I began this weblog about price range journey and touring properly for much less means again in 2003. It’s celebrating its 20th birthday now. I’ve gotten lots of questions in that point in feedback, by e-mail, and on social media. A lot of them are airplane questions or about airways. I additionally see lots of these questions in boards and on Google itself, so I assumed it will be enjoyable to reply a number of widespread ones right here.
It’s no secret that the flying expertise has gotten a lot worse in these 20 years since I began running a blog on right here and the fares have gotten much more sophisticated. A ticket used to incorporate a seat and a checked bag practically in all places till the legacy airways raced to the underside to hitch the price range ones. Now practically each firm dings you for further charges for all the things. (Besides the airline daring to be completely different: Southwest.)
Additionally, airfare costs used to remain pretty static, a lot in order that airways would promote fare costs in print magazines. Now it’s all dynamic pricing that may change by the hour. The identical with frequent flyer miles: you earned them relying on how far you flew and there was a transparent mileage chart exhibiting what number of miles you wanted to go to Europe or South America. Now you earn nearly nothing from really flying and have to have the suitable airline bank card to rack up factors. If you go to make use of these factors, you haven’t any thought what number of you’ll really need.
So it’s no shock that customers are in a relentless state of confusion and lots of of hundreds of individuals are asking questions on airplanes and airways each month. I don’t have all of the solutions, however listed here are a number of.
Are aircraft rides scary?
The snarky reply to that is, “Are automotive rides scary?” As a result of the truth is, you’re exponentially extra prone to die in a automotive crash than you’re in a aircraft crash. The USA has extra auto fatalities in a yr than there have been cumulative airline deaths because the yr I used to be born. And I’m not a younger man.
If you wish to dig into the present information everytime you learn this, you may go to the IATA website and see all of the stats on aircraft crashes, which have declined rather a lot through the years from an already low stage. General, they’re fairly uncommon, with fewer fatalities than passenger trains, although trains are already on the bottom, identical to automobiles. This succinct abstract for final yr says all of it:
Accidents are uncommon in aviation. There have been 5 deadly accidents amongst 32.2 million flights in 2022.
That aircraft you’re boarding has lower than a one-in-a-million probability of crashing.
Now I’ll admit a flight will be “scary” with out killing you. Generally there’s an air pocket and the aircraft immediately drops a number of hundred meters, which is able to actually get your consideration. Otherwise you hit some tough turbulence that shakes the entire aircraft. (Maintain your seat belt on children.) Otherwise you see lightning outdoors your window that’s being lashed by rain.
There’s some proof that turbulence is rising too, yet one more downside we’re encountering because of the gradual response to local weather change traits and a warming planet.
Can turbulence crash a aircraft?
Whereas turbulence will be unsettling while you’re flying, most consultants say that it could’t trigger a aircraft crash by itself. Extra usually, all that shaking requires a visit to the upkeep hanger to verify all of the bolts and fastenings and examine for cracks. Generally the turbulence may cause injury to seats or trigger accidents to passengers from objects flying by way of the air—like a six-pound laptop computer perhaps.
The true hazard arises when planes aren’t correctly maintained. If there are already inherent issues that rare inspections didn’t flip up, the turbulence can amplify the consequences. Additionally, pilot error might improve when flying by way of turbulence versus easy skies with no points.
Can rain delay a flight?
I not too long ago spent practically two hours sitting on the tarmac in Charlotte after boarding my flight as a result of…it was raining. That’s solely half the story although: the true purpose we couldn’t take off is as a result of the management tower was recognizing lightning. They’d a protocol in place that every one planes needed to wait a selected time period after the final strike to get the “all clear” to depart.
Whereas we have a tendency to think about airways as grasping company fee-grabbers, they do put a excessive precedence on security, as evidenced by the low accident fee talked about earlier. A metallic tube with lots of of individuals inside is just not going to take off throughout a lightning storm. The air visitors controllers and pilots want to verify the passengers are protected. A delay is an inconvenience, however a obligatory one.
