Guide to Public Charter Flights

travelsense.org

Over the past few years, charter rules have been relaxed to make lower cost air transportation available to more people. "Public Charters" can be purchased from a tour operator, a travel agent, or sometimes directly from the airline. If your flight has been arranged by a club or other organization for its members, it may be what is called an "affinity" charter flight. These charters generally do not carry the consumer protection provisions of Public Charters. Be sure you know what kind of charter flight you are purchasing. A Public Charter may include only the flights, or it may be sold as a complete package, including hotels, guided tours, and ground transportation. Either way, your rights are spelled out in a contract you have with the tour operator. The operator or your travel agent should give you a contract to sign at the time you purchase your trip. Read it before you pay any money.

IMPORTANT CHARTER DISCLOSURES

The Department of Transportation requires tour operators to disclose certain information in your contract about the restrictions that they impose and also rights that you have under DOT rules:

You usually pay penalties if you cancel.  

The closer to departure you cancel, the bigger the penalty. On some charters, if a substitute can go in your place you only lose a $25 fee. You can buy trip cancellation insurance. These policies usually provide a refund in case you must cancel due to illness or death in the family. Your travel agent or tour operator can tell you how to buy the insurance and what health conditions it does or doesn't cover. Charter cancellation insurance often won't pay you if you must cancel because of a preexisting condition.

The tour operator or airline can cancel a Public Charter for any reason up until 10 days before departure. 

 Your flight might be canceled if it doesn't sell well or for some other reason. This is a risk you take in return for a low fare. (During the last 10 days before departure, a Public Charter can be canceled only if it is physically impossible to operate it.)

All charter flights and ground arrangements are subject to changes.  

Signing a contract does not guarantee that prices won't go up or that itineraries won't change. But, if there is a "major change" in your flight or tour, you have the right to cancel and get a penalty-free refund. Major changes include:

A change in departure or return city (not including a simple change in the order in which cities are visited).
A change in departure or return date, unless the date change results from a flight delay. (However, a flight delay of more than 48 hours is a major change.)
A substitution of a hotel that was not named as an alternate hotel in your contract.
An increase in price, if the total of all increases billed to you is more than 10% of what you originally paid. (No increases are allowed during the last 10 days before departure.)

If your tour operator notifies you of a major change before departure, you get a full refund if you decide to cancel. If you choose not to cancel, the operator is not required to make partial refunds. However, if you don't find out about a change until after your trip has begun, you can reject the changed flight or hotel, make and pay for your own alternative plans, and insist on a refund for the changed component when you get home.

No "open returns" are allowed on round-trip public charters.  

Be sure you have a specific return date, city, and flight, so you won't be stranded.

The tour operator has to take specific steps to protect your money.  

The tour operator must have a surety agreement, such as a bond, and must usually have an escrow account at a bank that holds your money until your flight operates. If your money is going into a charter escrow account, the bank will be named in your contract, and the check that is sent to the charter operator should be made payable to that bank. (If you are using a travel agent, it's OK for you to make your check out to that agent; he or she will cut a check payable to the escrow account.)

Identify the departure date and destination on the face of the check. If a tour operator goes out of business you should contact the surety company or bank identified in your contract for a refund.

You alone are responsible for knowing if you need a visa and passport for your trip.

 You can be certain of the visa and passport rules of the countries you plan to visit by calling or writing their embassies in Washington, D.C. or their consulates in some major U.S. cities.

If your luggage gets lost during your tour, there may be a dispute over who is liable.  

The charter airlines process claims for bags that were lost or damaged while in their possession. If it is not clear where the problem occurred (e.g. between the airport and a hotel), the operator and the airline may both decline liability.

To cover yourself, find out if your renter's or homeowner's insurance policy covers losses that happen when you're away from home. You might also ask your travel agent if there's a one-shot baggage insurance policy available to cover baggage problems while you are on your charter trip.

Your charter may be delayed. 

 Last-minute schedule changes and departure delays of several hours are not uncommon on charters. A flight can be delayed up to 48 hours before the charter operator must offer you the option to cancel with a full refund.

