INICIO    BUSINESS IDEAS     BUSINESS IDEAS II    BUSINESS IDEAS III

Business Ideas: A Consumer Guide to Air Travel Part 3 of 3

Domestic Travel
 
For domestic travel, an airline may provide all of its
contract terms on or with your ticket at the time you
buy it. Many small ôcommuterö carriers use this
system. Other airlines may elect to ôincorporate
terms by reference.ö This means that you are not
given all the airline's rules with your ticketùmost
of them are contained in a separate document which
you can inspect on request. 
    If an airline elects to ôincorporate by
referenceö it must provide conspicuous written
notice with each ticket that:
1)    it incorporates terms by reference, and 
2)    these terms may include liability limitations,
claim-filing deadlines, check-in deadlines,
and certain other key terms. 
The airline must also:
 
Ensure that passengers can receive an explanation of
key terms identified on the ticket from any location
where the carrier's tickets are sold, including travel
agencies; 
 
Make available for inspection the full text of its
contract of carriage at each of its own airport and
city ticket offices; 
 
Mail a free copy of the full text of its contract of
carriage upon request.
 
    There are additional notice requirements
for contract terms that affect your air fare. Airlines
must provide a conspicuous written notice on or
with the ticket concerning any ôincorporatedö
contract terms that:
 
     Restrict refunds;
 
     Impose monetary penalties; or
 
     Permit the airline to raise the price after
you've bought the ticket.
 
    If an airline incorporates contract terms by
reference and fails to provide the required notice
about a particular rule, the passenger will not be
bound by that rule.
 
International Travel
 
Not all of the detailed requirements for disclosing
domestic contract terms apply to international travel.
Airlines file ôtariff rulesö with the government for
this transportation. Passengers are generally bound
by these rules whether or not they receive actual
notice about them.
    Every international airline must keep a
copy of its tariff rules at its airport and city ticket
offices. You have a right to examine these rules. The
airline agents must answer your questions about
information in the tariff, and they must help you
locate specific tariff rules, if necessary. If the airline
keeps its tariff in a computer rather than on paper,
there are additional disclosure requirements which
are similar to those for domestic contract terms. 
    The most important point to remember,
whether your travel is domestic or international, is
that you should not be afraid to ask questions about
a carrier's rules. You have a right to know the terms
of your contract of carriage. It is in your best
interest, as well as that of the airline, for you to ask
in advance about any matters of uncertainty. 
 
Unlike most products, travel services usually have to
be paid for before they are delivered. This creates
opportunities for disreputable individuals and
companies. Some travel packages turn out to be very
different from what was presented or what the
consumer expected. Some don't materialize at all!
    If you receive an offer by phone or mail for
a free or extremely low-priced vacation trip to a
popular destination (often Hawaii or Florida), there
are a few things you should look for:
 
Does the price seem too good to be true? If so, it
probably is. 
 
Are you asked to give your credit card number over
the phone? 
 
Are you pressured to make an immediate decision? 
 
Is the carrier simply identified as ôa major airline,ö
or does the representative offer a collection of
airlines without being able to say which one you will
be on? 
 
Is the representative unable or unwilling to give you
a street address for the company? 
 
Are you told you can't leave for at least two
months? (The deadline for disputing a credit card
charge is 60 days, and most scam artists know this.) 
 
If you encounter any of these symptoms, proceed
cautiously. Ask for written information to be sent to
you; any legitimate travel company will be happy to
oblige. If they don't have a brochure, ask for a day
or two to think it over; most bona fide deals that are
good today will still be good two days from now. If
they say no to both requests, this probably isn't the
trip for you. Some other advice:
 
If you are told that you've won a free vacation, ask
if you have to buy something else in order to get it.
Some packages have promoted free air fare, as long
as you buy expensive hotel arrangements. Others
include a free hotel stay, but no air fare. 
 
If you are seriously considering the vacation offer
and are confident you have established the full price
you will pay, compare the offer to what you might
obtain elsewhere. Frequently, the appeal of free air
fare or free accommodations disguises the fact that
the total price is still higher than that of a regular
package tour. 
 