The place it will get tough is when there’s just a few rain and the airways blame their cancellations or delays from different causes on “climate delays.” This fashion they will get out of paying any compensation to passengers. In actuality, planes can take off, fly, and land when it’s raining simply positive. If visibility drops, nonetheless, small delays can amplify and set off a sequence response, particularly in New York or London the place you’ve planes coming into three airports in a somewhat small geographic space.
Robust winds will also be an element, whether or not accompanied by rain or not. That is how we get into conditions the place you’re searching the window at a sunny day however the gate agent is speaking about climate delays. If the winds get too sturdy, they’re extra of a hazard than precipitation. Then there’s snow and ice, which might each trigger authentic delays from runway security declines to the necessity to de-ice the aircraft wings.
Generally individuals ask, “Can a aircraft take off in a thunderstorm?” (I at all times marvel in the event that they’re asking these airplane questions whereas in an airport.) Often sure, however once more it will depend on components moreover the rain. Most airports have lightning protocols, visibility will be a problem, and excessive winds making a wind shear may cause delays. If it’s simply thunder and rain although, you’ll in all probability take off finally.
Can autopilot land a aircraft?
The reply to this one is, “Form of.” If the pilot and co-pilot each died and your common Joe needed to step in and land the aircraft, it will play out prefer it does within the films: with somebody on the radio giving directions. There’s an “autoland” system, nevertheless it’s not on the extent of a self-driving automotive pulling right into a parking house.
There’s an in depth rationalization on this website, however right here’s a abstract:
All massive industrial jets can land robotically, however nonetheless with loads of pilot involvement. So-called autoland techniques are part of plane autopilots. All massive trendy jets are geared up with such techniques, which might robotically land the plane, albeit underneath cautious supervision from the pilots themselves.
There’s a purpose new pilots must undergo so many simulations and flight hours. It’s not for the job of flying by way of the air: the autopilot can handle simply preserving the flight on track. Most of that coaching is for the takeoff and touchdown.
P.S. – Sure I used to be very tempted to place a photograph of the blow-up autopilot from the Airplane film in right here, however we’ve bought to get our thoughts out of the gutter and maintain rolling…
Are you able to carry alcohol on a aircraft?
The quick reply for that is that you would be able to carry small bottles and duty-free purchases onto the aircraft, sure, however you may’t open or drink them. So put that booze within the overhead bin and don’t contact it till you depart.
How a lot can you set in checked baggage? Properly, right here’s the sober rationalization from the TSA for U.S. flights:
“Alcoholic drinks with greater than 24% however no more than 70% alcohol are restricted in checked baggage to five liters (1.3 gallons) per passenger and have to be in unopened retail packaging. Alcoholic drinks with 24% alcohol or much less will not be topic to limitations in checked baggage.”
So formally you may come again from Mendoza with a number of circumstances of wine, however in case you fly again from the city of Tequila with 16 bottles as I did one, you’re taking an enormous probability. (I made it!) You’re not alleged to take or carry greater than 5 liters in your checked bag. Do not forget that in case you’re benefiting from duty-free liquor quantity offers.
For the aircraft itself, you’re positive with airplane-size bottles you get out of your native liquor retailer so long as you don’t open them. They’re technically alleged to be in a plastic quart bag, although I haven’t executed that for a decade. You’re additionally positive bringing any duty-free purchases onto the aircraft. They’re packed in a particular bag on the store and normally delivered as you board the aircraft.
Are there altering tables in airplane loos?
On the vast majority of massive planes, you’ll normally discover a altering desk within the rest room if it is advisable change your youngster’s diaper. Whereas it’s higher to make use of the spacious ones within the airport earlier than and after when that’s potential, you’ll have to utilize the aircraft one on a global flight throughout an ocean.
