Baggage allowance for non-refundable tickets. Carriage of baggage and hand luggage. Aeroflot baggage and hand luggage rules
On July 25, the Federation Council signed a law abolishing free luggage for non-refundable air tickets. This bill was submitted to the State Duma three years ago, but lay without movement, and last week it was unexpectedly quickly adopted. Experts believe that the Pobeda company could have lobbied for the document, because the ability to freely regulate tariffs is especially important for low-cost airlines. Meanwhile, major Russian airlines say they have no plans to change the terms of their fares for now.
According to new amendments to the Air Code, the fare of a non-refundable ticket “may not include” free baggage. The carrier itself decides whether to provide the possibility of non-refundable tickets without luggage. The weight limit for free baggage will also be determined by the airline, but there is a strict minimum: 10 kg and (or) two pieces of baggage per passenger. The text of the law also states that the carrier has the right to terminate the contract air transportation a passenger unilaterally due to his refusal, for example, to pay for baggage transportation at the airport. In this case, the carrier himself is obliged to inform the passenger whether he will need to pay for baggage. And the airline must do this before purchasing a ticket.
The head of the Ministry of Transport (Mintrans) Maxim Sokolov noted that the law will reduce ticket prices by 10-20%. Pobeda Airlines has already made a statement that it is ready to reduce base prices to 20%: Pobeda considers it a reasonable decision to provide the client with the opportunity to refuse unnecessary services.” The company notes that almost half of the passengers flying Pobeda travel “light” and do not have the right to carry baggage up to 10 kg. At the same time, a scandal broke out last year when Pobeda passengers could not enter the cabin with backpacks: company employees refused to recognize them as hand luggage and demanded that they be checked in as luggage, paying extra for the service at the airport.
Aeroflot has stated that it currently has no plans to introduce “baggage-free fares.” “Prices for airline tickets in economy class will not change due to the adoption of the new law,— reads the answer sent to the editor by the company’s press service. — This bill will harmonize Russian legislation with international practices and is extremely necessary for the overall development of low-cost transportation in Russia. In particular, the low-cost airline Pobeda, part of the Aeroflot Group, will be able to significantly reduce its base fares. It is also worth noting that the law primarily meets the interests of passengers. It will enable passengers flying without luggage to buy air tickets at a lower price. It is necessary to give the passenger the right to choose the services that he prefers on a given flight. It is important that tickets for a baggage-free fare will be an alternative, and not a replacement, for regular tickets.”
“Of course, the airlines themselves lobbied for the law,” he believes Andrey Kramarenko, leading expert at the Institute of Transport Economics and Transport Policy, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
— There can be no passenger interest here. This was done for the additional profit that the company receives for using additional services. In addition, this law is not only about luggage, but also about hand luggage.
The Ministry of Transport has approved a list of things that, in addition to hand luggage, a passenger can take on board the plane. Many were surprised that the list did not include a mobile phone, camera, laptop or outerwear. Those things that passengers most often take with them on a flight. That is, all this will have to be included in the 5 kg allowance allocated for hand luggage.
Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko sharply criticized the list of things included in hand luggage: “You wrote some nonsense there that you can’t bring phones, books, flowers, outerwear.” The Ministry of Transport responded to Matvienko that the “optimization” of the list was carried out on the basis of research that identified “less popular” items that passengers usually take on board the plane in addition to hand luggage.
What will happen to air ticket prices now? Oleg Panteleev, head of the analytical service of the AviaPort information and analytical agency, believes that tariffs that do not allow luggage will be 200-400 rubles cheaper, while “baggage” tariffs, both refundable and non-refundable, may rise in price by 2-3 thousands. Panteleev believes that the airlines convinced the government to change the current rules to compensate for the large losses that the industry is suffering in last years. According to estimates by the Operators Association air transport, in 2016 their total loss amounted to 10 billion rubles - this is 17.6% more than a year earlier (8.5 billion). The Pobeda company was more interested in the changes than others.