Get a confirmed departure date, in writing, before
you pay anything. Eye skeptically any promises that
an acceptable date will be arranged later. If the
package involves standby or waitlist travel, or a
reservation that can only be provided much later,
ask if your payment is refundable if you want to
cancel, and don't pay any money you can't afford to
lose. 
 
If the destination is a beach resort, ask the seller how
far the hotel is from the beach. Then ask the hotel. 
 
Determine the complete cost of the trip in dollars,
including all service charges, taxes, processing fees,
etc. 
 
If you decide to buy the trip after checking it out,
paying by credit card gives you certain legal rights
to pursue a chargeback (credit) if promised services
aren't delivered.
 
For further advice, see Other Sources of
Information at the end of this brochure for details
on how to order the Federal Trade Commission's
pamphlet Telemarketing Travel Fraud.

Flying is a routine activity for millions of Americans,
and raises no health considerations for the great
majority of them. However, there are certain things
you can do to ensure that your flight is as
comfortable as possible. 
    Changes in pressure can temporarily block
the Eustachian tube, causing your ears to æpop' or to
experience a sensation of fullness. To equalize the
pressure, swallow frequently; chewing gum
sometimes helps. Yawning is also effective. Avoid
sleeping during descent; you may not swallow often
enough to keep ahead of the pressure change. 
        If yawning or swallowing doesn't help, use
the ævalsalva maneuver':
 
     Pinch your nostrils shut, then breathe in a
mouthful of air. 
 
     Using only your cheek and throat muscles,
force air into the back of your nose as if you
were trying to blow your thumb and finger
off your nostrils. 
 
     Be very gentle and blow in short successive
attempts. When you hear or feel a pop in your
ears, you have succeeded. Never force air
from your lungs or abdomen (diaphragm);
this can create pressures that are too intense. 
 
    Babies are especially troubled by these
pressure changes during descent. Having them feed
from a bottle or suck on a pacifier will often provide
relief. 
    Avoid flying if you have recently had
abdominal, eye or oral surgery, including a root
canal. The pressure changes that occur during climb
and descent can result in discomfort. 
    If you have an upper respiratory or sinus
infection, you may also experience discomfort
resulting from pressure changes. Postpone your trip
if possible. (Check to see if your fare has
cancellation or change penalties.)
    A final tip on pressure changes: they cause
your feet to swell. Try not to wear new or tight
shoes while flying.
 
Airliner air is dry; if you wear contact lenses, blink often
and limit reading.
 
    Alcohol and coffee both have a drying
effect on the body. Airliner cabin air is relatively dry
to begin with, and the combination can increase
your chances of contracting a respiratory infection.
If you wear contact lenses, the low cabin humidity
and/or consumption of alcohol or coffee can reduce
your tear volume, leading to discomfort if you don't
blink often enough. Lens wearers should clean their
lenses thoroughly before the flight, use lubricating
eye drops during the flight, read in intervals, and
take the lenses out if they nap. (This may not apply
to extended wear lenses; consult your practitioner.)
    If you take prescription medications, bring
enough to last through your trip. Take along a copy
of the prescription, or your doctor's name and
telephone number, in case the medication is lost or
stolen. The medicine should be in the original
prescription bottle in order to avoid questions at
security or Customs inspections. Carry it in a pocket
or a carry-on bag; don't pack it in a checked bag, in
case the bag is lost. 
 
    You can minimize the effects of jet lag in
several ways:
 
        Get several good nights' sleep before your trip.
 
     Try to take a flight that arrives at night, so you
can go straight to bed.
 
     Sleep on the plane (although not during descent).
 
     During the flight do isometric exercises, eat
lightly, and drink little or no alcohol. 
 
    Try to use a rest room in the airport
terminal before departure. On some flights the cabin
crew begins beverage service shortly after the
Fasten Seat Belts sign is turned off, and the
serving cart may block access to the lavatories. 

