Voilà, comme beaucoup, je suis tombé dans le diabolique piège marketting que constitue le programme Flying Blue. Ils ne s'y sont pas trompés ces malins de concepteurs. Je n'en suis pas encore à compter et vérifier mes miles tel Picsou tous les jours sur le site AF, mais bon, je reste quand même vigilant.
Pour preuve que le programme est ingénieux, je fais un petit voyage de dernière minute avant le 31 décembre pour conserver mon petit statut de Gold aux privilèges non négligeables et j'évite avec une horreur devenue presque sytématique cette classe de réservation que constitue la "L" (qui ne rapporte, je le rappelle aux non initiés qui ne doivent pas être nombreux, seulement 25% des miles parcourus), quitte à payer un peu plus cher pour avoir la "T" qui rapporte, elle, bien les 100%. Comme quoi, on ne peut nier que côté fidélisation, Flying Blue est tout simplement génial.
Voici une idée qui m'est venue la dernière fois et je vous l'expose.
Pour un vol A/R JFK/CDG, comme à mes habitudes, j'allais me rendre à l'agence AF de NYC où j'habite pour acheter directement le billet en classe "T" puisque, à l'époque où j'achetais, à savoir J-40, le site d'AF propose automatiquement la classe "L" à $430 ou alors la "Y" (pour avoir la "T", il aurait fallu que j'attende un peu plus, mais se pose alors le problème du choix du siège moins grand à mesure que le vol se remplit...).
Mais avant, je me souviens que c'est un vol en code share avec Delta. Sur le site de Delta, le même billet que la classe "L" d'AF à $430, mais qui est, chez Delta, sous la classe "T" de Delta (pas la même "T" qu'AF) qui me donne bien 100%.
Je me dis donc, après avoir vérifié chez Flying Blue que la "T" de Delta donne bien 100%, que l'on a là une opportunité de ruser et "contourner" l'écueil de la classe "L" en achetant exactement le même billet chez Delta plutôt que chez AF. Je me suis surpris qu'ils n'aient pas pensé à ça chez AF.
Quand je dis "exactement le même billet" c'est parce qu'il s'agit vraiment du même vol, du même avion.
Mais alors, un doute me traverse : le vol est peut-être un vol codeshare DL/AF, mais il est opéré par AF. En clair, cela signifie que l'enregistrement se fait aux comptoirs d'AF, et que par conséquent, le coupon d'embarquement est imprimé par AF avec le numéro de vol en code AF alors que le E-ticket aura le code DL. Il n'est alors donc pas impossible que les miles soient crédités automatiquement sous un vol avec un code AF au lieu de DL. Mais alors...comme le tarif correspond à une classe "L" chez AF, on se fait piéger au final...(je me dis qu'après tout, ils ont dû prévoir ça chez AF).
Aussi, ce qui m'intrigue, c'est que j'ai l'impression que la classe de voyage est au final rentrée par l'agent au sol à l'enregistrement une fois qu'il/elle a regardé le prix que l'on a payé sur la facture ou le E-ticket. Je dis ça parce qu'à plusieurs reprises, j'ai acheté une classe "T" alors que sur la carte d'embarquement, il est écrit Y et qu'en consultant mon compte en ligne, l'opération correspondant au vol en question précise aussi que c'est une classe "Y" (ou "M" parfois). J'en conclus que c'est la classe qui est écrite sur le coupon d'embarquement qui est décisive, la preuve est que pour créditer des miles manquants, FB a besoin de notre coupon de vol pour justement voir dans quelle classe on a voyagé.
Là, il faudrait quelqu'un de renseigné sur le sujet.
Donc ma question est : y a-t-il un réel moyen de ruser ou au final est-ce que l'on se fait happer inéluctablement par cette "infâme" classe "L" ??
Pour info, ce qui m'attire le plus chez FB, ce ne sont pas tant les miles primes (j'ai cru comprendre que globalement, c'est quand même relativement difficile d'obtenir un billet prime même si pour les membre Gold et Platinum les billets primes sont choisis parmi les sièges "Y") mais davantage les privilèges élite. Et là où il y a moyen de ne pas perdre voire grapiller des miles qualifiants (vols internationaux, AMEX Gold AF/KLM), je fais attention...
Euh j'ais de gros gros doutes sur l'idée que les Gold et Plat. seraient réservés en Y sur les mini miles....C'est le cas pour les opti miles mais comme tout le monde. Cela dit il me semble (à moins qu'il s'agisse du programme Flying Dutch) que les élites pouvait booker leurs billets primes une classe de tarif au dessus que le commun des mortels.