“Currently, air carriers are faced with an unfavorable situation: the current price level on the market does not ensure the return on transportation,” says Panteleev. — It was primarily the air carriers that initiated the change in rules, while our legislators see that one way or another baggage-free fares are present in global aviation practice, so there is nothing supernatural about it. The only question is how to implement the well-known and practiced system in the world, which provides for the existence of baggage-free fares, in a way that allows passengers who fly light to save money, and not create additional traps and pitfalls for those who take luggage with them.
Fedor Borisov, a leading researcher at the Institute of Transport Economics and Transport Policy at the Higher School of Economics, does not trust information about the huge losses of air carriers:
“In my opinion, it was an error in calculations.” The first five carriers (Aeroflot group, including Rossiya, S7, UTair, Ural Airlines") ended 2016 with a profit; half of the top thirty were profitable. According to Borisov, the bill is a justified compromise that brings the Russian air transportation industry closer to modern standards:
— A low-cost airline is not an airline low prices, is a low cost company. The passenger is invited to create the package of services he wants to receive. The ability for businesses to independently determine baggage allowances is one of the necessary attributes for the development of low-cost airlines. IN different countries There are different regulations, but in general it is a question of service quality, and it is regulated by the market. Therefore, no disaster occurred. Consumers will not even feel the changes: there have long been baggage-free fares that airlines apply in violation of the law, and now they will apply them without violating the law. The price is not determined by laws, it is determined by supply and demand. Even now you don’t carry luggage for free, it’s just that this price is included in the tariff.
- On this moment The Ministry of Transport proposes rules that do not include in the weight of hand luggage such things as a computer, phone, tablet, camera, outerwear - in my opinion, this will create conflict situations. There are things that are necessary attributes of travel. And for example, computers are the future of the on-board entertainment system: now there are television screens in the seats, and in the future there will be Wi-Fi on board with the ability to download content, this will reduce the weight of the aircraft and improve ergonomics.
The law comes into force 60 days after the day of its official publication. It is still unknown whether the “prohibited” list will be revised after the criticism voiced by the senators. “Novaya” sent a request to the Russian government with a request to arrange a meeting with the specific official who developed this list - so we’ll ask him.
The exploits of the Ministry of Transport
Officials from the Ministry of Transport recent months achieved two more “major successes.”
- In close cooperation with State Duma deputies, the Ministry of Transport provoked a collapse of transportation in public transport and taxi. The Duma adopted a law stating that from June 1, drivers with foreign licenses cannot work in Russia. Taxi prices began to rise, foreigners worked illegally, and bus fleets forced Russian drivers to work overtime. The Duma calmly explained that the Ministry of Transport was to blame for everything - they supposedly had not developed, by the time the law was adopted, a regulation regulating the issuance of Russian-style rights on the basis of foreign ones.
- The Ministry of Transport has introduced mandatory registration of drones weighing 250 grams or more - now when purchasing a drone, a citizen will have to register it with a special government agency and request permission to fly. So it will be more difficult to see the dachas of corrupt officials, and at the same time, it seems, all specialized children’s clubs will be closed: we don’t need to go to the sky - it’s controlled by a comrade major. (More about this in upcoming issues of Novaya.)
If something goes wrong and your vacation has to be canceled or rescheduled, the first question that arises is getting your money back for air tickets. Some can be easily returned or exchanged, for others this is not possible, and if you refuse to fly you will lose their entire value. Together with colleagues from the OneTwoTrip travel service, we understand the intricacies of refundable and non-refundable fares.
As it was before
Until June 2014 all air tickets Russian airlines were refundable: the passenger could return the ticket even immediately before departure, and in this case received 75 percent of the cost back (if returned in less than 24 hours, the airline withheld 25 percent as a fine). If the refund was processed several days before departure, then there was no financial loss at all.
True, there were service fees for return, each airline has its own, but in general it was possible to get almost all the money spent on tickets. The risk of passengers canceling the flight was built into the tariff, which meant that tickets were more expensive.
After the amendments to the Air Code came into force, so-called non-refundable tickets appeared. It was assumed that the amendments would create conditions in Russia for the development of low-cost airlines. But as a result, all airlines made their cheapest tickets non-refundable. Also, flexible fares have spread on the market - not only non-refundable and non-exchangeable, but also without baggage. As a result, the price of flights domestic directions dropped by about a quarter.