There’s surprisingly little details about this on-line, to the purpose that one of many top-ranking articles on the topic in search is from 2012 and mentions an airline that’s been gone for greater than a decade. You’d assume {that a} website like SeatGuru would come with this of their information factors, however they don’t. So you actually must sleuth round.
Typically phrases, the bigger and newer the aircraft and the longer the route, the extra seemingly you’re to discover a altering desk within the airplane rest room. Tiny 3-seat-across Embraer regional jets are normally a foul guess, whereas enormous jumbo jets with 8 seats throughout which can be flying throughout the Atlantic or Pacific will normally have them.
On U.S. airways, JetBlue claims to have altering tables within the rest room on all flights and American Airways does on all wide-body planes. United has them on most of its Boeing planes, however not on the smaller ones.
The “Youngsters and Toddler Journey” part of the Delta website talks about all of the methods they’re going to cost you and all the principles they impose, however there’s nothing about the place you may change a diaper when your child poops. The identical goes for Spirit, which isn’t a shock: they’d prefer to cost you further for one if they may get away with it.
Southwest has formally said that they’ve at the least one on each flight, normally within the entrance bathroom. That brings up one other level: there could also be one rest room on the aircraft that has a altering desk and you might be out of luck with the others. So ask the flight attendant which one to go for thus you don’t get a damaging shock.
Can you utilize your laptop computer on a aircraft?
Whereas it’s arduous to get any work executed within the cramped economic system seats on most airways, you’re allowed to make use of a laptop computer on a aircraft. There are restrictions on when you should use it although: it needs to be put away throughout take-off and touchdown for security causes. Which means that in case you’re in an exit row or bulkhead, it must go above you within the baggage bin till you get the all-clear to tug it out after the aircraft hits cruising altitude.
On some flights you would possibly get fortunate and discover {an electrical} outlet underneath your seat. The cheaper your seat and the shorter the flight, nonetheless, the much less seemingly that is to be the case. So assume you’re going to have the time your battery usually lasts to work or watch a film. Most airways have Wi-Fi you should purchase, although it’s hit or miss on when it would work relying on what the aircraft is flying over. Home flights are simpler than worldwide ones.
Are you able to really set that laptop computer in your tray desk although? When you’re not in enterprise class, an exit row, or a bulkhead seat although, in all probability not. The laptop computer will actually go in your lap and can seemingly nonetheless must be tilted.
Seat pitch retains shrinking so the airways can cram extra seats in, even because the world’s common top grows and the girth of Individuals retains increasing. On most airways, the seat pitch is someplace between 29 and 32 inches. That’s not a lot room between the again of your butt and what’s left in entrance of your knees.
You’ll be able to normally get this information on your explicit flight from SeatGuru.com. On price range airways the place you’ve bought to pay to choose a seat anyway, you would possibly wish to spring for one with extra legroom to get some work executed. It received’t be a $70 distinction like it’s on some legacy airways. It might solely be a couple of dollars.
Are airways hiring pilots?
Sure, airways are positively hiring pilots and plenty of them. If in case you have a son or daughter reaching maturity who desires a assured job after they end coaching, pilot college is about as shut as you’ll get to a certain factor. There’s an enormous pilot scarcity around the globe because of pandemic layoffs (and retirement incentives), the large variety of pilots reaching retirement age, and the explosion of latest airways around the globe.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says this: “About 16,800 openings for airline and industrial pilots are projected every year, on common, over the last decade. A lot of these openings are anticipated to consequence from the necessity to substitute staff who switch to completely different occupations or exit the labor pressure, reminiscent of to retire.” In 2022, United and American introduced that they have been hiring 2,000 pilots every; each had bother assembly their objective. Not all the roles are with industrial airways both. There are cargo flights, constitution flights, sightseeing planes, and others.
These numbers above are only for the USA. Overseas airways are struggling to rent sufficient pilots to maintain up with demand as properly and a few of them pay significantly better than home ones. The price range airways pay the least, then on the different finish of the size, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, and Singapore Airways are identified to pay probably the most. Pilots with many years of expertise could make 3X or 4X what a brand new pilot will earn and get their decide of routes.