Pour ton histoire de Delta, j'ais adopté la même technique que toi: billet Delta en T sur vol Air France, je suis quasi sur que ça marche. Tu achètes sur Delta, sur numéro de vol delta avec une tarification Delta, il n'y a pas de doutes...
Ma question est simplement : sur un vol en codeshare, il y a deux codes de vol et deux classes de tarif correspondant à chacune des deux compagnies. Lors du transfert des miles, sous le code quel vol se fait le crédit ?
Dans le cas d'un vol DL8588/AF007 par exemple est-ce que sur mon relevé Flying Blue (ou pour un membre du programme Delta Skymiles) les miles sont enregistrés sous le vol AF007 ou DL8588 ?
Sachant que le vol est opéré par AF, les coupons d'embarquement seront imprimés par AF et montreront un code AF et non DL, même pour ceux qui ont acheté le billet chez Delta et que sur leur billet, il sera marqué "vol DL8588"...--
Merci Yop pour ta réponse. En ce qui concerne le fait que les billets primes sont réservés sur les sièges en classe Y pour les Gold et les Platinum, je l'ai lu ailleurs, mais bien sûr, je ne garantis l'exactitude des faits. Voici le lien cers la discussion (très intéressante) :
"Sont ELITEs :
les Flying Blue SILVER et aussi les GOLD USA (lesquels gardent cependant la possibilité de fréquenter les salons Air France et Klm contrairement aux SILVERs).
Je signale par ailleurs que si vous avez un niveau Elite chez Skyteam (par exemple Silver ou au-dessus chez Flying Blue) et que vous commandiez une récompense (un billet gratuit) dans le barême Optimiles, le siège est réservé en W sur les vols longs-courriers, ce qui donne plus de possibilité que les seuls places gratuites X (réservés à Monsieur et Madame tout le monde).
Si de plus vous êtes Elite Plus (Gold ou Platinum), les sièges sont choisis en Y, ou il reste forcément plus de places disponibles et plus longtemps.
Disons donc que plus votre niveau d'élite est élevé, plus vous avez de chance d'obtenir le ou les sièges gratuits demandés sur un vol AIR France ou KLM car on pioche le siège dans un inventaire plus grand."
Ummm ouais je penses qe le mec s'est un peu embrouillé. Si tu est élite tu peux reserver en mini miles dans les classes X et W, mais Y c'est le tarif le plus cher, c'est impossible.
Par contre effectivement les optis miles sont proposés dans tous les cas, si il reste des places, donc eventellement en Y...mais por le double de la grille normale de miles !
Pour info, aux comptoirs d'enregistrement, ce ne sont pas les agents qui indiquent la classe : c'est le système informatique, en fonction du type de billet acheté.
Donc, en achetant de la classe "T" de chez DL, et même en voyageant sur un vol AF en codeshare DL, et même en se faisant enregistré par des agents AF sur un système Gaetan propre à AF, il n'y a aucun problème : les 100% de miles seront acquis ! C'est la classe de réservation initiale qui prévaut.
Cependant, ceci peut être intéressant pour un vol A/R mais au départ des USA... Pas dans le sens contraire : en effet, au départ de France par exemple, les billets DL sont toujours plus chers que les billets AF, même en code-share, pour un niveau de classe équivalent ! Non concurrence oblige ! ;)
C'est marrant (ce n'est plus le cas maintenant) mais j'ais toujours constaté l'inverse, le billet DL était moins cher que ceux d'AF au départ de Paname.
Aucun doute, s'il y a effectivement une opportunité d'arbitrage via Delta et qui nous permet de contourner l'écueil de la classe "L", je ne vais pas me priver et vais de ce pas acheter directement sur le site de Delta...
Je pense que ce "trick" servira à beaucoup d'autres voyageurs. De même que les voyageurs Skymiles de Delta pourront acheter des billets en codeshare NYC/CDG chez AF sur des vols opérés par Delta.
Il est vrai que je culpabilise un peu de passer par ce subterfuge alors que je suis plutôt "loyal" envers AF, mais là, c'est quand même dommage de voir s'envoler 75% de miles qualifiants...Je ne pense pas foncièrement "tricher" puisqu'au final, Delta va reverser le prix à AF (codeshare oblige).
Voilà.
See ya'
vinny
PS: Au fait Yop, après toutes les réponses de toi que je vois dans les posts, t'es assez familier avec les US. Moi, je viens d'arriver aux US donc je me permettrai, si tu le veux bien, de te garder ton contact pour des conseils de voyages.