How to find out what the fare is for your ticket
The amount you pay for a ticket is made up of two parts: the fare plus fees and taxes. The fare is the cost of the flight. The tariff is set by the company depending on the length of the route, season and booking class (economy or business). But there are also airport fees for aircraft ground handling, fuel, insurance and service fees.
Before purchasing, review the information on the website where you purchase tickets and find the fare rules. Pay attention to the following phrases (in the rules they are always written in English):
TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE IN CASE OF CANCEL/NO-SHOW- the ticket is non-refundable if the passenger cancels the trip or does not show up for boarding. That is, it will not be possible to return such a ticket without a compelling reason. Only the first part of the wording can be indicated - Ticket is non-refundable. The meaning is the same.
CHANGES NOT PERMITTED- the ticket cannot be exchanged.
CHANGES ANY TIME CHARGE EUR 50.00- You can exchange such a ticket, but for 50 euros. The amount may vary between airlines.
NAME CHANGE NOT PERMITTED- You cannot change the name on the ticket.
WHERE FARE IS NON-REFUNDABLE ANY TIME IN THIS CASE YQ/YR SURCHARGES ARE ALSO NON-REFUNDABLE- Here “YQ/YR” stands for dachshunds. This means that if the ticket fare is non-refundable, then taxes are also non-refundable.
What are non-refundable fares on Russian airlines called?
We have two non-refundable tariffs: “Economy Promo” and “Economy Budget”.
Does not accept returns of tickets sold at the “Basic” fare, including “Economy Basic” and “Business Basic”.
Non-refundable tariffs are “Light Economy”.
At "" non-refundable tickets are sold at promotional rates.
Pobeda offers non-refundable tickets at Standard and Package Plus rates.
U Nordwind Airlines- “Promo” tariff.
What about foreign air carriers?
Everything is different there. Foreign airlines do not have permanent non-refundable fares. Tickets purchased as part of promotions and sales are usually not refundable. In other cases, you need to study the tariff rules.
The exception is low-cost airline companies. Most of their tickets are non-refundable by default. Sometimes, however, the carrier allows you to change the passenger's name on the ticket for an additional fee.
How much more profitable are non-refundable tickets?
Most airlines have refundable and non-refundable fares for both economy and business class. Refundable and non-refundable tickets in the same class differ only in the ability to return the ticket if you suddenly cancel the flight. Everything else - the chairs, the menu - is the same.
Refundable tickets are always more expensive. For example, Aeroflot on the Moscow-Rome route with a departure on August 11 has a non-refundable Economy Budget ticket for 14,890 rubles. If you want to take a return ticket, there are two options: the “Economy Optimum” fare (18,155 rubles, 70 euros will be charged for a return) or the “Economy Premium” fare (22,640 rubles, free return and exchange).
How to return a ticket
If you can’t fly away, immediately report the need to return to the support service of the service where you bought the ticket. The fact is that in some cases you will still have to pay a fine for a return: this is usually specified in the tariff rules. And the closer to departure, the greater the fine - sometimes up to half the cost of the ticket. The deadline for a refund is considered to be the end of check-in for the flight (for some airlines, the time of departure).
When contacting support, formulate your request as clearly as possible: do you want to return the ticket (and not fly at all) or exchange it for other dates. The support specialist needs to know exactly what is required of him.
Some airlines return or exchange tickets only at the sales office, while others allow you to arrange everything remotely. Again, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with this in advance by reading the tariff rules. If you buy a ticket from a ticket sales service, a refund is usually made through the service.
When can a non-refundable ticket be returned?
In some cases, you can still get a refund for a non-refundable ticket. This is called a "forced return." There can be two reasons: the death or serious illness of one of the passengers, or violation of the terms of transportation by the airline.
If an accident occurs and you are unable to fly due to the illness or death of another passenger, you must inform the airline as quickly as possible. You will be removed from the flight and asked to send documents confirming the impossibility of flying. It is important to contact the carrier before check-in for your flight closes.
