Don't Get Caught Out by Airline Charging Tactics

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by: Kate Tee
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Word Count: 587
Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2009 Time: 12:18 AM
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The way we pay for travelling by air seems to have changed so much in recent years. Once upon a time a package holiday would include in-flight meals and refreshments, although they could be limited in supply depending on which airline you used.

Then airlines began to change the way they charge for holidays and flights by allowing consumers to opt out of the in-flight meal if they requested to do so at the time of booking. In return, the customer would then have an amount deducted of their total holiday bill.

Since then of course, we have also seen the introduction of baggage fees, with many low-cost airlines in the UK now levying a charge on passengers who want to take luggage on the plane, although this varies by airline.

But now there could be even more charges coming your way.

Providing advanced passenger information

If you are travelling to another country, you may be asked by the airline you're travelling with to provide personal information about yourself.

For security reasons, the US, most EU States and other countries around the world require airlines to provide details about their passengers before they travel. This is known as Advance Passenger Information (API).

API requirements vary from country to country but your chosen airline should be able to tell you what they need from you.

Providing your API should not be confused with applying for a visa. You will still need to follow the entry rules for every country you visit, as well as any customs and passport control regulations.

The API that airlines may require can generally be found on the machine-readable page of your passport - that is the page that contains your photograph.

This information includes:
• full name
• date of birth
• gender
• passport number
• country that issued your passport
• date of passport expiration

You may also be asked to provide the address of your first night's stay when you reach your destination.

So where does the charge come in?

This information will be taken either at the time of booking or by an automated passport reader during check-in, although if you do not provide your advanced passenger information you may not be allowed to travel.

For those who do not provide the required API before getting to the airport, an extra charge may be incurred at check-in, although whether a charge is levied or not currently depends on the airline.

How to avoid any potential extra charges

As the list of countries asking for API continues to grow, it is important you check the complete details of what is required of you so as to avoid any extra charges or problems.

Simply register your personal passenger details with your airline - you should be able to do this online - and make sure you do this well before you check-in at the airport. Contact the airline to find out their exact process of registering.

If you are unsure about what you need to do you can also:

• Check with the consulate or embassy of the country you are visiting
• Visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice website
• Speak to your airline before you travel -and ideally at the time of booking

About the Author

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