Aussi, ce qui m'intrigue, c'est que j'ai l'impression que la classe de voyage est au final rentrée par l'agent au sol à l'enregistrement une fois qu'il/elle a regardé le prix que l'on a payé sur la facture ou le E-ticket. Je dis ça parce qu'à plusieurs reprises, j'ai acheté une classe "T" alors que sur la carte d'embarquement, il est écrit Y et qu'en consultant mon compte en ligne, l'opération correspondant au vol en question précise aussi que c'est une classe "Y" (ou "M" parfois). J'en conclus que c'est la classe qui est écrite sur le coupon d'embarquement qui est décisive, la preuve est que pour créditer des miles manquants, FB a besoin de notre coupon de vol pour justement voir dans quelle classe on a voyagé.
Là, il faudrait quelqu'un de renseigné sur le sujet
__
Bonjour,
Je sais pas si je suis suffisamment calé pour répondre, mais avec mon expérience et les problèmes que j'ai pû rencontrer avec cette pu.... de classe L, je sais que le cumul des miles sur ton vol dépend du tarif que tu as payé et du code vol que tu as sur ta résa. Cad que si tu achètes un vol AFXXXX et que tu es en classe L sur du LC, tu ne cumuleras que 25% car tu a acheté un billet à Air France. Par contre si tu achètes, comme tu dis, le même billet aux même conditions mais tonn code vol est DLXXXX, tu as effectivement droit à 100% de miles. Pkoi? Parce que tout simplement tu as acheté ton billet non pas à AF mais à quelqu'un d'autre et que les condition de cumul c'est tout sauf AF. Drôle de stratégie en effet, incompréhensible d'ailleurs de la part d'AF. En discutant avec les chargés de clientèle FB, j'ai pû me rendre compte que c'est une vrai alternative à cette classe L sur AF.
Donc, si tu as le choix entre un vol AFXXXX et DLXXXX sur le même trajet et les même condition, avec sans doute un tarif moins cher sur DL, alors, je n'hésiterais pas un instant, je prends DL, car au final, tu voyageras quand même avec AF, dans les conditions AF, qui semblent quand même meilleure que DL...
Ca marche aussi avec AZ et tous les autres....
pour répondre rapidement à Iledereve : non, l'agent d'enregistrement ne rentre pas manuellement la classe tarifaire. Celle-ci est connue à l'avance, par le lien entre le système de réservation (Amadeus) et celui d'enreistrement (Gaetan). Ce qui apparait sur le reçu de la carte d'accès à bord, c'est la classe de transport. Lorsque tu montres ta CAB à l'hotesse/steward à la porte de l'avion, ça ne l'intéresse pas de savoir que tu as acquitté un tarif T, L, W ou Y, mais de savoir que tu voyages en Y, J ou P (M, S ou C sur les antilles).
Donc, bien faire le distingo entre la classe de réservation (le tarif) et la classe de transport (la cabine).
Quant aux subtilités T/L entre AF et DL... je me déclare incompétent en la matière :-)
Et bien, tranquille la vie, Paris va pas trop te manquer...Mais passes à la prochaine étape du vrai Frequent Flyer: créer un itinéraire relou qui te donnera le max de miles pour le prix le plus petit. Au programme: A/R NYC-CDG via Détroit et Amsterdam....ou Venise....ou Prague😉...Les possibilités sont nombreuses avec à la clé des détours pas possibles et des heures perdues dans toutes sortes d'aéroports !
Bon je l'admets, nous autres étudiants avons souvent du temps à perdre😛
En fait, je compte faire en fin d'annee un vol NYC/CDG/SGN A/R pour visiter le Vietnam.
Mais faut attendre, car depuis que je suis passe en contrat local a l'americaine, je n'ai plus que 2 semaines de vacances par an.
Sinon, l'annee prochaine, je compte faire un A/R Paris/Tahiti en First. Avec le voyage A/R JFK/CDG, je crois que je suis bon a passer Platinum direct. Le voyage de mes reves...
L'avantage d'etre un actif a l'americaine, c'est que, l'on a moins de temps que vous autres etudiants pour voyager, certes, mais au moins, on a tout le budget annuel des vacances a claquer en deux semaines. Je commence a comprendre pourquoi les ricains claquent autant en vacances et sont si genereux (et accessoirement si apprecies comme touristes en dehors des tips mirobolants) : ils se font plaisir !
Dernier Conseil/Astuce :
Pour ceux qui veulent contacter Flying Blue, ne vous acharnez pas sur le service vocal francais assez inefficace.