Charters and scheduled flights operate independently of each other.  

If there's a delay on the scheduled flight connecting you to the city where your charter departs, causing you to miss your charter, you lose your flight and money. Charter reservations are only good for one flight. If you miss it for any reason, you're probably out of luck. Check with the tour operator to see if he has another charter flying to your destination.

If your charter is late returning and causes you to miss a scheduled connecting flight back to your home, you have to pay your own expenses while you wait for the next connection. If you have a discount fare on a scheduled connecting flight you could lose it if the returning charter is delayed. Then you, not the airlines or tour operator, have to pay more for a regular non-discount fare.

Your baggage can't be checked through from a scheduled flight to a charter, and vice-versa. 

 You have to claim your baggage and re-check it yourself. When planning a charter, allow plenty of time to check in at the airport from which your charter leaves, or from which you have a connecting flight. On international trips, remember that you may encounter delays in Customs.

You might find seating space for your charter plane to be more crowded than you're used to.  

The low charter rate depends in part on spreading costs over a large number of people with virtually all of the seats being filled.

If a charter flight hasn't sold out shortly before departure, the operator can sell seats at bargain basement prices to latecomers.  

Some who have paid the regular price well in advance may object, but should realize that the operator's alternative may be to cancel the flight altogether for economic reasons.

Charter rates are relatively low, but might not be the cheapest fare to your destination. 

Ask your travel agent to compare fares on scheduled and charter flights for you.

Charters offer nonstop flights for an affordable price. They can be a wise travel investment if you can be flexible in your travel plans. Just be sure you know the conditions for the trip you're buying before you pay for it.

How to Fit Everything You Need into One Carry-On

cntraveler.com
 ByWENDY PERRIN

If the fashion police in Condé Nast Traveler's Style Department were to peek inside my luggage, they would have me arrested. They'd find few if any designer labels or logos–only inconspicuous clothing that helps me blend in at my destination; if drab is what the locals wear, it's what I wear. They'd find no expensive jewelry or watches that could turn me into a target of petty thieves or customs officials. They'd spot few primary colors or patterned fabrics; most of my travel clothing is solid black, khaki, or white, so I can mix and match and thus pack light and avoid checking luggage.

You can't be a slave to the fashionistas when you're a slave to the overhead storage bin. No way will I pay a fee to check baggage, or let a weighty carry-on slow me down. That's why the closest I'll ever get to a gorgeous leather duffel with gold buckles is the Gucci catalog. The style police will just have to cite me for the water-resistant ballistic nylon that covers my unchic and well-worn carry-on wheelie and my even more unchic combination pocketbook/laptop case/camera bag. As for what's inside the wheelie, forget bulky toiletry kits, designer jewelry cases, or padded lingerie pouches. Ziplocs are this girl's best friend. You'll find a bunch of these weightless, bulk-less, transparent, zip-top bags in my wheelie, holding everything from toiletries to extension cords to camera batteries. And, instead of some fancy garment holder, you'll find my business clothing and formalwear encased in plastic dry cleaner bags–the best wrinkle preventers I know.

My system may not be stylish, but it has stood the test of hundreds of thousands of air miles. Not only can I fit all my casual outdoor clothing, dress-up attire, and considerable electronic gear into one wheelie and one laptop bag, but I can find anything at a moment's notice and nothing gets wrinkled. For those of you who value utility over fashion, here is the unvarnished truth about what my wheelie looks like when you open it . . . and how yours can look that way too.

1. Use a carry-on with few structured compartments or other doodads.
I'm all for manifold zippered pockets in a laptop bag, but I've found them–along with internal straps, sleeves, hangers, and other organizers–to be a drawback in a wheelie. Wide-open space lets you squeeze more in and weighs less. My 22-inch Travelpro Rollaboard–which I have been forced to check only rarely, on certain flights between or within foreign countries–has external expandable zippered compartments, and that's about it. In those outside pockets I place garments that I will need easy access to in transit–typically my jacket, sweater (for warmth on the plane), and pashmina shawl (which doubles as an airplane blanket)–and that I can throw on, should the bulging pocket ever cause the carry-on to exceed the allowed dimensions (not all airports, airlines, security stations, and gates use the same size restrictions or enforce them consistently).

