How to spot add-on surcharges before buying a flight ticket
Airlines charging hidden fees is a common practice now, with nearly 89% of airlines worldwide charging for one or more add-ons. These surcharges, ranging from seat selection to name-change fees, are not entirely hidden – they are disclosed during the booking process, screen by screen. But they are rarely included in headline prices or promotional adverts for fares, meaning the true cost of a flight only becomes apparent toward the end of the purchase journey, according to Euronews.
How to spot add-on surcharges while purchasing a flight ticket(Canva.com)
Airlines operating out of the US have the most hidden fees; comparatively, European airlines offer more transparency, and fees are generally lower for international airlines. Always check the add-on surcharges before buying a flight ticket.
Seat Selection, the most common add-on fee: Remember a time when you did not have to pay extra for seat selection? All it took was politely requesting your preferred seat at the time of check-in, and, if available, you got it without any fuss, without any extra payment. Now, you pay for choices. Want more legroom? Pay extra? Want to sit with family members? Pay extra? Want a window seat? Pay extra. Globally, seat selection is the most prevalent surcharge. Budget airlines often offer low ticket prices but separate family members in seat allocation – then, you have no choice but to pre-book seats for a fee.
Baggage Fee: Ryanair started the trend in 2006 when it began charging passengers a £2.50 fee for checked luggage, followed by £4 for ‘priority boarding’ in 2007. Soon, other airlines followed suit. Now, most airlines charge a baggage fee – the fee varies by airline, route, and type of baggage (cabin, checked-in, excess). Check with the airline about baggage allowance – number of bags, size, weight, dimensions allowed as checked-in or cabin baggage. Also, check the bag allowance for the domestic connecting flight after an international flight.
If your bag exceeds the weight allowance, it is always cheaper to pre-book than pay at the counter. Consider purchasing fare bundles that include baggage allowances, as they may offer better value.
Group Administration Fee: If you think travelling in a group is cheaper, it is not necessarily always so. You might get group ticketing discounts, but ask about the Group Administration Fee that most airlines charge – a fee to manage and cover the various aspects of managing and overseeing a group. Note that most airlines consider 10 or more passengers travelling together as a group, though some allow smaller groups to qualify – so check with the airline/agent whether your group qualifies as a ‘group’.
Also, remember, children will be charged the same fare and conditions as adults in a group booking. According to Air India, the groups are permitted for Economy class, Premium Economy and Business class separately and no mixed cabin itineraries are permitted. Group fares and conditions apply for departures within 363 days.
Infant Fee: Technically, no flight ticket is required for a child under the age of 2 years, but infants do not actually fly free. All airlines charge an Infant Fee that can vary on different flight routes. Indigo charges ₹4,200 as Infant Fee for flights out of India to Bangkok, Dubai, etc, while the fee goes up to ₹8,000 for flights to Europe.
Difference between Child & Infant Flight booking: ‘Child’ and ‘Infant’ are two different passenger categories. An infant is a passenger under two years of age (specifically 0-23 months) who does not require a dedicated seat, while a child is a passenger between ages 2 and 12 years and requires a dedicated seat. Check with the airline because a child cannot board if the ticket is incorrectly marked as ‘infant’.
Rescue Fee: Ever heard of a Rescue Fee? According to AirAsia, the Rescue Fee provides the traveller with the opportunity to rebook the missed trip and proceed with the flight journey on the next available flight on the same route. This option is usually offered at the check-in counter if you have missed the flight. Request must be made within one hour before or after your original scheduled time of departure (STD) or a new scheduled time of departure (NSTD). If the new flight has a higher fare than the original booked flight, the difference in fares, fees and charges shall be paid by the passenger before the flight change can be made. The Rescue Fee is not applicable for Fly-Thru flights.
Flight Change Fee: For the Flight Change Fee, a minimum of 48 hours before the scheduled time of departure (STD) is required for a generic flight change to be applied.
Travel Certificate: Indigo charges ₹300 to issue a travel certificate. If a request for a travel certificate is made through IndiGo’s call centre, an additional fee of INR 100 per person per sector will apply.
Unaccompanied Minors Fee: An unaccompanied minor fee is a charge levied by an airline for their dedicated service to supervise children flying alone, which is mandatory for younger children (5-11 years old) and optional for older children (12-15 years old). Indigo charges ₹9,999 (USD 125) to take care of an unaccompanied minor. On Emirates, children aged 5 to 11 flying alone must pay an adult fare and will receive the Unaccompanied Minors service. The rates might vary according to route, as well as direct vs connecting flights.
Top 10 Airlines with the most hidden charges (% of the flight cost)
- Spirit Airlines: 736%
- Volaris: 626%
- Etihad: 401%
- Frontier: 376%
- RizzyanAir: 344%
- WizzAir: 273%
- Sun Country Airlines: 201%
- Easy Jet: 170%
- Air Europa: 160%
- Delta Airlines: 158%
(Source: netvouchercodes.co.uk)