Appelez le Service Flying Blue Canada. Il n'y a pas de serveur vocal qui vous fait tourner en rond pendant des heures et vous parlez en live a un conseiller clientele, soit en anglais, soit en francais, avec un certain accent Quebecois qui a son charme. Evidemment, aux heures standard Est americain. Ils sont tres performants et extremement efficaces, et d'une gentillesse extraordinaire. Je passe toujours par eux.
Depuis la France (de 14h a 2h du matin heures de Paris) : 00 1 519 772 3570
J'ai appele Flying Blue pour faire rentrer mon numero FB, car quand on reserve sur Delta.com, on ne peut pas rentrer un numero de Frequent Flyer autre que celui de Delta (Skymiles).
Il suffit alors soit d'appeler Delta, soit appeler Flying Blue. Mais en me faisant confirmer que je gagnais effectivement 100%, la nana, tres perspicace, sans que je ne dise rien, s'est rendue compte de l'astuce potentielle (evidemment elle n'a pas mis ma bonne foi en doute, et pourtant, si elle savait...) et qu'elle ferait un feed-back vers les services marketting.
Du coup, je culpabilise car j'ai peur qu'AF supprime a terme ce moyen detourne d'eviter la classe L redoutee. Je m'en veux 😕 et ca me ferait vraiment ch..r de payer le surclassement a la classe T sur AF a chaque fois...😠
T'inquiètes pas trop, les responsables du programme chez Air France doivent être au courant...Mais bon je supposes que rares sont les clients qui s'intéressent vraiment à ces problèmes, et c'est autant de gagné en miles pour AF!
Sinon je crois qu'AF ne propose plus la première à bord de ses 747 sur Papeete.
Je crois pas qu'il faille avoir peur de détourner la "loi" comme tu dis, c'est juste une astuce qui n'a pas été prévue et qui fera sans doute tords à AF!!!
JE leur avait posé la question de manière claire aussi à FB sur un même exemple que toi et la fille m'avait dit que oui, effectivement c'était une façon légale de cumuler les miles à 100% et souvent pour moins cher, en tout cas pour les USA... DOnc, rassures-toi et au contraire, la seule alternative qui devrait exister c'est que AF revienne sur ces pas en redonnant 100% à sa classe L. Mais ça, c'est un rêve pour l'instant...
Merci iledereve et yop pour me rassurer. C'est vrai que l'on est peu a etre aussi tatillon et chercher des astuces a contourner la L.
Sinon, News : en ce moment, quand vous bookez sur internet, les billets primes sur Paris a NYC sont a moitie prix meme si ce n'est pas marque dans la rubrique des Web Awards.
Je m'en suis rendu comte par hasard. L'A/R ne coute que 25.000 miles au lieu de 50.000 miles. Seulement en classe economique. Reservation seulement sur internet.
Profitez-en pour visiter le Grande Pomme. Il fait super bon et le temps est tres doux en ce moment.
Hi there,
I’m planning a winter trip across India. Departing in early December and returning to France in mid-April.
My main concern is finding an airline that offers this round-trip with the fewest hassles regarding cancellations or flight schedule changes. The unstable geopolitical situation in the Middle East isn’t making this search any easier—recent reviews online about airlines from Gulf states describe quite a few struggles over the past few months.
The direct Paris-Delhi round-trip flights offered by Air France or Air India are probably the safest options, but not the cheapest!
Given this uncertainty, I’m still holding off on finalizing my ticket purchase... Maybe some of you India lovers on VoyageForum have tips or experiences to share?
Thanks, and happy travels to all.
Hi everyone,
Next January, I’m heading to India.
My outbound flight is with Emirates from Paris to Dubai, then another Emirates flight from Dubai to Calcutta.
Could anyone tell me how the connection works? I’ve heard there’s a dedicated Emirates zone, but how does it actually work in practice—I’ve got a 2-hour layover.
Thanks so much!
Take care.
Hi,
I’m thinking of heading to Malaysia soon.
I’ve seen some great prices and direct flights from Paris with Malaysia Airlines.
Is it a reliable airline?
Thanks for your feedback!
Back in February, I booked a flight with Air France-KLM from Lyon to San Diego with a layover in Amsterdam (flights operated by KLM). The flight is scheduled for late August.
My Lyon→Amsterdam flight was canceled by KLM in June, and a replacement flight the evening before was booked for me. So, I’ll end up spending the night at Amsterdam Airport to catch my flight to San Diego the next morning.
Since the cancellation happened more than 14 days before departure, I know I’m not entitled to financial compensation (EU Regulation 261/2004). But am I entitled to reimbursement for a hotel night in Amsterdam?
