On March 13, 2001, DATELINE/MSNBC aired an informative report on airline travel. Pointing out that it is amazing that air travel is as safe and convenient as it is, the report brought many travel problems to the forefront.

Under pressure from Congress, the airlines promised to improve air travel. The three things people complain about most were specifically targeted - delays, service and lost luggage.

Dateline uncovered a variety of excuses airlines use for delays in flights. Many of these reasons are outright lies, and delayed passengers are shown little or no courtesy, honesty or respect in dealing with their problems. Delays result in missed flight connections, uncomfortable situations and few or no accommodations.

A woman stuck in an airport for 30 hours due to bad weather says she was at the mercy of the airline. Her flight was cancelled eight times before she got on a plane with her two children.

A man, who wished he'd never gotten on his plane, sat on his Delta flight for three hours without taking off. Passengers were told not to use the bathroom, were given no food and nothing to drink.

Too many airlines scheduled for arrivals and departures are part of the problem. Dateline gained access to a sophisticated computer tracking system that few people outside of the airline industry have seen. The computer keeps track of the thousands of flights over the U.S. "Dateline" spent months cross-referencing airline databases, aircraft and gate information. They came up with some startling statistics.

Flight delays: The gate agent says your flight's on time. The board says it's on time. The airline's Website says it's on time. So it must be on time, right? Wrong. The plane is coming from Boston, but when Dateline checks its computer, they can see it's not one of the planes in the air yet. It's running 90 minutes late. Dateline asks a gate agent, "Is that one on time?" The agent says, "Probably not." Dateline asks, "Probably not? So how come it says on time on the board over there?" The agent says, "It still says on time in the computer too."

The flight is scheduled to leave Newark at 8:15. At 7:45, it has just left Boston. No way it can leave at 8:15 now. Tell that to the board. It says we're right on time. Finally, at 7:50, 25 minutes before flight time, the board changes to show the flight will leave Newark an hour late at 9:16. "It's late," says the agent.

Dateline asks, "They didn't know about this earlier?" The agent says, "They didn't update. We can only go by what the computer says." The plane finally pushes back from the gate at 9:30, now 75 minutes late, and sits on the runway. And sits. And sits. At 10:00, Continental Flight 366 takes off, one hour and 45 minutes late.

Time and time again, the airlines knew their flights were late, but didn't say so. If "Dateline" can figure out that the flight is going to be delayed two hours, why doesn't the airline employee know this?

It's not just Newark, and it's not just Continental Airlines. This is a prevalent problem within the airline industry.

If a passenger knows a flight is running late, it gives them the opportunity to change carriers. Likely, the airlines don't want their revenue passenger running to another carrier because a flight is running behind schedule.

Know the rules of the air and what airlines owe you in different situations. In some instances, you may be entitled to hotel and/or food vouchers.

Everyone from the FAA to the airlines agrees the problems won't be solved until local governments find money for new airports and more runways.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU FLY

How do you get the best fares?

Be flexible about departure and arrival times. Pick off-peak hours, and plan in advance. The more lead time you have, the more options you have. But you may not know it's best to avoid non-stop flights or to take connecting flights. It'll take longer but it can cost less. And if you can, choose smaller, secondary airports. Fares there are often lower.

How do you avoid delays?

Ask your travel agent or airline about the on-time performance of most flights. It's part of the computer reservations systems they use. Just ask for the one-digit code for that flight's on-time performance. It covers the last month reported by the airline. The codes are on a scale of 0 to 9. The lower the number, the worse its on-time performance.

There are going to be delays, no matter who's at fault. So try to fly early in the morning, before back-ups start. And when making a reservation, ask for the on-time record of your flight. Airlines are required to give it to you if you request it.

What time do you really have to be at the gate so you don't get bumped?

It can be confusing. With most major airlines you must be at the gate 20 minutes ahead of time to keep your seat assignment and 10 minutes to hold your reservation. But the rules vary, so it's best to get there as early as possible.

What do you do if you get bumped?

What do you do if your airline loses your bags for good?

Airlines will reimburse you up to $2,500 for lost clothing and bags. But if more pricey items like cameras and jewelry and electronics equipment are gone, you're out of luck. There's no reimbursement for that.

What do airlines do if they can never locate the owner of a bag?