The training for this job is extra like getting an MBA than changing into an actual property agent although. There’s classroom coaching, then you could full the required 1,500 hours of flight time, then you definitely go right into a coaching system working underneath an actual pilot. It may possibly take as much as 4 years between beginning the coaching and piloting a industrial plane.
That are the very best airways to work for?
You’ll be able to poke round on Glassdoor to see worker satisfaction sentiment for airways, with the entire main U.S. ones having at the least 6,000 opinions and a median of 10,000 wage listings. When you’ve observed that Southwest staff appear to be much more cheerful than their counterparts, they’re genuinely happier. They repeatedly prime lists of the very best corporations to work for and present up larger than others in successfully managing work-life steadiness.
JetBlue will get excessive marks in some surveys as properly, particularly in regard to its 12 weeks of maternity go away. Delta is thought for having a number of the finest advantages packages, together with a very good medical insurance plan and loads of complimentary journey. Hawaiian Airways lets staff give one-way space-available tickets away to companions or household, as in 20 per yr.
How a lot do flight attendants earn? Properly, not a lot. Like most jobs that lay individuals see as glamorous, the perks are alleged to make up for pay that’s something however. Based on this text, right here’s the size for Alaska Airways, which has a very good status as an organization:
Alaska Airways takes longer to prime out in pay than the opposite bigger airways. Alaska Airways begins their flight attendants at $24.95 per hour and so they prime out after 16 years at $60.31.
You additionally must undergo weeks of unpaid coaching, as in 6.5 weeks at American based on that research. (Then pay begins at greater than $30 per hour although.) Southwest at the least pays a pleasant bonus to those that full the coaching. Most airways have a wierd system too the place the flight attendants don’t receives a commission whereas prospects are boarding, although the attendants must smile and say hiya 200 occasions.
Among the many overseas airways, Asia and the Center East rule for worker satisfaction and the very best compensation. Qatar, Emirates, Singapore, and Cathay Pacific usually rating the best. I used to be on an Emirates flight for the primary time final yr and the cabin crew in economic system class there delivered a stage of service that you just usually discover in enterprise class on different airways. Plus they spoke 11 languages between them and the meals was nice.
Are aircraft tickets cheaper on Tuesday?
Of all of the airplane questions on this record, I get ones about supposed hacks and secrets and techniques probably the most. Lots of people assume there’s some particular data they’re lacking out on to search out offers. I think about this perception is perpetuated by foolish articles telling you you’ll get the very best flight deal by reserving at midnight on Tuesday or another weirdly particular time.
Sometimes you’ll see some research that claims reserving on a weekday will be barely cheaper than reserving on a weekend, however then you definitely’ll see different surveys exhibiting it makes no distinction in any respect. Expedia put one out a number of years again that discovered Sunday searches produced higher offers than different days, however not by a lot.
I’ve booked lots of of flights and haven’t observed any sample myself. I’ve in all probability booked day-after-day of the week evenly when discovering the very best offers. Bear in mind, fares are continuously adjusted dynamically to allow them to go up or down simply relying on competitors and what number of seats have been bought.
So store round, however in case you see an incredible deal then snag it. Don’t wait till some random late night time in the course of the week.
As NerdWallet says when debunking this delusion, “There isn’t any single day of the week that’s finest to e-book a flight. You could find offers any day of the week since flight costs fluctuate with demand.” What they do say on this article I agree with: really flying on a Tuesday or Wednesday is normally cheaper than different days of the week.
When you’re ever in an enormous hub airport on a late Friday afternoon, you’ll have bother discovering a seat on the bar due to all of the enterprise vacationers flying residence. When you head to the Cancun airport on a Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, the entire departure space will probably be jammed with vacationers. So naturally you’ll discover a higher flight deal in the course of the week normally. There may be simply far much less demand. Maintain your journey variables open so you may reap the benefits of this pure fluctuation.