2. Think of the zip-top bag as the Swiss Army Knife of your packing system.
All of the stuff that other travelers place in the aforementioned internal compartments, I place in Ziploc bags. One holds my liquids, gels, and creams in containers of three ounces or less. Another holds dry toiletries, another my makeup, another electronic accessories (cables, chargers, anything I don't need at my fingertips in my handbag). I carry a couple of spare Ziplocs for use during the trip–say, for holding a wet bathing suit. If I've made purchases and need to free up space in the wheelie, I'll roll up some wrinkle-free clothing (e.g., a wool sweater), stick it in a gallon-size Ziploc, squeeze out every bit of air, and–like magic–the sweater's size is halved. I even fill a sandwich-size Ziploc with stuff I may need during the flight (eyedrops, nasal spray, hand cream, lip balm, earplugs, eye mask, vitamin C–my version of a business-class amenities kit) and place it inside the Ziploc that holds my three-ounce liquids, then remove it post-security and place it in my handbag for the flight. When I'm not on the road, the Ziplocs holding my travel-size toiletries sit at home in the closet. I never empty them; I just save them for the next trip.

3. Stick to neutral colors, and limit patterns as much as possible. 
The inside of your luggage should not look like a Jackson Pollock painting. I pack a lot of black (partly because you can't tell if it's dirty) and then add color or pattern in the form of an accessory such as a scarf or shawl–a snazzy silk one in warm weather, a pash­mina in cold. I'll keep it in my handbag and use it as needed throughout the day, depending on whether I'm in a poor area (in which case I take it off) or checking into a hotel (in which case I put it on). I can wear it on my head if it starts to rain or if I'm entering a mosque in the Middle East or a Catholic church in Ireland.

4. Pack old garments that you've been meaning to replace.
I often pack clothes that I was about to throw out, then discard them (or give them to the needy) mid-trip, freeing up space for clothing I buy locally.

5. Go light on items you plan to shop for during your trip. 
Whatever you hope to acquire–a hat in Panama, ski socks in Austria–don't bring them from home. The advantages of buying clothing during a trip are many: You gain insight into the destination when you shop like a local, you show respect for the culture and help sustain it when you buy and wear local garb, you can usually get inexpensive and comfortable outfits suited to the weather, and bargaining is made easier, since merchants will see your attire and assume you know what the price should be.

6. Pack toiletries that are not only travel-size but also multi-purpose.
No need to carry little bottles of liquid detergent because you can buy tiny biodegradable soap sheets for doing laundry in the sink. You can also cut down on other liquids by packing moisturizer with SPF in it and travel-size packs of Neutrogena makeup-remover pads. My husband even uses the lather from Pert shampoo-plus-conditioner as his shaving cream. As for solids, I place non-prescription pills into one small container, consolidating a few Tylenol, Motrin, Sudafed, Imodium, vitamins, and anything else I need. Always leave prescription pills in their original bottles, though, in case the authorities question you about their provenance.

7. Remember to save those plastic bags from the dry cleaner. 
Garments come back from the cleaners on wire hangers, covered in plastic, and that's how they should go into your luggage, as long as each item is encased in its own plastic. (Wrinkles are caused when certain fabrics rub up against other fabrics; plastic significantly reduces that friction, as does tissue paper, which is why sticking tissue in the sleeves of folded garments also helps prevent wrinkles.) Hold all the hangers in one hand, then fold the layers two or three times, so that they lie flat atop everything else in your wheelie. (As the trip progresses and your garments get worn and no longer need to be kept wrinkle-free, throw out the hangers.) As for dress shirts, men should leave them in their dry-cleaning packaging (cardboard in the collar and all).

