The Airplane Configuration

Travel agencies cam select airplane seats for their clients by looking at a seat map. Seat map shows the configuration of an airplane. The configuration of a plane is the layout of seats and rows identifications and the locations of the plane's kitchens, closets and lavatories.

When selecting seats, we use the seat map to identify seat locations and availability. when reading a seat map, each row assigned a number (the horizontal seats carry the same number, starting with the lowest row number from the front of the aircraft till the biggest number at the tail of the aircraft). While each seat is assigned a letter (starting with a,b,c,............vertically, according to the number of seats which could reach ten seats or even more) starting from the left side faces towards the front of the aircraft.

Most passengers have certain preferences about where they want to sit. A common seating preference is an aisle or window seat. The middle passenger if often squeezed between two other people, making for an uncomfortable ride. Airline generally assign the middle seats only after all the aisle and window seats have been taken, unless two seats together are requested.

Seats in first and business class are more comfortable, because they are different in dimension. However they are some trades when assigning travelers to seats in the economy compartment.

Airports Terminals

A one or two character airport terminal code displayed after an airport/city code in flight line entry indicates the terminal from which the flight departs and/or arrivals. these codes are assigned by IATA and may appear in both direct and connecting flight entries. An (*) following a carrier code indicates that the airline serve more than one terminal. Please connect the airline for more details.


Departure and arrival times:


All times are local times. The international time calculator section shows the differences between local times and GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).

Build Operate and Transfer

Building airports through investments programs:

In view of airport needs to keep up with technological development and the research and development, which can stretch the government budgets as well as building and developing airports at the same time. Egypt for instance has encouraged the national and foreigner investors to enter that field through the "Build Operate and Transfer" (BOT) system.


Contracts were concluded with investors to build airports in various areas of Egypt such as Marsa Alam, Al Alamain, Al Wahat, Al Farafra, Ras Sidr and others all over the whole world.

Actually it is a management contract system where the owner-ship remains with the government and the contractors take responsibility for the day to day operation of the airport. The contractor will pay an annual management fee usually related to the performance of the airport. Investment will remain the responsibility of the government owner, while the overall economic risk will be shared between the owner and the management company.

Currency Conversion Rates

Fares in any tariff manual are published in Neutral Unit of Construction (NUC) and local currencies of countries of commencement of travel (origin), using the IATA three currency codes.

Sometimes ago and before fluctuation of different international currencies, fares were published in US Dollar and local currencies. IATA found it to stick to the US Dollar due to its instability. It came out with units which are to be used for the construction of fares, so called Fare Construction Unit (FCU).

In 1987, IATA decided to get rid of the (FCU) system due to the complications that were found in its application. That unit was finally replaced by the  Neutral Unit of Construction (NUC) which first applied on 1st July 1989.








However the   Neutral Unit of Construction (NUC) cannot be considered as a currency and cannot be quoted to passengers unless it is converted to local currency IATA Rate Of  Exchange (ROE) as follows:

 

Construction Fare in NUC X ROE = Local Currency Fare

The Hub and Spoke System

When the airline industry was deregulated in the year 1978, a period of intense competition for passengers began. among other things, airlines were pressured to increase the number of cities they served, without increasing fares. However to add new point to point flights, an airline needed to invest substantial funds to buy new aircraft. To solve this problem, the airlines adopted a route system called "The Hub and Spoke System".

Under this system passengers are transported to an intermediate point, called a "hub" to board planes to their final destinations. To understand the hub and spoke system, imagine a bicycle wheel with numerous spokes leading from the hub or center. The wheel's hub is the major city in where passengers can board flights to various destinations. Each spoke is a route from the hub to one of these different destination points.

The hub and spoke system enables an airline to serve the maximum number of passengers while still maintaining a competitive fare structure. a flight that requires passengers to change planes at the intermediate point between the original boarding point and the final destination, with no stopover allowed is called a "connection". A point to point flight that does not require a change of aircraft is called a "direct flight", regardless of the number of stops.

The airport terminals where passengers board airline flights are leased by the airlines. Thus in most cases all the flights operated by a particular carrier take off and land at the same terminal. If a connection involves different carriers, the passengers must change terminals to board their continuing flights. One important benefit of the hub and spoke system is minimizing the number of inter-terminal connections

Minimum Connecting Times

The shortest time that the passenger needs to go from one flight to a connecting flight is called the minimum connecting times.Standard minimum connecting times (MCT) is managed my (IATA) International Air Transport Association. because it differ from airport to another so you can access the IATA official website and know how many hours or minutes should be your connecting time for your forthcoming connection flight, as they are shown alphabetically.

But normally and to be in the safe side, when you make your booking you need to have minimum 1:30 hour as connecting time when you are connecting from domestic flight to another one, but 2:30 hours whenever you have an international sector in your whole journey.

