Church, Mission, Relief and Development Travel Newsletter

With fuel prices affecting the overall economy, and the airline industry in particular, knowing your passenger rights has become very important. With service cuts and full flights, it doesn't take much to result in your being stranded. Knowing your rights in specific situations can make the difference between a completely ruined trip and one that is just a little late in getting started.

Know when you're not protected. The airline's responsibility to you varies with certain circumstances. Typically, you will not be re-accommodated or given a hotel and meals if the delay is related to weather, war, strikes, or fuel shortages.

Know what you are entitled to. Your protection is governed by your airline's passenger contract. The passenger contract for each airline is somewhat different. You could certainly study an airline's contract before flying, but knowing the basics for the industry will provide you with an edge.

The general policies include being re-accommodated on the airline's next flight, based on availability. That can cause quite the difficulty in today's atmosphere of over-full flights. Most airlines will only consider another airline if you ask. If rebooking on another airline is not part of their passenger contract, your request will not be granted, but it does not hurt to ask.

If you are delayed over four hours, you are entitled to a meal voucher; and if stranded between 10 pm and 6 am, the airline will arrange lodging for you.

Know how to ask for assistance. A calm, polite demeanor is your best friend when dealing with gate agents and customer service personnel. Master the art of being graciously assertive.

Know, and use, a good travel consultant. Although your travel agent may not be able to completely fix a delay situation, the resource can be invaluable. Airline reservation centers can be very difficult to reach quickly by phone, but your MTS TRAVEL consultant can give you flight option information, for discussion with the airline agent, and, if necessary, find specific details on the airline's passenger contract for you. And, in the case of delays that the airline is not responsible for, your MTS TRAVEL consultant can check hotels, cars, and options for rebooking. Travel insurance can benefit you in case of delay, so ask your MTS TRAVEL consultant for details.

Your MTS TRAVEL consultant is like any quality product..you're worth it!