Between small cost-cutting measures and a lack of transparency, we lift the veil on what airlines will never reveal to you.
1. Pilots often fall asleep at the controls
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay
According to a 2013 study by the British Airline Pilots Association, 56% of pilots surveyed admitted to having fallen asleep in flight. But don’t worry, they have every right to rest while their co-pilot is at the controls.
What’s more worrying is that 29% of the pilots surveyed have already found their co-pilot asleep when they woke up!
2. Your ticket does not guarantee you a seat on the plane 100%.
Airlines overbook flights to avoid losing money if some passengers cancel. This system allows them to maintain load factors of over 90% across their entire fleet.
If there have not been enough cancellations and there are therefore more passengers than seats on the plane, an airline may ask you to take another flight.
She will have to cover your accommodation and meal expenses while you wait for your flight. In addition, you will be entitled to compensation.
Have you been a victim of overbooking? Check if you are entitled to compensation here.
3. You only have 15 minutes of air in your oxygen masks.
This figure may seem alarming, but it takes a pilot considerably less than 15 minutes to get the aircraft out of a depressurization zone. You will then be able to breathe the cabin air again.
4. The blankets and cushions placed on your seats are not necessarily clean
Each airline is free to decide whether or not to wash the pillows and blankets it provides to its passengers. For example, staff members at China Southern Airlines admitted that only 20% of the blankets were washed between flights.
5. Similarly, the headphones you are provided have probably already been used
On an airplane, not everything in a blister pack is necessarily new!
Image by snsforyou from Pixabay
6. Airline pilots may have a firearm in the cockpit
In the United States, airline pilots can request to be armed during their flight hours, under a program implemented by the Federal Air Marshal Service.
No need to panic, no one has been injured. For now.
7. Having coffee on board is not a good idea
The water used for your coffee comes from the aircraft’s tanks and is full of chemicals. Tests have also shown that on some flights the water was contaminated with bacteria harmful to humans.
Never drink the water from the taps provided in the toilets or kitchens of the airplane.
Buy bottled mineral water instead.
8. For the same journey, a return ticket may be cheaper than a one-way ticket.
Don’t assume this is due to a computer problem or mismanagement by the airline. Ticket prices fluctuate based on demand,
so it’s possible that on the same route, a one-way ticket might be full price while a round trip is discounted.
Keep this in mind for your next booking!
9. You can refuse to board if your plane is too delayed.
You are not obliged to take your flight if it is delayed by more than 5 hours.
In this case, the airline is obligated to refund your ticket and offer compensation. If this has happened to you and you need to contact Vueling’s or another airline’s claims department, we are here to help. We will handle the necessary steps to obtain a refund for a delayed or canceled flight.
10. Airlines owe you money if your flight is delayed, cancelled, or overbooked.
Nobody knows, and less than 5% of passengers in France file a claim to obtain compensation.
Except in exceptional circumstances (storm, strike, etc.), airlines are legally obligated to compensate you for any flight delayed by more than 3 hours or cancelled. The compensation you are entitled to is set by European regulations: €250, €400, or €600 depending on the distance of your flight.
Did you experience a delayed or cancelled flight? Enter your flight details here to find out what compensation you are entitled to.
