-144556">Yuriy Gorodnichenko</a>, Associate Professor of Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-california-berkeley-754">University of California, Berkeley</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/volodymyr-bilotkach-145437">Volodymyr Bilotkach</a>, Senior Lecturer in Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/newcastle-university-906">Newcastle University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/so-when-should-you-book-that-flight-the-truth-on-airline-prices-34033">original article</a>. </div>

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