You book online.  You go on holiday and have a grand time.  After a while you are having so much fun that you decide to extend your holiday by a few days.

So you go online and try to change the booking.  The system seems to have a problem with accommodating you.  In desperation you phone the travel agent and say “I know that I did not book with you, but can you change the return leg for me?” you ask.

The words over the phone shock you “I always like to help but unfortunately the airline won’t let me change the booking.  You got a special promotional fare.  That is a non-refundable ticket, and no changes can be made.  All you can do is buy a new ticket to get home if you are really determined to change your return date.”

Sometimes the airline concerned will allow an (expensive) change if you have not yet flown at all on the ticket (in other words, if you have not commenced the journey), but the charge for this can make your eyes water.  On such tickets you usually cannot change the passenger name either, so you are stuck with it even if you are unable to use it.

Very occasionally, if you are very polite and very nice and you beg and plead at the airport, changes have been made, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule and airlines are extremely reluctant to make such changes.

In very exceptional circumstances, on production of official documentation, you may be able to make a change on humanitarian grounds, such as the death of a close relative, or a sudden severe illness in the family.  Then again, other airlines state in their rules, ‘no waiver for death or illness’.

Best ensure that you have a more flexible ticket class next time.  Here is a guide to IATA ticket classes:

A – First Class Discounted

B – Coach Economy Discounted

C – Business Class

D – Business Class Discounted

E – Discounted, No airmiles

F – First Class

G – Travel Industry Economy Class

H – Coach Economy Discounted

I – used by some airlines for free loyalty card tickets  (and by others for discounted business class, such as British Airways)

J – Business Class Premium

K – Thrift

L – Thrift Discounted (lots of restrictions)

M – Coach Economy Discounted (few restrictions, round the world fare)

N – used by some airlines for free loyalty card tickets

O – used by some airlines for free loyalty card tickets

P – First Class Premium

Q – Coach Economy

R – Business class discounted

S – Standard Class (may not even earn airmiles)

T – Coach Economy Discounted (usually with restrictions)

U – Deep discount Economy Class

V – Thrift Discounted (with restrictions)

W – Coach Economy Premium (with restrictions, airmile limits)

Y – Coach Economy

Z – Heavily discounted Business Class (not upgradable)

Airlines sometimes make their own rules and you will find that on the above list what IATA deems to be economy, is in some cases business.

The deeper the discount on the fare, the more likely you are to experience difficulty in making any sort of change, or the more expensive it will be to make a change if it is permitted.  The airlines may also offer reduced airmiles for the flight, with some classes getting only 50%, 25% or sometimes no airmiles.  So if air miles are important to you, ensuring the correct class should be a priority for you.

Generally only classes B, M and  Y are upgradeable at the airport.

Where do I find the code?

If you are booking via an agent then the agent can check and advise you before the booking is made.  If you are buying it online then, depending on where you buy it, you may only be able to find out by examining the eticket.  It is usually a solo letter, but can be the first letter in a cryptic code, known as the fare basis.  Unfortunately, by the time you have the eticket, if it is a non-changeable, non-refundable ticket, then you are stuck with it.  But at least you will know why!

Our DIY Travel Expert advice is to buy tickets online only when you can see the class before you checkout, unless it is a commuter flight or a flight that you really do not care about changing.

hors d'oeuvre as seen aboard Emirates in business class

Most major airlines include meals in the fare on all long haul routes and certain regional and domestic routes.  There are certain meals that can be requested, but not all airlines support each request.  For example, the ‘fruit platter’ meal has been discontinued by a lot of airlines.  (It is now doubtful that you will receive a ‘platter’ of anything unless you are in First Class.)

Here is a generic list of meals that can be requested on major airlines.  We have included the code that would be used by an agent or an airline reservations staff member to book them.  If you know the code it may save a lot of explanation.

Here’s a surprise to many: there are six different variations of vegetarian meal that can be requested, depending on the airline.

Vegetarian Vegan meal  (VGML)

Vegetarian Lacto-ovo meal  (VLML)

Vegetarian Oriental meal  (VOML)

Vegetarian Jain meal  (VJML)

Vegetarian Raw meal  (RVML)  [not highly recommended by my vegetarian passengers]

Vegetarian Hindu meal  (AVML)

There is even a specifically non-vegetarian religious meal (no beef).

Hindu (non vegetarian) meal specific  (HNML)

Our next list includes meals for travellers who need to be specific for health reasons.

Diabetic meal  (DBML)

Gluten intolerant meal  (GFML)

Low calorie meal  (LCML)

Low fat meal  (LFML)

Low salt meal  (LSML)

Low lactose meal  (NLML)

Then there are meals chosen for religious reasons and these are available on almost all major airlines and include:

Kosher meal  (KSML)

Moslem meal  (MOML)  (also referred to as a Halaal meal)

The rest mainly falls under what we could call ‘miscellaneous’.  Our reason for calling it this, as with the exceptions of a baby or child meal, some of these would be chosen out of choice rather than biological or religious requirements.

Bland meal  (BLML)

Baby meal  (BBML)

Child meal  (CHML)

Fruit Platter meal (FPML)

Seafood meal (SFML)

You can now phone up your friendly travel agent and ask for the specific meal code to be booked.  These meals are not available on all airlines so you may have to have a second or third choice, or to decide your airline on the availability of the meal you choose.  (Why not? – It is your money after all.)