Hi there,
We had planned a trip to Sicily in August, and due to the volcanic eruption of Mount Etna, my flight was canceled. The airline is refunding the outbound flight, but none of the non-refundable expenses: accommodation booked through Booking, rental car, and the return flight aren’t covered. My SUPER Gold card doesn’t work in this specific case! :( If anyone has been in this situation, could you let me know if you were able to get any recourse and, if so, how?
Thanks in advance
I’ve been traveling regularly for over twenty years,
but this is the first time an airline has treated me as poorly as Air France.
Two trips, two problems. The latest:
Trip from Seoul to Rennes. Last leg from Paris CDG to Rennes with Air France.
I arrive in Paris and go straight to Air France to get my boarding pass to Rennes. They assure me my baggage is continuing to Rennes.
Arriving in Rennes, no baggage—same as five other people.
The Air France office is closed, and the airport staff tell me there’s rarely anyone there.
With the help of the airport staff, I file a claim online, and my baggage is almost immediately located. As a result, I’m told I’ll have it the next day.
Four days later, the baggage is still in the same place at CDG—nothing’s moving.
The problem is Air France has no customer service. What they call customer service is a department that takes an hour to answer and just repeats what’s on the online form. No coordination, no way to get things moving. I guess Air France would rather pay the compensation after 21 days than actually do something.
I’ve had lost baggage on other trips, but this is the first time I’ve seen such indifference and lack of professionalism.
Hi,
Air Cairo offers good prices on domestic flights and schedules that work for us, but is this airline reliable?
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Hi,
I booked an Etihad ticket on their website for Dusseldorf-Abu Dhabi. In the first name field, I entered all my first names (something I never do and I regret it, but the site was confusing). Everything is spelled correctly, but the problem is that I just received my new passport and only my first two first names and the first letter of the third appear—there’s no trace of the last one.
I called Etihad, and of course, they tried to charge me $100 USD to remove that last first name. But I’m hesitant because usually, I only put my first first name and not the others, and I’ve never had an issue... So I’m wondering if having that extra first name, which isn’t on my passport, could get me denied at check-in.
Thanks for your feedback!
I’d like to fly to Malta from Lyon.
I’ve read a lot of negative reviews about KM MALTA, especially regarding baggage fees at the airport.
Of course, I don’t want to book through third parties (like SkyScanner, Opodo…).
AIR FRANCE offers tickets to MALTA in partnership, if I understood correctly.
On AIR FRANCE, the tickets include everything (checked baggage, cabin bag, small personal item, seat), whereas with KM MALTA, everything is extra and the final price is almost double!
In this case, is AIR FRANCE considered the same as sites like Opodo or others?
Given the price difference, I’m hesitant…
Have any of you booked with AIR FRANCE for this destination? How did it go?
Thanks,
HERVE
Hi everyone, I’ve unfortunately only just noticed that I booked two flight tickets, but I made a mistake on the second first name. Basically, my computer auto-filled and typed my first name twice, so both tickets are in my first name. Only the last names—mine and my friend’s—are correct.
TAP Portugal refuses to make the change because they consider it a change of passenger, even though it’s clearly a typo (plus, my last name isn’t common).
I’m leaving in 5 days, and buying a new ticket would cost 3 times the original price. Has anyone been in this situation before? I’d like to try negotiating at the airport, but it’s a gamble… Thanks in advance for any advice!
Since it came into force, Regulation 261/2004 of the European Parliament and Council, which defines air passenger rights, has faced fierce resistance from airlines, backed by IATA (the association representing almost all passenger airlines).
Beyond the airlines' often abusive—and even frequently bad-faith—resistance to passenger rights, IATA has been lobbying EU institutions for years, with the Council paying close attention for a long time.
As a result, the Council and the Commission have been proposing revisions to Regulation 261/2004 for years that are particularly unfavorable to passengers. The latest attempt nearly eliminated the right to compensation for delays of 3 hours or more upon arrival at the final destination.
However, since this is a regulation of both the European Parliament AND the Council, the two bodies had to agree.
But the European Parliament has always stood firm, consistently responding that passenger rights must be preserved.
After 11 years of struggle, it seems likely that we’re finally nearing the end of the match between the European Commission, the Council (the 27 heads of state or government), and the European Parliament.
Indeed, the Commission and the European Parliament have agreed on a text that will be debated again on Monday, July 6, 2026, with a vote scheduled for July 7, 2026. It’s very likely that this text, which would come into force in a year, will be adopted.
