The couple involved refused to pay the extra fee demanded by the flight coordination company. Things quickly escalated. It got so bad that the man ended up physically fighting with an airport agent, even rolling on the ground.

https://www.nicematin.com/faits-divers/il-refuse-de-payer-un-supplement-bagages-le-litige-se-termine-en-bagarre-a-l-aeroport-de-nice-999711

If you can’t afford to pay for your luggage, don’t travel 😡. What’s next? Are they gonna hit the tour guide in Mykonos because the price of the tour went up without warning 🤪?

A heads-up to all EasyJet travelers: baggage checks are more strict than ever!

Hi there,

Lately, when I check Skyscanner (sorted by price low to high 😛), I don’t see Gulf airlines at the top of the list anymore. Instead, Air India dominates (I flew with them a few years ago, and my experience was pretty mixed). After that, there’s Royal Jordanian… and the first Gulf Air, Etihad, and others only show up at 7XX € or more (with endless layovers). What’s going on with these airlines? Did they change their target market? I really like these routes for Southeast Asia trips because they give you a perfect midway break.

Hello,

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 there,

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, I booked flight tickets with Turkish Airlines 15 days ago for a round-trip for 4 people to Thailand in August 2026. On my reservation, I only included my married name, but on my passport, my maiden name appears along with my married name. I only noted one first name—I didn’t include my second or third first name. For my husband and children, I only included their first first name. I called Turkish Airlines a few days ago as a precaution, and they were very helpful, guiding me through the process of adding a comment to request the modification with scanned passports. They confirmed it would be free of charge. Today, I received a response from TK saying I need to buy new tickets with the required changes and then provide them with the new reservation details to be reimbursed for the initially purchased tickets. I called Turkish Airlines again, and they advised me to file a complaint using the initial comment I made. I did that tonight, explaining that I made these requests as a precaution—I fly every year and have never included my maiden name or other first names on my reservations, and it’s never been an issue. Plus, I can’t afford to pay for new tickets since prices have skyrocketed (+1000 € for 4 people). I’m really worried and anxious about this situation. We’ve been saving for a while to afford this trip, and I hope it gets resolved favorably. Have any of you experienced similar issues or situations like this? If so, how did it go at the airport? Thanks in advance for your help

Hi there!

In August, I’m planning a flight with a layover between Las Vegas and Pointe-à-Pitre. Departure from Las Vegas at 11:50 PM – Arrival in Miami at 7:50 AM Layover from 7:50 AM to 9:55 AM Departure from Miami at 9:55 AM, arrival in PTP at 1:10 PM

I’m a bit stressed about the 2h05 layover. What do you think? Is that enough time?

Thanks for your replies! Marc

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have an idea about how flight ticket prices drop for a given destination? (Excluding Ryanair, of course.)

We need to leave for Seville on December 27th. Generally, airlines launch trips on a specific date with a high price to start filling the plane. As the departure date gets closer, the airline tries to fill the plane and lowers its prices, so the ticket price becomes reasonable again.

Example: Right now, for a trip in about 10 days, the average round-trip ticket price is usually around 200 €. Currently, the round-trip ticket price for December 27th is 450 €.

If any of you have more precise info on this topic (for example, if the price drops 15 days before departure), thanks in advance for your input. Jean Paul

Hi there,

Have you ever traveled with this airline? It seems like they have a real monopoly on some destinations and are also much cheaper.

Thank youuuu.

We bought round-trip tickets from Mulhouse/Basel to Maun (Botswana) in January 2023 through Option Way.

Turkish Airlines issued the entire round-trip tickets. The flight plan was:

31 August 2023: TK 926 from Basel/Mulhouse to Istanbul and TK38 from Istanbul to Johannesburg 1 September 2023: Airlink (4Z)300 from Johannesburg to Maun. 11 September 2023: Airlink (4Z)301 from Maun to Johannesburg and TK43 from Johannesburg to Istanbul 12 September 2023: TK1923 from Istanbul to Basel/Mulhouse.