There is one meal code we left until last because it is hardly ever confirmed.  This is a SPML (special meal request) where you can stipulate what you want.  With cost cutting at an all-time high in the industry, you are very unlikely to get this confirmed unless you are travelling first-class and the airline is really keen to please.  Passengers allergic to nuts could try this category, but success cannot be guaranteed.  Of course, if you wish to test the limits of how flexible the catering is at your chosen airline, you could get really exotic here, and see what happens…

These days there are three ways to check-in before a flight:

• You can queue in the long line and do it the traditional way.
• There is the shorter queue at the DIY kiosk.
• Or you can check-in at home or from the office, online.

If you check-in online you will still get fondled by strangers and have your luggage weighed, but there is less waiting and there are some other distinct benefits.

If you are using a Travel Agent for the booking, you can have the seat allocated at the time of booking.  If you have exercised that option then when you check-in online your seat allocation will already be set-up.

Advantages

There are several convenient things about an online check-in:

• You choose your own seat.
• You are far more likely to get the specific seat you want.
• You can see exactly where the seat is in a graphical seat configuration.
• Your seat number is allocated immediately, so you are much less likely to be ‘bumped’.
• Baggage check-in is faster when you already have your seat allocated.
• If you arrive at the airport late you are more likely to get on the plane in time.

It is logical that if you check-in online ten hours prior to departure, you are far more likely to get your preferred seat than if you arrive late at the airport just before the gates close and still have to check-in.  If you’re late and have not checked-in online you are unlikely to get a seat you will be happy with.  (You could even have no seat at all as you could get “bumped”.)

Disadvantages

Online check-in may not be for you if you:

• Intend to change your travel arrangements.
• Are indecisive about where to sit and like to change your seat.

There are some sorts of emergency workers and rapid-response staff who by the nature of their jobs are unable to make bookings far in advance.  They pretty much just need to get on the next flight.  By and large they do not much mind where they sit either.

There are other passengers who make their travel arrangements too early in the planning process, before the details about when, where and with whom a meeting is to be held.  As a consequence the same persons regularly end up changing the dates, their flights, sometimes the carrier and also their seats.  (As a Travel Agent working in the industry I have a special message for you: “Chill out.  This is one time that slowing down is a good thing.  Booking too early makes you less efficient.  And you value efficiency so highly.  And, by the way, you are also increasing overheads by incurring change and cancellation fees.  Someone who waits for clarity before booking is saving the company money.”  Other travel agents tend to have a different message for habitual re-bookers – their message tends to be shorter.  And less polite.)

If you are one of the people from the previous paragraph, don’t check-in online if you are going to need to change your flight details again before departure.

Check-in for later flights

Check-in staff can pre-seat you and check you in for other flights being made on the same ticket.  For instance, for your return flight on the same day.  That can be convenient.

If you anticipate making any change to your booking that have an effect on the later flight do not check-in for the later flight.  If you are checked-in your ticket status changes to ‘check in’ mode, which locks the booking.  Certain airlines will not permit the ticket to be re-issued until you have phoned in or physically presented yourself at their ticket desk.  They must first manually reverse the check-in status, then re-issue a new ticket.  There will almost always be a fee.  And then you still need to get a seat allocated!

If you have planned ahead, online check-in can help ease your passage through the airport.

Westerdam Cruise Ship in Cape Town

I’d like to do a cruise, how do I book it?  There are three means for this one: through an agent, via the Internet or direct.

Travel agent

Unlike the airlines, most cruise companies offer travel agents a commission, though this does not cost the client any extra.

One large benefit of booking through an agent is that if anything goes wrong on board you will have somebody that will be able to speak on your behalf.  That can be particularly important if you become incapacitated.

When a recent cruise by a 5-star cruise liner reached the Canary Islands some passengers were astonished to see the body of one of the passengers being discreetly removed from the ship.  Upon inquiry it emerged that with the large number of particularly elderly people that enjoy cruises these days, it is rare that a year goes by without a cruise company having to employ their procedures for handling a death on board.  While few contemplate the prospect of dying on holiday, a travel agent can help with ensuring that repatriation and paperwork are proficiently handled.

Online via the Internet

When booking through the web you have total control of the booking.  The cruise company usually provide details for contacting their call centre, which can be handy.  Cruises also provide one of the better value on-line products, when compared to other travel services.  Why?  You can do the whole thing, from paying, to pre-booking your table without having to call them.

While you may be able to do the whole thing with an airline booking online, things are more likely to go wrong.  A travel agent I know recently had a client who had booked online and paid extra to pre-book his aisle seat.  Then he had to change his flight.  That dropped his reservation for the seat and he had to pay a second time to reserve the seat on the new flight.  The travel agent managed to organise a refund for him, which he could not have done by himself.  Generally speaking, you are not likely to encounter such hassles with booking a cruise on-line.

Direct

The cruise lines extend the same price if you book direct (i.e. by phoning the cruise-liner company).

For many this can possibly be the best way.  This is perfect for those who don’t enjoy sharing their credit card details, in any way, on the web.

A big advantage over booking online is that the cruise line staff may often be aware of specials that are coming up and not on line yet either and can advise of these.  You should always make a point of asking about specials as they are not duty bound to volunteer the information.

Special prices may come up close to departure.  It is not unheard of for prices being as low as 25% of the normal rate.  Empty berths bring in no revenue for the cruise company and they would rather travel fully booked.  Our tip for the very best price?  If you can afford the slight risk that you may not get on board, choose a less popular voyage, plan to cruise, save up your money, and then wait.