The main changes would be as follows:
- Families with children will no longer be forced to pay to sit together on planes;
- A flight will be considered canceled (not just delayed) if it departs more than one hour late;
- Right to compensation for arrival at the final destination if the delay exceeds 3 hours (no longer "3 hours OR more"). The arrival time will be when the plane, having reached its parking spot, engages its parking brakes (no longer when the aircraft door opens);
- Airlines can no longer refuse boarding or charge extra on the return flight for a passenger who didn’t take the outbound flight;
- If a flight is canceled, the airline must, at the same time as informing passengers of the event, offer the choice between a refund and re-routing, and inform them of their rights to assistance and, if applicable, compensation;
- The airline must, without undue delay, inform passengers of the reason;
- In the case of a connecting flight, if the connection is missed and the delay at the final destination entitles the passenger to compensation, the responsible airline will be liable. This is very different from the current situation, where, under the KLM ruling, any airline operating a segment of the flight is liable for compensation. This promises more disputes that the Court of Justice of the European Union will have to resolve if two separate airlines operating segments of a connecting flight are both responsible for the delay. See this case for an example: https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2026/04/18/swiss-international-air-lines-la-mauvaise-foi/
Moreover, this case demonstrates in advance another potential dispute: It could be argued that it wasn’t a missed connection since the flight was canceled before the first leg even departed.
- Within 96 hours of a flight that could entitle passengers to compensation, the airline must contact them to inform them of their rights and explain the next steps.
- Passengers must claim their right to compensation within 9 months. This is very different from the current situation, as Regulation 261/2004 sets no time limit. Currently, national law applies—in France, the limit is 5 years. The airline must respond within 30 days. If the airline refuses compensation on the grounds of "extraordinary circumstances," it must specify which type of case it refers to from the list in the annex of the new regulation. If the case isn’t on the list, the airline must explain what the event was, why it qualifies as extraordinary circumstances with "clear, substantial, and concise" explanations, and why it’s directly linked to the reason given. It must also declare what "reasonable measures" were taken to mitigate the issue. This is, of course, a huge change in the regulation, with the clear goal of preventing airlines from declaring just anything as "extraordinary circumstances" to avoid compensation.
- If, within 3 hours of a last-minute canceled or delayed flight, the airline hasn’t offered re-routing under comparable transport conditions and as soon as possible—whether on one of its own flights or another airline’s—the passenger will have the right to arrange their own re-routing and demand a refund for the new ticket, up to 400% of the original ticket price. This is a significant improvement that would have likely prevented the case described here: https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2024/01/12/reacheminement-catastrophique-droit-indemnisation-meme-circonstances-extraordinaires-2/
- If a flight is canceled due to "extraordinary circumstances," the airline will only be required to offer up to 3 nights in a hotel. This is a major change, as there’s currently no limit. Expect disputes if the extraordinary circumstances end while the passenger hasn’t been re-routed.
- The price of a flight, as first displayed, must obligatorily include a cabin bag. This doesn’t prevent the airline from offering a price reduction if the passenger waives the cabin bag. This will put an end to abnormal practices, such as (just one example) Condor charging extra for a cabin bag on long-haul flights like Frankfurt (Germany)–Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic)–Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)–Frankfurt.
- Free correction of a passenger’s name if requested 48 hours before departure. Note: This can’t be used to replace one passenger with another—just to correct a typo, e.g., Dupont instead of Dpont.
- Airlines’ websites and apps must include information on how to file a claim.
It’s clear that, despite a few details, these changes are very positive for upholding passenger rights. It remains to be seen whether this text will be definitively adopted on July 7, 2026, as is very likely, and, more importantly, whether IATA will encourage airlines to loyally respect these new rules or persist in their old habits.
I’m planning a trip to Georgia this summer and I’ve been comparing some airlines. I’m not particularly set on flying with Pegasus (though it’s convenient with direct flights from Lyon to Tbilisi), but right off the bat, Pegasus states this:
As of January 1, 2026, all foreign nationals traveling to Georgia for tourism purposes will be required to present valid travel health insurance. Guests who fail to provide the relevant health insurance will not be accepted on our flights to Georgia.
Sincerely,
Pegasus Airlines
In other words, if you don’t show proof of travel health insurance, you’ll be denied boarding.
Personally, my credit card insurance has always been enough for me, and I’d rather not take out extra coverage...
Have any of you run into this issue before? If not, what do you think? Why is Pegasus asking for this proof? Other airlines don’t mention it at all.
I bought my flight ticket with my first (usual) first name, which appears first on my passport. However, I have two first names on my passport, and of course, it’s mentioned in the machine-readable zone at the bottom.
I booked with Turkish Airlines (through an online agency) for a trip to South Korea.