The Validity

(I) Validity of tickets:
a ticket is valid for one year from the date of issuance if no portion of it has been used. therefore travelling must commence no later than 12 month after the date of issuance of the ticket. when travel commences the validity is extended to 1 year from the date of commencement of travel (except in the case of special fares). if the ticket is subsequently reissued the original validity is maintained.

(II)Validity of fares:
Normal OW/RT/CT - One Way, Round Trip,Circle Trip - fares are valid for completion of the transportation, 1 year after commencement of the journey. Special fares are valid as stated in their respective rules.

(III)Counting of days:
The day of travel or the day ticket issue is not counted in respect to the validity. Travel on the last flight coupon of the ticket must commence before midnight of the expiry date shown on the coupon.

Economy or Coach Class

More number of seats on the airplane you will find them in economy class. seats are set to each other with narrower than those in first and business class cabins.

Drinks and meals are served at no extra money or charge, even though alcoholic drinks usually must be bought.

On short distance journeys passengers in economy class probably served a lighter snack and not a complete meal, whereas in first or even in business class may be is served by a complete meal.

By and large choosing the class that you would like to travel on is up to your needs and preferences and your financial standard.

Also economy class is called as Coach class in order not to be confused, and usually you can assign your seat in the airplane and check-in online - most airlines are giving this facility - in order to save time when you check-in at the airport.

Business Class

Business class is located between the first class and the economy class in terms of comfort and level of service. business class was first introduced in year 1970 for these people who wanted upgraded service and more comfort that they could receive from economy class, but without paying the cost and the price of the first class.



It was called business class for the (frequent traveler or business and work voyagers). this compartment is not available on all flights. business is available on most long distance domestic and international flights

Business compartment is somewhere directly behind first class. The seats are wider than in economy class. there is as well a choice of meals, but not like first class for sure. like first class there are also individual check in counter and lounge for business class paxs=passengers at the majority of airports all over the world.

First Class

Seating of the first class is placed in the front of the aircraft directly behind the cockpit of the pilot. In some cases first class seating roughly located in the upper-deck level on the 747 jumbo jets and other huge aircraft. this is the most expensive accommodation on board the aircraft actually.

First class seats are the widest and the most comfortable seats if we compare it with any other compartments. there is more legroom in the first class, because there are fewer seats in a big arena. space between seats is called "pitch" just to be known. seats pitch in the first class is the widest in the airplane. on many long-range flights, the first class seats turn into sleeper seats to stretch your body and lie down to relax.

On longer flights that take much time with entertainment facilities for instance (movies and video games and songs and video clips), many airplanes built in an individual video screen so that the first class passenger can watch in-flight entertainment at any time they like. In-flight meal service is more tasty with greater variety of choices. First class passengers are in most cases served free alcoholic beverages if they need it. in most major airports, there are separate counters for passengers holding first-class tickets.

Infant

Infants under the age of two are considered (Lap Children), because they are small enough to sit on the adult's lap. In some cases, lap children travel for free on domestic flights, but are not assigned a seat, but a Bassinet/Carrycot is sticked on the barrier in front of the mother in the first row. Any way airlines try to provide empty seats next to parents when they are availability. It is important to inform the airline that an adult is traveling with an infant even though the infant doesn't need an airline ticket or seat. but if an adult is traveling with two infants, the airline will provide a seat next to the parent for the second infant. the second infant will be charged as a child fare ticket.



For International flights, lap children require airline tickets. these tickets cost about 10% of the applicable adult fare. In addition to the standard of services, they provide the mother with baby holder (Bassinet/Carrycot) if the seat is not suitable for her.

Unaccompanied Minors or Children

Unaccompanied child under the age of five are not accepted under any circumstances. for children who are five through eleven years of age, the following polices generally apply for all airlines.

Ages 5,6 and 7 may be accepted on a flights that doesn't involve connection (change of flights), while ages of 8 through 11 may be accepted on all flights with or without connection.

In all cases, an adult must accompany the child until the child has boarded the plane. upon arrival, the child must be met by an adult, who is required to show photo identification. The adult must often sign a form before the child is released.

when making airline reservation for   unaccompanied  child, the following information has to be provided to the reservation agents:

• Name and age of the child traveling on the flight.
• Name,address and telephone number of the adult who is responsible for bringing the child to the airport and the one who is responsible for meeting the child and picking him up at the destination airport.

  Unaccompanied children who are taking connections on a different carrier or even on the same carrier are escorted with help till they reach their connection. this service was free, but nowadays most airlines charge this service. 

Assistance for Disabled

It had been required from the airlines to provide assistance to all passengers with disabilities so that they would have the same comfortable flight and service as all other travelers on board. this means helping passengers who need such assistance to board or exit the aircraft.

The travel agent can reserve this service in advance directly with the airline company. the traveler can request in advance a wheelchair upon arrival at the connecting airport or at the final destination. when booking in the computer reservation system, travel agents can send a message informing the airline with all the services required.