On 1 September, on the outbound trip, Turkish Airlines flight TK38 from Istanbul to Johannesburg arrived 1 hour and 30 minutes late due to airport congestion. As a result, we missed our connection with Airlink flight (4Z) 300 from Johannesburg to Botswana (even though the initial layover time was sufficient for the connection). Upon arrival at Johannesburg Airport, a Turkish Airlines agent greeted us, booked us a room near the airport, and rebooked us on the same flight for the following day, 2 September. On 2 September, after numerous difficulties checking in at the Airlink counter in Johannesburg, we finally reached our final destination with a 24-hour delay. We lost our first day of vacation in Botswana, including the activities that were planned for that day. On 11 September, during our return trip and almost certainly due to the rescheduling of the outbound flight, the Airlink check-in counter in Maun did not recognize our tickets issued by Turkish Airlines. After many searches and phone calls, we had to buy new tickets for the Maun/Johannesburg flight 4Z301. This cost us 9,306 Botswana pula (643 €). Upon arrival in Johannesburg, the Turkish Airlines check-in counter again had trouble identifying us for flight TK43 from Johannesburg to Istanbul. It’s clear that the root of our check-in problems stemmed from the renumbering of our tickets when the Turkish Airlines representative rebooked us on the Airlink (4Z)300 flight for 2 September. During this process, all subsequent flight tickets must have been canceled. Since our return, I’ve requested the following from Turkish Airlines: · Compensation under the European Regulation EC 261/2004 of 11 February 2004 for flight delays, amounting to 600 € per passenger. We meet all the conditions: departure from a Franco/Swiss airport, arrival at the final destination more than 4 hours late, and a distance greater than 3,500 kilometers. Turkish Airlines has not provided evidence that they did everything possible to avoid this delay. · Reimbursement for the Airlink Maun/Johannesburg tickets on 11 September, which we had to pay again to Airlink even though we had already paid for them through our agent, Option Way. Turkish Airlines refuses compensation on the grounds that they complied with all regulations. Turkish Airlines and Airlink are passing the buck when it comes to reimbursing the tickets we paid for twice. For Turkish Airlines, claims can only be made through their website, and each time a different agent responds. I’ve contacted our insurance, legal protection, the travel ombudsman... without success. Currently, the case is with a lawyer working for "Air Indemnité," but I have little hope. Obviously, I won’t be flying with Turkish Airlines again—they seem to have a habit of not respecting schedules or customer satisfaction. A good lesson for planning very long layovers.

Hello,

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.

Best regards,

Hi! Sri Lanka has announced it could run out of fuel in the coming weeks if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked. The government has implemented a mandatory four-day workweek to save oil, and there are long lines at gas stations due to fears of an early shortage. In Vietnam, the government has warned all airlines that flights will need to be reduced due to a lack of kerosene. The country imports two-thirds of its jet fuel from China and Thailand, but both countries have now banned exports out of fear of domestic shortages. The state is asking airlines to plan ahead and park aircraft to drastically reduce operations, starting with domestic flights and then international ones. International carriers will also need to cut back on their rotations. This will begin in the coming days. 🙁

Hi there, I’m flying from Marseille to Bali this year and have a 1h30 layover in Frankfurt, from Terminal 1 to Terminal 1. Do you think that’s enough time, considering I don’t know the airport or the language? Thanks. »

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.

It’s been over 10 years since I last went to Madagascar. Back then, I flew Corsair from Paris. I’m planning to go back in September 2025. I’ve heard about Air Austral... Air France: the issue is the flight arrives in the evening at Ivato. What do you recommend? Which airlines fly from Paris to Tana? Thanks for the help!

Hi there,

This afternoon I had a flight at 5:10 PM to Amsterdam from Nice (final destination: Berlin). I arrived at the airport a little before 3:00 PM and saw that the flight was now leaving at 6:30 PM. I went to the counter to point out that I wouldn’t have time to make my connection, and they told me I’d be spending the night in Amsterdam.

When the agent checked her computer, she saw that I’d been put on a flight with another airline and asked if I hadn’t received an email.

