Airline jargon that you 'MUST' Know

A lot of my time wasted on getting the cheapest flight ticket on the net. But this wasted time have taught and given me loads of priceless knowledge. Most of the time, this cheaper ticket will come with terms and conditions. All these jargon are incomprehensible by layman standard. So here goes the jargon that I have referred frequently. Hope it helps.

Baggage allowance – the weight of the luggage the airline allows the traveler to check-in. Economy ticket holders are usually allowed 20kg whilst business and first class passengers able to take between 30-40kg depending on the airline. Hand luggage is fairly standard between the airlines: one piece per passenger and up to 8kg in weight though the dimensions of baggage that is allowed can vary between carriers.

Blackout periods – specific days or periods of time when special rates are not available due to high demand for flights.

Boarding pass – a card given to the passenger after check-in which allocates a seat number or indicates a boarding pattern. The stub of the card should be retained after going through the boarding gate to show to the flight crew once reaching the aircraft.

Budget / Low-cost airlines – these are short-haul flights at bargain prices but with occasional drawbacks. Usually the flights are from secondary airports which could be miles from your ultimate destination. Food and drink is often not included in the price. Fares are usually non-flexible and can incur a hefty charge for changing travel plans. On the plus side, low-cost carriers continue to add to their already impressive list of destinations which can offer real savings for travelers.

Cancellation charges – penalties that you will incur if you cancel your flights. Most fares have this clause in them so travel insurance is advisable if your plans are likely to change.

Carry-on – hand-baggage or luggage that has not been checked-in. See restrictions under Baggage allowance.

Check-in – the time before departure when your luggage goes onto the airline and boarding cards are issued. For long-haul this is 2 hours whilst short-haul is approximately 1 hour. Be aware that in these times of occasional heightened airport security, the check-in time can vary. To get up-to-date information it is best to confirm timings with the airline.

Connecting flights – a journey where the passenger must change planes to reach their final destination.

Direct flights – a flight where the passenger does not need to change planes but the aircraft may stop en-route.

ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival

EST – Eastern Standard Time (GMT -5 hrs)

Excess baggage – checked-in luggage which exceeds the weight of the Baggage allowance. If you are only just over then you might be lucky but be warned that payments on excess weight can be very expensive.

Non-transferable – a ticket which is specifically for just one passenger and cannot be used by anyone else.

No-shows – the term relating to passengers or either arrive late or do not arrive at all to travel on their booked flight.

Penalty fare – the amount the passenger has to pay in order to make a change to the travel arrangements or cancel the ticket once it has been issued

Stopover – an overnight stay (or possibly longer) at a location en-route to your final destination. This is usually done to break up a very long journey eg. London to Sydney with a stopover in Hong Kong.

Ticket issuance – purchasing tickets that have previously been reserve

If you want more, please check more jargon in here.