Other medical assistance such as oxygen can be provided for travelers upon request. Oxygen is always arranged in advance with the airline.

Transportation and Tourism

Transportation technology had a great and positive effect on the tourism industry; this effect can measured by:

1. The increase of the number of passengers traveling world wide.
2. The comfortable means of transportation.
3. The range of time spent through transportation.
4. The carrying capacity of the aircraft.
5. The safety way of traveling.
6. The suitable and reasonable price of the trip.

Special Meals

Special meals such as those for children and diabetics, the vegetarian or low fat, low calories and low sodium meals as well as the choice of seafood or other requests. These are offered by many airline companies, but they should be requested at least twenty-four hours before departure. Travel agents can request these special meals and other services for their client through the computer reservation system or over the telephone directly with the airline.

Effect of the Jet Stream

Do you ever wonder why it takes about half an hour longer to fly from the east coast to the west coast than fly west to east? The answer involves the jet stream. (Winds resembling huge streams circle the hemisphere), usually at altitudes of 30,000 to 40,000 feet. These jet streams are established when cold polar air comes into contact with hot air from the tropical regions. They flow generally from west to east, but may flow from north to south and meander at times. Airlines pilots can ride these streams when flying east, but must necessarily buck them when flying west.

Highways in the sky

Commercial airlines are subject to many regulations than automobiles, and they fly along airways or air corridors just as cars travel on highways on the ground. International rules designed to keep airplanes well apart. planes generally must be at least 1,000 feet above or below one another, with ten minutes flying time between one another, and ten miles on either side. At takeoff, planes are separated by time intervals of one minute when going in different directions and two minutes when going in the same direction.

Aviation Freedoms

The first Freedom :
          The right of an airline to over fly a foreign territory of the partner country without landing. this means the right to over fly one country to get to another without landing.

The Second Freedom :
           The right of the plane to make a non commercial intermediate landing. It might land for instance to take on fuel, make repairs, or change crew members, but not to discharge or take on passengers, freight or mail. This means the right of an airline to land in another country for a technical stopover, but not to pick up or drop off traffic.

The Third Freedom :
          This gives the carrier the right to take passengers, freight and mail in its home country and to discharge them in the territory of a partner country. this means the right of an airline, registered on country x to drop off traffic from country x to country y.

The Fourth Freedom :
           This consists of the right to board passengers, freight and mail of the partner country in order to transport them to the home territory of the domestic carrier concerned.......The right to carry traffic back to country x from country y.

Note: Traffic under the third and fourth freedoms are also called "Neighborhood Traffic".

The Fifth Freedom :
            It Provides the right to transport passengers, freight and mail to and from a third country or countries. The right of an airline registered in country x, to collect traffic in country y and fly onto country z, as long as the flight originates from country x.

Types of trips

One Way Trip :
A one way trip is considered to be a journey which for fare calculation purposes is not a complete round trip.
Travel from one point to another without return to the origin.
The journey consists of one fare component or more.

Example/ Traveling from Cairo (CAI)--------------TO--------------------London (LON).

Round Trip :
(I) Travel from one point to another and return to the point of origin by the same routing and the same fare used on the outbound portion.

Example/ Traveling from Copenhagen (CPH)----------------Vienna (VIE)-------------Cairo (CAI)
               And returning back from Cairo (CAI)....................Vienna (VIE)....................Copenhagen (CPH)

(II) Travel from one point to another and return to the point of origin by a different routing than that of the outbound portion but using the same fare on both the outbound and inbound portions.

Example/ Traveling from Cairo------Rome---------London---------Paris-----------Athen-----------Cairo.

(III) Travel from one point to another and return to the point of origin by the same routing but using a different fare on each portions of the routing due to:
                          (Carrier Variations, Seasonality Variations or Class of service Variations)

Example 1/ Traveling from Cairo-------------Rome--------------London in first class and returning back in economy class.
Example 2/Traveling from    Cairo-------------Rome--------------London in economy class in the low season and returning back economy class but in high season.

Notes for round trip:

1. Travel from one point to another and return back to origin key.
2. Travel must be entirely by air.
3. Final destination must be the same point of origin.
4. Must have two fare components only. 

Some Definitions

1- Adult : Is the passenger who has attained his 12th birthday paying the full applicable fare.

2- Applicable Fare : The normal or special fare to be applied by taking into account all conditions related to the passenger and his/her travel.

3- Arrival and Departure Cards : They are cards filled out by international passenger, usually for statistical purposes. they are also called as embarkation and disembarkation cards.

4- Between.......and........ : Either in one direction or in the other between 2 given places or areas or cities.

5- Carrier : It is the airline issuing the ticket and all carriers that carry the passenger and/or his baggage.

6- Charter Plane : An aircraft that has been rented to fly when and where the service is desired.