Do price range airways like Allegiant and Spirit Airways fly worldwide?
Whereas we have a tendency to think about American price range airways as a method to take short-hop flights for affordable to see the family members or get away for a bit, a few of them do have worldwide routes.
Whereas I’d hate to spend 4 hours or extra in a cramped Spirit Air flight the place I’ve to pay to get a drink of water, they do supply a method to get lots of locations for affordable, particularly in case you can pack tremendous gentle like I did on one journey with only a private merchandise bag. Spirit Air’s surprisingly strong worldwide choices embody 4 cities in Mexico, seven in Colombia, two in Honduras, each Central American nation besides Belize, Peru, and a few Caribbean islands.
Frontier, based mostly in Denver, was as soon as a full-service airline, however now they’ve joined the Spirit on the backside charging further for all the things. They provide a number of the most cost-effective worldwide flights when you’ve got your calculator useful when tallying up the charges although. Frontier flies to Guatemala, Costa Rica, a number of Caribbean islands, and three locations in Mexico.
Volaris relies in Mexico, however this price range airline is the fastest-growing one in North America and so they’ve bought lots of U.S. cities focused of their development plans. Proper now you may fly to Mexico and generally past from lots of cities in Texas and California, plus Las Vegas, Chicago, and even New York Metropolis (from Guadalajara). Then through Mexico Metropolis you may fly on to Central America, Colombia, or Peru.
Different overseas price range airways based mostly in Canada and Europe can get you to worldwide locations too. These are coming and going on a regular basis, however for Europe verify Norse Atlantic, Edelweiss, or TAP Portugal.
Additionally, although they’re one of many greatest airways and will not be at all times “price range,” it’s necessary to keep in mind that Southwest has worldwide flights too. They presently serve a number of locations in Mexico, each airports in Costa Rica, Belize, and several other Caribbean island locations. They don’t present up on reserving websites although: go direct to their web site to verify.
Begin a flight search right here out of your airport.
When you’re versatile, a subscription to Going.com (previously Scott’s Low cost Flights) might land you some enormous reductions on particular gross sales, mistake fares, and different offers out of your airport.
Does each aircraft have an air marshal?
After the 9/11 terrorist assaults, airport and airplane safety elevated dramatically around the globe and we’re nonetheless coping with a number of the sillier features within the USA, like taking our footwear off and eradicating lip balm from our pockets to undergo a physique scanner. One facet that has progressively light although is the prevalence of air marshals on planes.
This was at all times sort of a hidden, shadowy operation anyway because the complete thought was {that a} terrorist wouldn’t know who they have been up in opposition to and the place that individual was sitting. Now that we’ve gone so lengthy with out an incident, nonetheless, these marshals are reportedly now on solely a small share of flights.
The precise particulars are categorized, so few individuals know for certain, however I couldn’t discover any present estimate larger than 5 p.c. Contemplating that there are 25,000 or extra flights taking off and touchdown within the USA every day, the fee to place an air marshal on each can be staggering, particularly since they journey in pairs. This text estimates that fewer than one p.c of flights have them aboard. (On overseas carriers working within the USA, it’s zero.)
What number of electronics are you able to carry on a aircraft?
I’m not likely certain why this can be a frequent question on Google, however it’s, so perhaps there are lots of import/export sorts or occasion facilitators flying round? And they should carry lots of electronics with them?
From what I might discover in my analysis, there’s no said restrict to the variety of digital objects you may carry on a flight, no restrictions on what number of laptops or smartphones you may carry. If you wish to carry a complete carry-on suitcase with sufficient gear to inventory a retailer, no person goes to cease you at safety if it’s a home flight.