Air travel is so safe you'll probably never have to use
any of the advice we're about to give you. But if
you ever do need it, this information could save
your life. 
    Airline passengers usually take safety for
granted when they board an airplane. They tune out
the crew's pre-flight announcements or reach for a
magazine instead of the cards that show how to open
the emergency exit and what to do if the oxygen
mask drops down. Because of this, people are
needlessly hurt or killed in accidents they could
have survived. 
    Every time you board a plane, here are
some things you should do:
 
Be reasonable about the amount of carry-on luggage
that you bring. FAA rules require airlines to limit
the amount of carry-on baggage, and if you try to
carry too much with you, the crew may insist that
you check in some items. (There is no universal
limit; it depends on the aircraft type and the
passenger load.) A bag that is not properly stowed
could turn into an unguided missile in an accident or
block the aisles during an evacuation. 
 
Count the number of rows to the nearest emergency
exit. 

Be careful about what you put into the storage bins
over your seat. Their doors may pop open during an
accident or even a hard landing, spilling their
contents. Also, passengers in aisle seats have been
injured by heavy items falling out of these
compartments when people are stowing or retrieving
belongings at the beginning or end of a flight. Please
be considerate of others and put hard, heavy items
under the seat in front of you; save the overhead
bins for coats, hats, and small, soft bags.
 
As soon as you sit down, fasten and unfasten your
seat belt a couple of times. Watch how it works.
There are several kinds of belts, and in an
emergency you don't want to waste time fumbling
with the buckle. 
 
procedures, pointing out emergency exits and
explaining seat belts, life vests and oxygen masks.
Listen carefully and if there's anything you don't
understand ask the flight attendants for help. 
 
 
The plastic card in the seat pocket in front
of you will review some of the safety information
announced by the flight attendant. Read it. It also
tells you about emergency exits and how to find and
use emergency equipment such as oxygen masks. 
        As you're reading the card look for your
closest emergency exit, and count the number of
rows between yourself and this exit. Remember, the
losest exit may be behind you. Have a second
escape route planned in case the nearest exit is
blocked. This is important because people
sometimes head for the door they used to board the
plane, usually in the front of the first class cabin.
This wastes time and blocks the aisles. 
        Oxygen masks aren't the same on all
planes. Sometimes they drop down in front of you.
On some aircraft, however, you'll have to pull them
out of a compartment in front of your seat. In either
case, you must tug the plastic tube slightly to get the
oxygen flowing. If you don't understand the
instructions about how the mask works, ask a flight
attendant to explain it to you.
    When the plane is safely in the air and has
reached its cruising level, the pilot usually turns off
the ôfasten seat beltö sign. He or she usually
suggests that passengers keep their belts buckled
anyway during the flight in case the plane hits rough
air. Just as seat belts should always be worn in cars,
they should always be fastened in airplanes. 
 
If you are ever in an air accident, you should
remember these things:
 
Stay calm. 
 
Listen to the crew members and do what they say.
The cabin crew's most important job is to help you
leave safely. 
 
Before you try to open any emergency exit yourself,
look outside the window. If you see a fire outside
the door, don't open it or the flames may spread into
the cabin. Try to use your alternate escape route. 
 
Remember, smoke rises. So try to stay down if
there's smoke in the cabin. Follow the track of
emergency lights embedded in the floor; they lead to
an exit. If you have a cloth, put it over your nose
and mouth. 
 
    After an air accident, the National
Transportation Safety Board always talks to
survivors to try to learn why they were able to make
it through safely. They've discovered that, as a rule,
it does help to be prepared. Avoiding serious injury
or surviving an air accident isn't just a matter of
luck; it's also a matter of being informed and
thinking ahead. 
    Are you one of those people who jumps up
as soon as the plane lands, gathers up coat, suitcase
and briefcase, and gets ready to sprint while the
plane is still moving? If so, resist the urge. Planes
sometimes make sudden stops when they are taxiing
to the airport gate, and passengers have been injured
when they were thrown onto a seat back or the edge
of a door to an overhead bin. Stay in your seat with
your belt buckled until the plane comes to a
complete halt and the æfasten seat belt' sign is turned
off. 
    Never smoke in airplane restrooms.
Smoking was banned in all but the designated
smoking sections after an accident killed 116 people
in only 4 minutes, apparently because a careless
smoker left a burning cigarette butt in the trash bin.
There is a penalty of up to $2,000 for disabling a
lavatory smoke detector. Also, don't smoke in the
aisle. If there is a sudden bump you could stumble
and burn yourself or another passenger. Lit
cigarettes have also flown out of passengers' hands
and rolled under seats. 
 