Everything winds up at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama. So if you're ever delayed or bumped in the Scottsboro area do what smart shoppers have been doing for years -- pick up bargains on everything from jewelry to golf clubs. It's all on sale at huge discounts.

Dateline.MSNBC.com

AIR FARE DEALS
www.frommers.com

Air Fair: Did you know the airlines offer free flights or cash back if your fare falls? We know how it feels. After haggling with reservations agents and carefully surveying the airfare scene, you finally snag the cheapest ticket around. And just as you're basking in your post-purchase glory (you got the best buy, after all), much to your horror, the same airline comes out with a better deal a week later! That's just the way the ball bounces? Well, not really. As it turns out, in many cases, you can actually get some of that money back.

To get the lowdown on this airfare mystery, we probed public relations departments and reservation agents of a few major U.S. carriers (Alaska Airlines, America West, American, Continental, Delta, Midway, Frontier, Northwest, TWA, United, and U.S. Airways), as well as international carrier British Airways. Surprisingly, most airlines will compensate you for this travel trauma--some better than others. If you step forward and tell your airline you bought your ticket before prices sank, it will probably offer you a travel voucher in the amount of the fare difference, which you can use to pay for a future flight on the same airline.

If you insist on getting your cash back, though, be ready to pay a stiff fee of $50 to $100. Of course, there are some basic restrictions that apply for all of the carriers. First, the sale must apply to your exact flight and your fare must meet all its advance-purchase requirements (for example, if a 21-day advance purchase is required, you must make the adjustment three weeks ahead of your flight departure). Next, there can be no change in your itinerary; and lastly, any "cash" refund is given in the original form of payment, which usually means the money is put back on your credit card (checks will be issued for cash payments, but who knows how long that will take). Because of that refund fee, your best bet is usually to ask for your refund in the form of a travel voucher, which are issued for free and are good for a year.

Vouchers issued by American, Delta, Northwest, TWA, and United can be credited towards any future flight, domestic or international, and are transferable (meaning you're not the only one who can use it). US Airways stands alone in its travel voucher policy: They don't offer 'em! The only way to get any money back from this airline is to fork over $100, so there's really no need to bother unless the price difference is more than the fee.

British Airways takes the cake when it comes to customer service and "cash" refunds. Unlike any of the US carriers, it'll give you the refund in any form (voucher or cash), for free! Credit cards will be credited the difference and a check will be issued for original cash or check payments.

For the other airlines, exceptions abound, but they're easily navigable: For vouchers issued for Delta's international tickets, you'll have to pay a $100 fee; on America West and Alaska Airlines, coupons are not transferable; with Continental and Midway vouchers, you must sign them over in the presence of a Continental or Midway agent if you want to use them for someone else; and, travel vouchers issued for international ticket price adjustments are only good for other travel abroad on Continental.

Of the cash-back fees, by the way, Alaska Airlines has the lowest, $50, but charges usually start at $75. American, Continental, Midway, TWA, United, and US Airways jack the price up to $100 for this same "adjustment" service on any ticket (US Airways will not refund tickets paid for in cash). If your flight was international, expect a fee of around $100-again, all the more reason to simply request a free voucher.

Northwest doesn't even offer cash back, just vouchers. And forget about Frontier--all their tickets are non-refundable, so once you pay the fare, you're stuck with it.  You'll find the same rule true with
most of the bargain carriers.

To take advantage of this little-known loophole, call the reservations agent or visit your nearest ticketing office as soon as you hear about the lower fare. But be speedy and accurate, since ticket prices are notoriously unstable and sales end as quickly as they start. If the sale fare has an "advance purchase requirement," you must call to get your refund before the cut-off date. If it doesn't, these adjustments can be made as late as the day of your departure for most airlines.

It can be a little tricky when it comes to airline tickets, what with all their "restrictions and requirements," so if you're not sure if you're eligible for a price adjustment, just ring up your carrier's reservation agents and they can help you out.

One last caveat: Fair or not, Web fares are often considered separate from "published" sale fares, so be sure to check with the agent if you find the lower price online. Getting money back from an online fare sale can be impossible.

So, while the airfare ball may bounce, just remember--it's in your court.

http://www.frommers.com/newsletters/03-14-01/article4.html