The new rules of air travel

The glamour of the Jet Age may have faded, but Travel + Leisure magazine’s Kendall Hill has some practical tips on how to survive the new, and often confusing world, of airline travel.I

n bygone days the glamour of the Jet Age was captured in commercial posters depicting elegant passengers in exotic climes. These images epitomised a bold new era of convenience and leisure far removed from today’s volatile air industry, where constant changes to rules and regulations, cost-cutting and expedience can leave passengers bewildered and confused rather than refreshed and rewarded. The only remaining sophistication in air travel is that required to keep abreast of an industry in constant upheaval. In an effort to decipher just where we’re at now, here are some of the new rules of flying. Just bear in mind they might change at any time …

Rule one: More fuel

As fuel prices surge ever-upwards and airlines scramble to protect profits, passengers are repeatedly being stung with increased taxes designed to offset the cost of kerosene. In Russia, for example, some air fares have risen 50 per cent this year thanks to heavy-handed fuel surcharges. And after Japan Airlines recently increased its fuel surcharges on the Sydney-London route to more than $1000, travel giant Flight Centre predicted passengers could soon be paying as much for fuel as they do for their base fare.

Rule two: Tread lightly

By some estimates, the global travel industry is the fastest-growing contributor to CO2 emissions. Hence the websites of any eco-aware airline or travel agent now come complete with an online calculator so you can see how much damage your next holiday will wreak on the earth, and how much you need to pay to “offset” that damage and assuage your guilt.

A key criticism of carbon-offset schemes in Australia is that they are unregulated. There is no central umpire monitoring whether these companies do what they claim to do (though many have been independently audited), nor is there a simple, practical way of assessing whether the moneys paid to offset emissions actually achieve that end.

Environmental groups often stress that tree-planting schemes can be of dubious merit – better to park your hush money in renewable energy programs or energy efficiency projects. Or, better still, concentrate on reducing your so-called carbon footprint. Modifying our behaviour – not paying for our sins – is the ultimate goal here.

Rule three: Develop a pack mentality

That an airline should carry our luggage as well as ourselves has been an accepted right of passage since the dawn of aviation. Not any more. In a bid to reduce costs several airlines – such as Aer Lingus and Ryanair – have begun charging passengers for the privilege of checking in bags on flights. Others, such as British Airways, have restricted luggage allowances and introduced scorching new fees for any extra kilos you’d like them to load on for you. One way around these punitive new rules is to fly business or first, as premium passengers almost always score extra luggage allowances. Ditto if you are a treasured member of an airline loyalty scheme. If not, check your carrier’s website before take-off to avoid any rude, and costly, shocks at check-in.

Rule four: Know the evils of all routes

Slashed services are the twin evil, along with fuel surcharges, of the out-of-control oil price. When airlines are under financial stress, unprofitable routes are the first to go. Hence Qantas announced in May it would axe five per cent of its domestic flights. Struggling US airlines are taking even more drastic steps – United has flagged an end to several of its major transcontinental routes, including the Denver and Heathrow service it launched with much fanfare in March. Stand by for more interruptions to once-regular services.

Rule five: Get an e-ticket to ride

Amid the gathering clouds there are a few silver linings. One was the decision by IATA, the International Air Transport Association, to phase out paper tickets from the end of May. Not only does the move help protect our forests for future generations, it also signals an end to the angst of lost or forgotten plane tickets. While airlines may still insist on a printout of your e-ticket, they can no longer charge ridiculous fees to reissue a lost one.

A Report by The Mole from The Sydney Morning Herald