When passengers comment on airline service, most
airlines do listen. They analyze and keep track of the
complaints and compliments they receive and use
the information to determine what the public wants
and to identify problem areas that need special
attention. They also try to resolve individual
complaints. 
    Like other businesses, airlines have a lot of
discretion in how they respond to problems. While
you do have some rights as a passenger, your
demands for compensation will probably be subject
to negotiation and the kind of action you get
depends in large part on the way you go about
complaining. 
    Start with the airline. Before you call or
write to DOT or some other agency for help with an
air travel problem, you should give the airline a
chance to resolve it. 
    As a rule, airlines have trouble-shooters at
the airports (they're usually called Customer Service
Representatives) who can take care of many
problems on the spot. They can arrange meals and
hotel rooms for stranded passengers, write checks
for denied boarding compensation, arrange luggage
repairs and settle other routine claims or complaints
that involve relatively small amounts of money. 

A complaint letter should always include a daytime
phone number.

        If you can't resolve the problem at the
airport and want to file a complaint, it's best to call
or write the airline's consumer office at its corporate
headquarters. Take notes at the time the incident
occurs and jot down the names of the carrier em-
ployees with whom you dealt. Keep all of your
travel documents (ticket receipts, baggage check
stubs, boarding passes, etc.) as well as receipts for
any out-of-pocket expenses that were incurred as a 
 
result of the mishandling. Here are some helpful tips
should you choose to write a letter.
 
Type the letter and, if at all possible, limit it to one
page in length. 
 
Include your daytime telephone number (with area
code). 
 
No matter how angry you might be, keep your letter
businesslike in tone and don't exaggerate what
happened. If the complaint sounds very vehement or
sarcastic, you might wait a day and then consider
rewriting it. 
 
Describe what happened, and give dates, cities, and
flight numbers or flight times. 
 
Send copies, never the originals, of tickets and
receipts or other documents that can back up your
claim. 
 
Include the names of any employees who were rude
or made things worse, as well as anyone who might
have been especially helpful. 

Don't clutter up your complaint with petty gripes
that can obscure what you're really angry about.
 
Let the airline know if you've suffered any special
inconvenience or monetary losses. 
 
Say just what you expect the carrier to do to make
amends. An airline may offer to settle your claim
with a check or some other kind of compensation,
possibly free transportation. You might want a
written apology from a rude employee or
reimbursement for some loss you incurredùbut the
airline needs to know what you want before it can
decide what action to take. 

Be reasonable. If your demands are way out of line,
your letter might earn you a polite apology and a
place in the airline's crank files.
 
    If you follow these guidelines, the airlines
will probably treat your complaint seriously. Your
letter will help them to determine what caused your
problem, as well as to suggest actions the company
can take to keep the same thing from happening to
other people. 
 
Contacting the Department of
Transportation
 
If you need assistance or want to put your complaint
about an airline on record with DOT, call the Office
of Consumer Affairs at (202) 366-2220 or write:
 
Office of Consumer Affairs, I-25
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
 
If you write, please be sure to include your address
and a daytime telephone number, with area code. 
    We can provide information about what
rights you may or may not have under Federal laws.
If your complaint was not properly handled by the
airline, we will contact them and get back to you. 
    Letters from consumers help us spot
problem areas and trends in the airline industry. We
use our complaint files to document the need for
changes in DOT's consumer protection regulations
and, where warranted, as the basis for enforcement
action. In addition, every month we publish a report
with information about the number of complaints we
receive about each airline and what problems people
are having. You can write or call us for a free single
copy of this Air Travel Consumer Report, which
also has statistics that the airlines file with us on
flight delays, oversales and mishandled baggage. 
    If your complaint is about something you
feel is a safety or security hazard, write to the
Federal Aviation Administration:
 
Community and Consumer Liaison
   Division, APA-200
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20591
 
or call: (800) FAA-SURE. After office hours, if you
want to report something that you believe is a
serious safety hazard, call the Aviation Safety
Hotline at 1-800-255-1111. 
 
