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Cheap Fares Can Cost You More Than You Think
Be careful when you brag about the great deal you got on your airfare because you may be forced to eat your words.
- It is a given that travel suppliers who offer incredible fares attach a lot of strings that can end up costing you more than you expected or can afford. So if you are going to choose a cheaper travel option, you should know how you are limited by what is written into your ticket
- For example, don't change your travel plans because you are locked in once the initial booking transaction is complete. If you booked on Fight 100 to Canada for Wednesday on a special rate, don't expect to be able to change your flight to Thursday when your friend has booked their ticket. That is, you may have to pay a penalty to change your ticket that could more than double your cost
- For some airlines, cheap fares do not guarantee a seat on the flight of your choice. Often the cheap fares require the airline to increase passenger volumes, meaning that many flights, for instance, are oversold
- And overselling flights means that travellers can be left stranded if they wander in late for take off. You may have to wait for the next available flight or ante up a full fare on another airline
- Cheap fares usually mean less frills. That might mean that passengers may not be offered meals and are often levied beverage charges, especially for liquor
- Entertainment options may also be limited on long-haul flights. And don't be surprised when the headphones and other in-flight extras come with service charges
- Cheap fares fly less often or are restricted to a certain portion of available seats. This will require pre-planning of at least week, or more usually two-four weeks and payment in advance
All of this said, choosing the most inexpensive flight is often a good investment, as most airlines are very conscientious in fulfilling their commitments. Be sure to find out exactly what limitations you agree to when you book a cheap fare and no matter what flight you book it is always prudent to take some form of travel insurance.
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