A long delay or cancellation of a flight is considered a violation of the terms of the contract of carriage. Duration of delay in different airlines its own, everything is described in the rules.
Please note that the decision on forced return is made by the airline. For example, many foreign carriers do not consider refusal of a flight for medical reasons to be grounds for forced return. The fact is that in Europe and the USA the culture of insurance, including travel, is well developed. And in case of unforeseen circumstances, the insurance company will have to cover the costs of the canceled flight.
Is it possible to get back at least part of a non-refundable ticket?
Yes. We remind you that the ticket price consists of two parts - the fare and airport taxes. According to the Air Code, only the fare part is non-refundable, so you can get fuel and airport taxes back, unless otherwise stated in the fare rules. For example, with S7 Airlines, for the Economy Basic fare, the YR (service fee for booking) and YQ (fuel surcharge), as well as the fee for issuing an air ticket, are non-refundable; Only airport taxes and fees for unused flight segments will be refunded.
But even if all taxes are reimbursed, the amount will be small.
When should you buy a non-refundable ticket?
Are you absolutely sure that you will fly, and are you not afraid of losing money if the trip still has to be cancelled? Choose a non-refundable ticket. In all other cases, it makes sense to spend a little more money, but buy a ticket at a refundable rate.
Who will benefit from this situation?
In the midst summer season, when Russians want to fly to warmer climes, the debate continues over the fact that now they will have to pay for air luggage on non-refundable tickets. The day before corresponding . Another conflict is that the list of things allowed for free transportation did not include cameras, umbrellas, mobile phones, outerwear.
The government is confident that the new baggage rule will reduce ticket prices and support low-cost airlines. Aviation market experts say that the beneficiaries of the bill are carriers. Who will benefit from this situation - the airlines or their customers?
Fares with non-refundable seats are most often offered by low-cost airlines, although classic airlines also have this option. According to the existing legislation of the Russian Federation and in accordance with the Federal Aviation Regulations, baggage allowance up to 10 kg and hand luggage is included in any fares, including non-refundable ones. In particular, the only low-cost airline in the country, Pobeda Airlines, is required to include baggage allowance in its tariffs.
However, the new standard, proposed by the Ministry of Transport and approved by Parliament, can help passengers save money if they are traveling lightly. At least, the low-cost airline Pobeda has announced its readiness to reduce base prices for air tickets if the legislation regarding baggage transportation changes. As representatives of the low-cost airline noted, the tariff reduction could reach 20%. The airline believes that carriers should be able to independently, but taking into account the interests of customers, set baggage allowances without additional fees or provide more favorable rates to those who want to save on their flights.
At the same time, this measure is necessary for the successful development of low-cost airlines, price policy which is based on the refusal of many services. In European low-cost carriers, services such as luggage in the luggage compartment, check-in at the airport, and a duplicate boarding pass are not included in the minimum fare, unlike the Russian low-cost airline. For example, in the British EasyJet these options cost from £13 to £45, and in the Hungarian Wizz - from € 10 to € 50. Hand luggage on these airlines is usually included in the fare, but everything in excess is paid separately. In Pobeda, on the contrary, passengers pay extra for things brought into the cabin, but the low-cost airline does not charge money for a handbag, laptop, umbrella, stroller and some other items above the norm. It turns out that people flying light, with the same handbag or briefcase, are forced to pay for their non-existent baggage, since it is automatically included in the fare. According to the low-cost airline, the airline has about 40% of such passengers and they will only benefit from the removal of baggage burden.
The largest Russian carrier, Aeroflot, does not plan to introduce baggage-free fares either. The airline said that prices for economy class tickets will not change due to the adoption of the new law, and the new rule will enable passengers flying without luggage to buy tickets at a lower cost. “This bill will allow us to harmonize Russian legislation with international practices and is extremely necessary for the overall development of low-cost transportation in Russia. It is necessary to give the passenger the right to choose the services that he prefers on a given flight. It is important that tickets for a baggage-free fare will be an alternative, and not a replacement, for regular tickets,” the airline told MK.