I wanted to know if it would be a problem that I only used my first first name on the ticket, while my passport has two. I had requested through the agency to add the second first name, but the airline refused because it doesn’t meet their general conditions. (They must have seen that the last name and first name were the same, and only the second first name was added.)
So, my ticket has my last name and first first name correctly spelled, and when I check in online, I’ll enter the passport details correctly.
I’ll have a layover in Istanbul on the flight.
Thanks in advance for your replies.
Have a great day.
Hi there,
I traveled in June 2025 with Nouvelair Destinations to Hammamet.
I had one checked bag and one carry-on sized 40x24x30, which I usually take on low-cost flights, and I didn’t have any issues. But I just read on a website that Nouvel Air only accepts carry-ons of 40x20x15. I’m flying back to Djerba in June—what do you think? Especially since that size is impossible to find??????? Thanks
Hi, it's my first time taking a plane and I chose EasyJet for a Geneva -> Barcelona flight.
I booked my ticket.
I received my booking reference by email, but I don’t see the actual ticket (barcode or QR code?).
Then I checked in to get the boarding pass with the flight details, QR code, etc. But does this boarding pass act as the ticket?
Because I’ve seen several times online that the flight ticket and the boarding pass aren’t the same thing.
We're leaving for Albania on June 18th. When I validated the flight tickets with Wizz Air on Booking, I only put my son's first name but forgot to include his other three first names on the ticket.
On the passport: SURNAME: Dupont, FIRST NAMES: toto titi tutu tata
On the flight ticket: SURNAME: Dupont, FIRST NAME: toto
I can't seem to reach anyone at Wizz Air to get an answer.
Booking and Wizz Air's chat say I need to modify it, but ChatGPT says it should be fine.
I wanted to know if he can fly like this or if I need to change his ticket?
(It costs 140 €, I know I shouldn't have made a mistake🙁)
Basically, all airlines have been blacklisted because they don’t meet European safety standards. They’re banned from flying in Europe but continue operating in Tanzania.
The main issue is that travel agencies’ civil liability no longer applies to blacklisted airlines.
So we can’t allow clients to fly with these carriers.
Of course, there’s huge pressure from European agencies, which are forced to disrupt their plans or even cancel trips because of this.
Personally, I’ve got a trip planned for February 2026 to the southern parks in Tanzania, so I’ll be keeping an eye on how this develops.
Do any of you have updates?
Thanks!
Right now, with the war raging in Iran and affecting all the neighboring countries of the Persian Gulf, many airports are completely closed to all traffic.
Several airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates, and others have almost completely halted their operations.
Whether in the Middle East or Africa, many travelers are stranded—maybe for a long time... A heartfelt thought for them and the struggles this will cause.
Four months ago, I was in Kenya with a flight booked through Qatar Airways... I can’t even imagine how I’d react if I were stuck there now. ??
Wishing all these travelers courage, patience, and success in making it back home.
Hello, some (potentially) good news for Brazil lovers—GOL airline is launching a route to Europe from Rio, starting in September for Lisbon, then Paris at a later date that hasn’t been announced yet.
They’ll be using their new A330-900 neo.
No prices have been announced so far, but hopefully we’ll find direct flights from GIG at a more interesting fare than AF or Latam…
I’m really surprised because in TUI’s new tour packages, the airlines they’re using are of low quality. Before, they used to prioritize major airlines, but now it’s small airlines from small countries—companies with terrible ratings and borderline safety concerns. I even just noticed this note for a Tanzania trip: "We inform you that the domestic flight segment in Tanzania included in your trip is operated by an airline listed on the European Union’s list of air carriers subject to an operating ban within the European Union. This ban only applies to European Union airspace, meaning this airline is not permitted to take off, land, or fly over European airspace. However, this airline is authorized to operate in Tanzania."
This means they’re using airlines on the blacklist!! It’s pretty worrying for safety. What do you all think?
We’re planning a cruise to the UAE/QATAR/OMAN starting from DUBAI, with flights departing from Paris CDG.
Which airlines would you recommend for round-trip flights, with or without a layover?
We need assistance for check-in and boarding/disembarking (my husband is a mobility-impaired traveler who uses a cane and/or a walker).
We’ve done a cruise return from Dubai to Paris CDG before in 2016, with a layover in Istanbul, but we booked the transfer and return flight with COSTA.
For our current plan, it would be with Celestyal, which doesn’t offer round-trip flights from Paris to Dubai.
Should we book very far in advance, or is a few months before departure enough (4/6 months)?
We’re thinking of arriving the day before the ship departs, so we’d need to stay overnight in Dubai—either on the way there or for the return flight, depending on the flight schedules. Could you recommend a hotel not too far from the airport, and how to get to the port from the airport?