In the end, I had to change terminals and leave at 7:05 PM with Swiss Airlines, then Air Baltic.

Just to clarify, I checked in less than 24 hours ago for both KLM flights (Nice-Amsterdam and Amsterdam-Berlin) where I had seats assigned. I checked my emails carefully, and I was never notified!

Luckily, the Swiss Airlines flight left later—otherwise, at 3:00 PM, I wouldn’t have had time to check in (I have a checked bag), and I don’t know how I would’ve proven I never got an email. Also, thankfully, I went to the counter much earlier than planned for the 6:30 PM departure.

In the end, I was lucky because with KLM, I would’ve lost a whole day. And it’s a good thing I always travel for at least two full weeks because I’ve often lost a day due to delays—I wouldn’t do that for a week or a weekend getaway...

This is the first time this has happened to me, but there’s a first time for everything!

Hi everyone, I’ve got a problem… I don’t even know if it’s a small one or a big one. Back in May, I booked our flight tickets to go to New Zealand, and I just realized I misspelled my husband’s first name: Giiles instead of Gilles… I booked through Lufthansa, and on the outbound trip, there’s a Shanghai-Auckland flight operated by Air New Zealand, and on the return, an Auckland-Hong Kong flight operated by Cathay Pacific. The rest is with Lufthansa. We’re leaving from Nantes in February-March 2026. Have any of you run into this kind of issue, and if so, how did it go? It’s really freaking me out. Lufthansa added a note in our file about the ‘i’ instead of ‘l’ mistake, and they told us it’s not a problem for them, but what about Air New Zealand and Cathay Pacific…??? Air New Zealand and Cathay Pacific say they can’t do anything because the ticket was booked through Lufthansa. And Lufthansa added a note to our file, but will that be enough, or are we going to get turned away in Shanghai, Hong Kong, or Auckland?? After another call to Lufthansa, they’re implying that a correction isn’t possible and the solution is to buy a new flight ticket for 2800 €. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I’m lost and don’t know what to do.

Hi there,

I can't seem to find flights between the Cape Verde islands on the airline's website. No matter the date or route, I always get the same response: "no flights on this date." See the photo. Would anyone have an explanation? Surely not all flights are fully booked in July?

Best, Thierry

Which airline to fly to São Vicente from Praia? On the Cabo Verde Air website, no flights are scheduled for April or May...

Hi there, we’re planning a trip to Nosy Be next summer and we’ve come across Neos Air, which offers direct flights from Rome and Milan. It looks really appealing, but how reliable are they, especially in terms of punctuality—particularly for evening departures?

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!

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!

Hi, I’m looking for a solution for my flight—I’ll explain my situation.

I live in the French overseas territories, so I have a flight from St. Martin to Orly. Early September is cyclone season. If there’s an alert or cyclone, my flight could be postponed.

I’m considering connecting with a flight from CDG to Bangkok. I’d have to buy my second flight as open-ended, otherwise I’d lose it—it’s not the same airline. I found a good price on Oman Air, Economy Comfort option. Change fees are only 20 OMR—basically nothing. Then there’s the option for a paid upgrade: would that mean the price gets adjusted on the day of the flight?

If I’ve made myself clear, do you have any other solutions? Please—thanks!

Hi, We’re planning to go to Bohol from El Nido (Airswift flight from El Nido to Cebu, then ferry to Bohol). I can’t find any info about the checked baggage price for the flight. The airfare to Cebu includes a 7 kg carry-on. Does anyone know about checked luggage? Thanks in advance

Hi,

Icelandic airline Fly Play has ceased all operations with immediate effect. 400 employees were laid off this morning, all flights have of course been canceled, and thousands of passengers are left without solutions. It operated flights to several European countries and the USA, including France from Paris Charles de Gaulle :(

hi everyone, what's the cheapest flight ticket to fly from Paris to Madagascar in July or August? thanks for your help

Hi there,

I’m taking a Ryanair flight from France to Portugal (and back) in May. I’d prefer not to bring my passport since we’re leaving for the US in July, and I’d rather not risk losing it (or worse), so I’d like to leave it safely at home!