Adopting the Ministry of Transport bill at the final meeting of the spring session of the Federation Council, senators noted the need to finalize it. According to the members of the upper house, it is irresponsible to prohibit the free transportation of zones and telephones. In any case, the document has been approved, now the main thing is that it doesn’t turn out “as always” when “they wanted the best.”
In Russia they are going to cancel free baggage allowance when purchasing non-refundable air tickets. The corresponding bill was approved by members of the Federation Council and sent to the president for signature. According to carriers, the initiative is worth accepting: it will reduce the cost of flights for passengers. Experts note that a sharp reduction in the price of air tickets is unlikely to be expected. No airline has yet officially published new tariffs for non-refundable tickets without baggage, Primorskaya Gazeta reports.
The government of the country has prepared two regulatory documents that change the rules for carrying hand luggage and baggage on an airplane.
BY THE WAY
The cost of non-refundable air tickets can be returned if the carriage is refused at the initiative of the airline (if the passenger's health condition requires special conditions of carriage). Also, the money will be returned in case of cancellation of the flight due to deterioration of health (illness) or death of a family member. The fee is also refunded if the passenger refuses the flight due to a flight delay or other actions of the carrier resulting in non-fulfillment or improper fulfillment of the airline’s obligations.
The first of them allows airlines not to provide free baggage allowance to buyers of non-refundable tickets. The corresponding bill was approved the day before by the Federation Council and sent to the president for signature. The law will come into force two months after its official publication. Currently, passengers can carry up to 10 kg without additional charges, regardless of the type of ticket.
The second document for the first time regulates the weight of hand luggage for air passengers. According to it, citizens can carry no more than 5 kg on board. The Ministry of Transport published the corresponding draft amendments to the Federal Aviation Rules (FAR) on the federal portal of draft regulatory legal acts - www.regulation.gov.ru. Now the FAP only states that items whose weight and dimensions allow them to be safely placed in the aircraft cabin are accepted as hand luggage.
In addition, the amendments significantly reduce the list of things that can be taken with you for free. Outerwear was excluded from the list, printed publications, cameras, video cameras, laptop computers, telephones, umbrellas, canes and bouquets of flowers. If the listed items are not included in hand luggage weighing more than 5 kg, you will have to pay extra for them.
The list included a handbag or briefcase, baby food, a cradle when transporting a child, crutches and a folding wheelchair. In any case, you won’t have to pay extra for them.
The list was optimized based on research that identified the least popular items that passengers usually take on board the plane in addition to hand luggage, the press service of the Ministry of Transport clarified.
The stage of public discussion of the bill on the portal www.regulation.gov.ru will last until August 7. At this time, everyone can write their wishes and comments to the document.
Air carriers say that the innovations are primarily beneficial to passengers. The client will be able to choose the most suitable fare - more expensive, but with free luggage, or without free luggage, but the cheapest.
People flying without luggage will have the opportunity not to overpay for a ticket and enjoy lower fares, he told Primorskaya Gazeta. CEO Aurora Airlines Konstantin Sukhorebrik.
The adoption of amendments to the Air Code of the Russian Federation is also beneficial for air carriers, analysts insist. Therefore, many companies are already actively lobbying for the bill.
There are several factors due to which airlines can either save or earn money,” emphasized Oleg Panteleev, head of the analytical service of the Aviaport agency. - The first of them is fuel consumption, and the less cargo on board, the lower it is.
Second important factor- free luggage takes up space that could be used for paid cargo, the expert clarified. This means that it is not profitable for airlines to transport it. Third, the stricter the baggage restrictions, the higher the likelihood that most passengers will choose more expensive, refundable fares or still pay for the baggage. In both cases, the carrier will benefit.
According to minimal estimates, the difference in the cost of tickets with and without luggage should be about three thousand rubles. with a flight duration of three hours, Oleg Panteleev calculates. However, it is impossible to say that the cost of air tickets will definitely decrease in the near future, the analyst emphasizes. No company has yet published new tariffs.