Local consumer help programs
 
In most communities there are consumer help
groups that try to mediate complaints about
businesses, including airlines and travel agencies.
 
Most state governments have a special office that
investigates consumer problems and complaints.
Sometimes it is a separate division in the governor's
or state attorney general's office. Check your
telephone book under the state government's listing.
 
Many cities and counties have consumer affairs
departments that handle complaints. Often you can
register your complaint and get information over the
phone or in person. 
 
A number of newspapers and radio or TV stations
operate Hot Lines or Action Lines where
individual consumers can get help. Consumer
reporters, with the help of volunteers, try to mediate
complaints and may report the results as a news
item. The possible publicity encourages companies
to take fast action on consumer problems when they
are referred by the media. Some Action Lines,
however, may not be able to handle every complaint
they receive. They often select the most severe
problems or those that are most representative of the
kinds of complaints they receive. 
 
 
Your last resort
 
If nothing else works, small claims court might be
the best way for you to help yourself. Many cities
have these courts to settle disputes involving
relatively small amounts of money and to reduce the
red tape and expense that people generally fear
when they sue someone. An airline can generally be
sued in small claims court in any jurisdiction where
it operates flights or does business. 
    You can usually get the details of how to
use the small claims court in your community by
contacting your city or county office of consumer
affairs, or the clerk of the court. As a rule, small
claims court costs are low, you don't need a lawyer,
and the procedures are much less formal and
intimidating than they are in most other types of
courts.