Thanks so much for your advice. Have a great Sunday! Mum49
Hi,
It's all in the title—this means nothing's getting through, so no more oil.
In Europe, kerosene reserves are still good, but by the end of April, flights will have to be reduced.
European airports fear running out of kerosene if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened within three weeks
I’m reaching out to ask for your help with a bit of a problem:
I booked a flight to Berlin from Orly for April 15th—it’s coming up fast. But I just made an annoying discovery: my passport expired two weeks ago.
From what I understand, in principle, I can still travel within the Schengen Zone with an expired passport as long as it’s been less than five years. However, EasyJet’s website explicitly requires a valid ID (and just to add to the fun, my national ID card has been expired for a while now).
So, I’d love to know: how strict are EasyJet’s ID checks? Do they enforce validity rules strictly and refuse boarding if the ID isn’t valid? Or is it more of a luck-of-the-draw situation?
Basically, should I just write off this trip now, or should I still try my luck—maybe with a little tearful plea? Has anyone here had a similar experience? I can’t be the only one, right!
I booked a flight with RyanAir for next month, with the priority+ option and two cabin bags. So I can take a 10 kg bag with dimensions 55x40x20 in the cabin (plus another smaller one).
The problem is that the smallest suitcase I have (which is supposed to be designed specifically for cabin size standards, according to the manual) has the following dimensions: 55x37x21, so it's just 1 cm over (wheels included) on one of the measurements.
I wasn’t too worried at first, but I’ve read dozens of stories about people’s misadventures and the hassles they’ve had with RyanAir.
Since I don’t want my suitcase to end up in the hold (that would waste time picking it up when I’m already arriving late and need to get to the city center), nor do I want to pay an extra fee (apparently 50 €) for the outbound and return flights for just 1 centimeter—especially since I paid for the "priority+" option and I’m not exactly rolling in money—I’d love some advice.
Have any of you been in the same situation? I’ve read that with this airline, they check bags in templates (testing them in different positions) and are completely uncompromising. I tried contacting customer service, who, as luck would have it, "don’t handle this kind of request," and a rep I spoke to wasn’t much help.
I know it’s a low-cost airline, and I don’t expect luxury or even kindness, but come on—just 1 cm on a short flight with the + option... I’m a bit overwhelmed by everything I’ve read...
Just to clarify, since I’m going for 8 days, I can’t just take one bag for my stuff. I’ve done that for shorter trips before, and it was a hassle—I even had to buy an extra bag for the return trip... Luckily, the inspector was nice about it!
Thanks so much!
I’m a newbie when it comes to air travel :) Hope I posted this in the right section!
When I run searches on Skyscanner, I see that only Lufthansa has flights to Seoul with just one stop. Air France doesn’t show up, even though I thought the French airline served Seoul?
I can’t even log into the Air France website—it keeps glitching.
Hi there,
I’d like to return to Uzbekistan next April for 10 days with my husband to visit our son who lives there. We went last July and I bought the flight tickets (direct flight from Paris on Uzbekistan Airways) about 2 months in advance at very reasonable prices. I’ve been checking for late April for a few weeks now, and the tickets are much more expensive and keep rising. I can’t figure out if the prices are going up because it’s still a bit too early to buy and they’ll likely drop if the planes aren’t full, or if it’s because the period is actually in high demand. For reference, last year I bought my son’s ticket on May 30th for a departure on June 3rd—just 3 days later—at a very low price that didn’t budge at all.
Just in case, does anyone know the pricing trends for this airline and can advise me? Should I wait or not?
Thanks, and feel free to ask if you need any tips about the country!
My wife bought a flight ticket (Lucky Air) under her Thai maiden name and was issued a Chinese visa on her new Thai passport but with her French married name (due to administrative requirements). She was denied boarding by the airline in Bangkok for the flight to Kunming—resulting in the loss of our round-trip flight tickets, including mine since we were traveling together—despite presenting both passports at the airline counter at the same time.
Hi there.
I’m planning a trip to Chile, and the fares from the Colombian airline Avianca are really appealing.
Way cheaper than Air France, for example.
That said, the reviews I’ve seen online aren’t great.
What do you think of this airline?
Have any of you taken long-haul flights with Avianca?
Thanks in advance for your replies.
Eric
This might be a silly question, but I’m traveling to Japan from CDG and returning via Osaka with EVA Air, and I have a pretty bulky aluminum knee brace.
It’s this model:
https://enovis-medtech.eu/fr_FR/OA-FullForce-74358.html
Has anyone had any experience with airport security checks or flying with one of these?