However, there are already statements, in particular from Pobeda Airlines, according to which the air carrier is ready to reduce the cost of the fare by 20% if baggage-free fares are legalized, noted Oleg Panteleev.
As for the requirements for hand luggage, amendments to the FAP should be finalized, experts are sure. In the current version, they raise a lot of questions for both passengers and air carriers. For example, if a person has a phone in his hands or, say, a jacket that he has taken off, then it is not clear whether they need to be labeled and weighed. Taking money for transporting a cane or a bouquet of flowers is completely ridiculous.
Now the wording of the law is ambiguous,” said Boris Shakurov, deputy chairman of the Russian Association of Air Transport Operators. - In addition, it is necessary to return to passengers the opportunity to carry outerwear for free, at least on long flights, for example, from the regions of Siberia and the Far East.
The State Duma has adopted a bill that will allow airlines to prohibit passengers with non-refundable tickets from free baggage allowance.
Will we really not be able to fly with suitcases anymore? Will air tickets become even more expensive? Down with panic, let's figure it out together.
What are non-refundable tickets and how free is “free baggage”?
Non-refundable tickets differ from refundable ones in that a passenger, having refused transportation at his own request, will not be able to return the money spent on the ticket.
The new law only applies to non-refundable tickets. For return tickets, a free baggage allowance of at least 10 kg is maintained.
In general, “free” luggage is not so free: its cost is initially included in the air ticket fare. Therefore, the Ministry of Transport proposed making some tickets baggage-free. According to statistics from Pobeda Airlines, 40% of low-cost airline passengers fly light. And thanks to the new law, people will no longer have to pay for what they don’t use.
How exactly will the law work?
In fact, many airlines have long introduced baggage-free fares. For example, if you buy the cheapest non-refundable tickets from UTair, you will have to pay extra for luggage at the airport. And now this will be confirmed by law. That is, the airline itself will be able to decide whether to remove luggage from non-refundable tickets or leave it.
The most important thing is that the carrier is obliged to inform the passenger about the conditions for transporting things before purchasing a ticket.
Baggage-free airline tickets have been sold for a long time, only now they will be officially confirmed by law
What will happen to hand luggage?
Passengers will still be entitled to carry-on baggage weighing up to 5 kg. In addition, without additional fees, you can take a briefcase, handbag, briefcase with a suit, crutches, a cradle and baby food on board.
Aeroflot and S7 do not plan to change their tariff policy, and Pobeda promises to reduce prices for tickets without luggage
What airlines are saying about the changes Air Code? Representatives of S7 Airlines and Aeroflot welcome the adoption of the law on non-refundable baggage-free tickets, but do not intend to change their tariff schedule.
Let us remind you that S7, UTair, Nordavia and other carriers already have tickets without luggage: the basic economy fare includes only free hand luggage up to 10 kg. Aeroflot airline tickets include free transportation of both baggage and hand luggage when purchasing any fare.
But the low-cost carrier Pobeda promises to reduce prices on its tickets by 20% when new law will take effect.
What should I do if I bought a non-refundable ticket with baggage, and after the law was passed, the airline changed the fare to baggage-free?
FlyNow clients ask the question, what to do if tickets have already been purchased? Will I have to pay extra for a suitcase at the airport? You don't have to! The law does not have retroactive effect, that is, under what conditions the tickets were purchased, these are the conditions you will fly on. In general, there is nothing to be afraid of: your luggage will remain with you.
If tickets were purchased under the conditions in force before the adoption of the law, then no problems will arise
How to find out the conditions for baggage allowance when purchasing air tickets online?
When purchasing tickets at FlyNow ticket offices, our employees will warn you about the possibility of carrying luggage and help you choose the best flight option for you.
If you buy a ticket yourself on the website, then pay attention to the information posted after the information about the flight itself.
The FlyNow flight booking website states detailed information about the possibility of exchanging and returning air tickets and about the baggage allowance allowed for free transportation.
Here, for example, is the option of flying on a non-refundable ticket with baggage allowed. The possibility of exchanging a ticket for another departure date and free carriage of one piece of baggage is indicated.