Aguascalientes, Pabellón, Arteaga, Rincón, Romos, Baja California, Mexicali, Ensenada, Tijuana, Tecate, San Felipe, Quintín, Sur, Paz, Ciudad, Cd. Constitución, Villa Insurgentes, Loreto, Santa Rosalía, Mulegé, Cabo Lucas, San José, Campeche, del  Carmen, Pemex, Champotón, Francisco Fco. Escárcega, Coahuila, Saltillo, Monclova, Torreón, Piedras Negras, Acuña, Frontera, Parras Fuente, Melchor Múzquiz, Nueva Rosita, Sabinas, Pedro Colonias, Arteaga, Colima, Manzanillo, Santiago, Tecomán, Comala, Armería, Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Tapachula, Cristóbal, Casas, Yajalón, Ocozocuautla, Tonalá, Escuintla, Comitán, Chiapa, Corzo, Venustiano, Carranza, Ocosingo, Chihuahua, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, Hidalgo Parral, Delicias, Camargo, Jiménez, Nuevo, Casas, Grandes, Distrito, Federal, DF, Durango, Lerdo, Gómez Palacio, Santiago Papasquiaro, Guadalupe Victoria, Tepehuanes, Nvo., Ideal, Guanajuato, Irapuato, León, Salamanca, Celaya, Dolores Hidalgo, Silao, Comonfort, Miguel, Allende, Cuerámaro, Cortazar, Luis, Yuriria, Moroleón, Acámbaro, Salvatierra, Apaseo, Pénjamo, Dolores, Guerrero, Chilpancingo, Acapulco, Iguala, Taxco, Altamirano, Atoyac, Álvarez, Teloloapan, Arcelia, Tecpan Galeana, Coyuca, Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Hidalgo, Pachuca, Tulancingo, Huejutla, Actopan, Tula, Tlaxcoapan, Sahagún, Jalisco, Guadalajara, Tlaquepaque, Tonalá, Zapopan, Tlajomulco, Zúñiga, Ocotlán, Chapala, Axixic, Ajijic, Jocotepec, Barca, Corona, Cocula, Zacoalco, Tecolotlán, Juchitlán, Tapalpa, Sayula, Casimiro, Castillo, Autlán, Navarro, Ameca, Etzatlán, Barra, Navidad, Melaque, Tomatlán, Mascota, Tequila, Magdalena, Miguel, Alto, Salto, Atotonilco, Guzmán, Cihuatlán, Huerta, Mazamitla, Teocaltiche, Tepatitlán, Arandas, Lagos, Moreno, Juan, Lagos, Tamazula, Zapoltitic, Jalostotitlán, Encarnación, Díaz, Tapalpa, Tala, Mascota, Ayutla, Ameca, Tomatlán, Mismaloya, Vallarta, Cihuatlán, Amatlán, Cañas, Colotlán, Bolaños, Degollado, Ojuelos, Totatiche, Tecuán, Yahualica, Tecalitlán, Estado, México, Toluca, Atizapán, Zaragoza, Nezahualcóyotl, Coacalco, Cuautitlán, Izcalli, Chimalhuacán, Ecatepec, Morelos, Huixquilucan, Reyes, Acaquilpan, Metepec, Naucalpan, Nicolás, Romero, Texcoco, Tlalnepantla, Tultitlán, Valle, Bravo, Atlacomulco, Calixtlahuaca, Michoacán, Morelia, Uruapan, Apatzingán, Zamora, Zacapu, Italia, Lázaro, Cárdenas, Cuitzeo, Porvenir, Pátzcuaro, Tacámbaro, Reyes, Tepalcatepec, Jiquilpan, Sahuayo, Playa Azul, Huandacareo, Zitácuaro, Quiroga, Paracho, Cherán, Piedad, Yurécuaro, Ario, Rosales, Coalcomán, Tepelcatepec, Huacana,Cotija, Tzintzuntzan, Morelos, Cuernavaca, Cuautla, Puruándiro, Nayarit, Tepic, Compostela, Blas, Ixtlán, Río, Bucerías, Sayulita, Rincón, Guayabitos, Punta, Mita, María, Oro, Ahuacatlán, Xalisco, Santiago, Ixcuintla, Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mty., Garza, García, Apodaca, Guadalupe, Gpe., Linares, General, Escobedo, Montemorelos, Nicolás, Catarina, Cadereyta, Jiménez, Sabinas, Bustamante, Oaxaca, Juchitán, Tehuantepec, Salina, Cruz, Puebla, Tehuacán, Cholula, Atlixco, Martín, Texmelucan, Teziutlán, Libres, Oriental, Zacatlán, Izúcar, Tecali, Tepeaca, Tlacotepec, Atencingo, Huauchinango, Querétaro, San Juan Río, Tequisquiapan, Cadereyta, Chetumal, Cancún, Cozumel, Isla, Mujeres, Chetumal, Playa del Carmen, Potosí (SLP), Valles, Río, Verde, Matehuala, Ébano, Tamazunchale, Soledad, Diez, Gutiérrez, Venado, Tamuín, Maíz, Rayón, Sinaloa, Culiacán, Guamúchil, Guasave, Mochis, Mazatlán, Escuinapa, Costa, Rica, Fuerte, Topolobampo, Mocorito, Pericos, Sonora, Hermosillo, Obregón, Navojoa, Guaymas, Nogales, Colorado, Agua, Prieta, Caborca, Peñasco, Magdalena, Kino, Empalme, Huatabampo, Yaqui, Esperanza, Cananea, Tabasco, Villahermosa, Comalcalco, Victoria, Macuspana, Pemex, Tamaulipas, Madero, Mante, Matamoros, Laredo, Reynosa, Río Bravo, Tampico, Victoria, Tlaxcala, Apizaco, Veracruz, Jalapa, Xalapa, Boca, Río, Coatepec, Coatzacoalcos, Córdoba, Mrizaba, Minatitlán, Naranjos, Papantla, Poza, Rica, Andrés Tuxtla, Tuxpan, Tierra Blanca, Álamo, Tempoal, Sánchez, Misantla, Andrés, Naranjos, Cosamaloapan, Cardel, Alotonga, Tantoyuca, Perote, Tecolutla, Pánuco, Yucatán, Mérida, Progreso, Tizimín, Valladolid, Tekax, Sotuta, Peto, Izamal, Zacatecas, Fresnillo, Jerez, Sombrerete, Jalpa, Moyahua, Tlaltenango, Teúl, González, Juchipila, Loreto