My ID card expired in July 2022 but should still be valid for 5 years. So it *should* be fine, but if anyone has been in this situation before, I’d love to hear about your experience to put my mind at ease!

Thanks in advance! 🙂

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to warn you all after my disastrous trip back on February 28th because of Emirates airline. Please note that if you need to file a complaint with this airline, wait until you're back home in France or your country of origin. Here’s what happened to me. I had booked and paid for seats on the plane for my outbound flight on February 10th from Lyon to Dubai, then Dubai to Bangkok. Despite our reservation, these seats weren’t assigned to us. I spoke to a flight attendant who told me she’d inform Emirates management and advised me to file a complaint once I was at my hotel. So, I did that on the Emirates website to request a refund for the paid seats that weren’t assigned, totaling 34 €. On February 26th, I tried to check in online for the next day, which was supposed to be my return flight. To my surprise, my husband still had his return ticket, but mine was no longer scheduled. I contacted the airline via chat, and an advisor told me, "Ma’am, you canceled your return flight." I responded, of course, that I hadn’t, and as proof, my husband still had his return ticket. The advisor ended the conversation by insisting I had canceled my flight. I was devastated and in tears, and like most tourists, I only had data and no way to call except via WhatsApp and Messenger. I had to contact my daughters so they could call Emirates to understand and resolve the situation. But nothing worked—they insisted that when I filed my complaint, it was indicated that all my future tickets were canceled. The flight on February 27th was fully booked, so either my husband returns to France alone, or we return together on February 28th, but we’d have to pay 2300 € for both of us. Despite multiple explanations to Emirates—including that I’m disabled and can’t be alone—they refused to listen or understand. We had to pay 2300 € to get home on February 28th. We also had to extend our hotel stay in Bangkok by one night and change our train for the return on the 28th, totaling 2565 € to get back home. I’ve since filed requests with Emirates for a refund of the return flight tickets and with my Visa card, but I have little hope of recovering anything. If anyone here has experienced this situation or has any ideas for a solution, I’d really appreciate your help. Thanks so much for your valuable support. Most importantly, remember: DO NOT FILE A COMPLAINT WITH EMIRATES BEFORE RETURNING FROM YOUR TRIP.

Emirates just put out a statement, and for those of us struggling, it’s total nonsense. No concrete dates because they’re clueless, all dependent on military strikes. Don’t get your hopes up.

Good news for passengers stranded in the Gulf, though. Emirates expects its network to return to normal in the coming days. However, the resumption of commercial flights is still subject to airspace availability and meeting all operational conditions, Emirates said in a statement. The airline added that it transported around 30,000 passengers from Dubai on Thursday. By March 7, Emirates will operate 106 daily return flights to 83 destinations, covering nearly 60% of its network. The Dubai-based national airline was forced to cancel thousands of flights following Iran’s retaliatory strikes, which led the UAE to close its airspace and caused minor structural damage to its Dubai hub.

Hi, I made a flight reservation on Booking, but my reservation hasn't been confirmed and is still pending confirmation by the airline. It's been almost a full day now, and I haven't heard anything—I'm waiting for I don't even know what response... Will my reservation be canceled? In the meantime, I can't book another flight in case I end up paying twice... Has this ever happened to anyone? What should I do?

Hi there,

My daughter, wife, and I are starting to plan a two-week trip to Japan for... April 2026. My wife wants us to really treat ourselves, so we’re considering business class (we usually fly premium economy or even economy). Since we’re departing from Paris and want a direct flight, we have three options: JAL, ANA, or Air France.

I’ve flown Air France in business quite a bit for work, and I do find it very comfortable. But I wonder if I’m just defaulting to a national bias—maybe the other two airlines have advantages I’m not considering.

If I’m looking at criteria like: - Comfort (especially for sleeping) - Meals - Entertainment

Any advice? Personal experiences? Have any of the three airlines updated their business class on this route recently?

Thanks! !