Worldwide arrivals will probably be a special story, nonetheless, as a result of then you definitely’re coping with customs and import restrictions. Whereas the TSA might say there’s no restrict, overseas ports of entry will really feel otherwise. There are normally restrictions on bringing greater than what can be thought-about “private use,” particularly if stated objects are nonetheless within the authentic packaging, prepared for resale. They may very well be confiscated or, in any case, you’ll have to pay responsibility on the retail worth in case you declare them otherwise you get stopped.
How many individuals can match on a aircraft?
Once more, I’m unsure why individuals are asking this airplane query a lot in the various search engines, however the fast reply to how many individuals can match on a aircraft is 4 to 853, a variety. I flew on one in Costa Rica that had 4 passenger seats plus two for pilots. I used to be stunned once I bought on and didn’t see an empty seat. The pilot motioned me ahead and I sat subsequent to him. Fortunately he didn’t have a coronary heart assault as a result of see the part above on whether or not a aircraft can land itself.
Sure, that was a industrial flight I booked on-line. You’ll discover lots of these small prop planes plying the routes of Costa Rica and Belize and also you is likely to be on a small hydroplane in case you’re touring from Vancouver to Vancouver Island or some far-off place in Alaska. Prop planes usually seat 6 to twenty passengers.
If we’re speaking about industrial jets although, the vary is mostly someplace between 50 and 600. The low finish is these Embraer jets with solely three seats throughout that prime out at 50, the excessive finish can be the most important Boeing and Airbus jumbo jets meant to deal with long-haul worldwide flights.
In principle the most important passenger jet, the Airbus A380, can maintain as much as 853 passengers in a high-density configuration. It’s in all probability protected to say that each airline shopping for a aircraft that massive would somewhat dedicate a few of that house to high-ticket upper-class fliers although, so I doubt there are any of that mannequin geared up to hold so many. It’s extra seemingly that there will probably be 644 in a two-class system, much less if there’s each enterprise class and top notch.
Then there’s the crew on prime of that, so add anyplace from 3 to 30 to the whole for who else is alongside for the journey.
What are the most important airways on this planet?
By the variety of flights, this is without doubt one of the best airplane questions as a result of they’re the three largest airways within the USA:
1. American
2. Delta
3. United
Amongst all of the worldwide airways, Turkish Airways flies to probably the most locations.
Can you purchase journey insurance coverage after reserving a flight?
Many individuals ask this as a result of there’s normally a field you may verify while you’re shopping for a flight ticket that provides on insurance coverage. The language is normally high-pressure and a bit dishonest, making you assume that in case you don’t purchase journey insurance coverage proper then and there, you’re going to be taking some main threat and all hell will break free.
In actuality, that is simply one other revenue middle for the airline or on-line reserving website, the equal to a baggage payment or precedence boarding payment. Sure, you usually should purchase journey insurance coverage on your journey, however you don’t must do it proper while you buy the flight.
When you journey rather a lot, I’d advise getting an annual coverage from Allianz. They’re the identical firm that’s in half of these checkmark containers however you’ll spend rather a lot much less in the long term (underneath $200 per yr) after which you may safely ignore all these nagging messages. Additionally, if it’s only a quick direct flight on Allegiant with a carry-on bag, the insurance coverage is probably not value it.
Take note too that in case you’re flying into or round Europe, you have already got much more safety underneath the regulation than you do in North America to get compensation in case your flight is delayed or canceled. You’ll be able to even use a service like Compensair to go get your cash from the airline in case you don’t thoughts giving them a minimize.
In any other case, store round and also you would possibly discover a higher journey insurance coverage deal on your flight. I work with Security Wing and so they’re the very best for digital nomads, however verify with Journey Guard and others too.
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Whew, that’s sufficient questions on airplanes and airways for now, so I’m going to go away it at that.
When you actually prefer to geek out on aviation although, try my good friend Kerwin’s CruisinAltitude.com weblog. He used to work for an airline and has the within scoop. Right here’s yet another reply from him: the 20 longest flights on this planet.