Very Very Cheap Flights
Top 10 cheap travel myths
It is amazing how many weird beliefs people hold regarding bargains. Here are the top ten myths about cheap air travel.
1) You are more likely to get bumped up to first class or business if you check in late
Nope, you are more likely to get bumped off a flight than upgraded if you have arrived late. Getting upgraded is at the descretion of check-in staff and they like their customers to be nice and early. However it is true that the very first passengers are unlikely to be ugraded, because at this point the check-in crew are unaware of how much space there will be on the plane.
2) Cheaper flights can be bought at night
Yes an no. This has some element of truth in it. In the 21st Century the discounting systems work on algorithms that rarely take time of day into account. They are far more concerned with seats left. However, since fewer people travel at night, there is more scope for discounts on later flights.
3) If your flight is cancelled or delayed, just quote a secret code and you will get new seats straight away
The secret code was actually to quote 'Rule 240' which simply reminded staff of their legal obligations toward you the customer. However, it only applied in the USA and lost its official status way back in 1978. Possibly worth a try though!
4) Small airlines always have cheaper seats than national carriers.
Often true, but definitely not always, so don't ignore the national carriers. In a recent test the national airlines were cheapest in an impressive 32% of cases. I have flown amazingly cheaply with British Airways who are usually considered to be an 'expensive' carrier.
5) Price comparison sites only display information about airlines that they have commercial deals with.
Too often this used to be the case, but since every airline is happy to pass on a few bucks to a comparison shopping site in return for a confirmed booking, this is less of a problem than it used to be. I don't worry about who else is getting a cut, Ijust look at the savings that I personally am making.
6) All cheap flights land at dodgy airports.
Well, OK, there is a grain of truth to that one. Some smaller airports are used by budget airlines because it costs so much less to land there than at the big established international hubs. If you are flying to a destination you are unsure of, a quick check on google maps is all you need to find out how far your destination airport is from your final destination.
7) You waste Frequent Flier Miles on cheap flights
I have to disagree. You 'waste' frequent flyer miles if they expired while you were saving them for a long haul. If you have got the miles, use them.
8) If you get a cheap ticket the staff on the plane don't treat you as well as those who paid full fare.
This is a ridiculous myth and makes no sense. Airlines can't be bothered to tell the flight attendant what each passenger paid and flight attendants have no interest in finding out that info. Obviously the passengers in first class get better 'stuff' but the staff should treat all passengers with kindness and respect. If they don't and the boss hears about it those attendants soon lose their jobs, so don't worry that because you paid bottom dollar (yen, pound, euro, whatever) you will get treated badly because of it.
9) You have to stay abroad on a saturday to get the best return fares.
This used to be pretty much the truth. This was basically a way of keeping business travelers away from discount fares. However in the last 5 to 10 years this sneaky little habit has disappeared from most airlines.
10) Travel to and from the airport can cost as much as the flight did.
Yup, for many people that one is a fact. However, a bit of prior research will show you that you don't need a taxi to get from Heathrow to Central London. The wonderful London underground is safe and cheap. From Gatwick to London, the shuttle train is expensive but the local train uses exactly the same route. Getting the picture? In New York, the subway is a safe route to JFK (although it is a little long). Read up in advance and enjoy air travel on a budget. at least till the next volcano grounds the planes again.