8. Wear your heaviest or bulkiest shoes to the airport so you needn't pack them.
I usually wear my sturdy, super-comfortable walking shoes to the airport and pack no more than two pairs of footwear: either sneakers or sandals (depending on the trip) and a dressy pair. I stuff the packed shoes with socks or underwear and place them inside plastic grocery bags (they're cheaper than shoe bags and won't wrinkle fabrics they touch).

9. Fold clothing so as to avoid creases.
At the bottom of my wheelie, below the layer of Ziploc bags and shoes, sit my casual clothes. To keep these from creasing, fold them in overlapping layers so that they cushion each other. For instance, lay the top half of a pair of pants along the bottom of the wheelie, with the bottom half draped over one side. Place the upper half of a sweater on top. Top with a pile of T-shirts. Then fold the bottom of the pants over the pile. Then fold the bottom of the sweater over the pants. Voilà: no creases. Whenever you're forced to fold a suit jacket or blazer–say, to stuff into the overhead bin–minimize wrinkles by turning it inside out first. Hold the jacket facing you, then turn the collar and lapel away from you and put your hands inside the shoulders. Turn the left shoulder inside out. Tuck the right shoulder inside the left. The lining should be facing out on both sides of the jacket. Fold it in half and place it at the top of your bag or slide it into the overhead bin above your wheelie.

10. On any vacation, you're likely to get wet, so take the right outerwear.
Far preferable to a wool coat is a thin, hooded Gore-Tex jacket. It's waterproof, wrinkle-resistant, breathable, and great for a range of temperatures. It has multiple internal zippered pockets where you can put your wallet, passport, and other valuables, so that no pickpocket can get to them (making a neck pouch or fanny pack unnecessary–for which the style police will thank me). It also means you needn't carry an umbrella, and it fits in your wheelie's outside pocket.

11. Carry two or three accessories that instantly dress you up and send a signal to airport and hotel employees that you're a professional.
Gone are the days when you could finagle an airline upgrade by wearing a suit, but looking like a serious business traveler still pays off in any number of airport situations, and it can certainly get you upgraded at a hotel. I achieve this effect by wearing three items that weigh virtually nothing and take up no space: elegant pearl earrings, a matching necklace, and the aforementioned silk scarf. For my husband, the equivalent items are a Rolex, Mephisto shoes, and a Montblanc pen clipped to his shirt pocket.

12. Pack a thin, lightweight duffel bag.
I always pack a LeSportsac nylon duffel in case I accumulate so many purchases that they can't all fit in my wheelie. In that case, for the flight home, the duffel becomes my carry-on and I check the sturdier wheelie.

13. Remember that the best status symbols of all are tiny and plastic. 
I won't leave home without my frequent-flier elite-status card, my hotel frequent-guest cards, and my fancy credit card that gives me airport lounge club membership and priority at check-in, in the security line, and at boarding. These cards do me more good in transit, I've found, than any designer ensemble I might wear. My credit card, a Continental Presidential Plus MasterCard, also waives checked-baggage fees on Continental flights for my whole family (up to two bags per person) when we travel together and have no choice but to check bags. Other airline-branded credit cards that let the cardholder and his or her companions check bags for free (one bag per person) on those carriers are the Continental OnePass Plus MasterCard and the Gold, Platinum, and Reserve Delta SkyMiles American Express cards. A family of four can save $200 per trip this way.

How to Pack for a Girls Spring Break Trip to Mexico

blog.eaglecreek.com

 

by Kelly OReilly on February 17, 2014 ·

Counting down the days until you can hightail it out of the cold winter and onto sunny beaches south of the border? Pass the time with proper planning! Use these insider tips to put together the ultimate spring break packing list for Mexico.

If you’re fortunate enough to be fending off the winter blues with a spring break adventure south of the border, the countdown is on. As you suffer through darker days and colder weather, distract yourself by anticipating the bliss of Mexico’s white sand beaches and brilliant sunsets—and by planning what you’ll take with you on the journey! Use these guidelines to help you put together the ultimate Mexico vacation packing list!

1. Lighten Your Load

One of the advantages of packing for a Mexico vacation is the weather: higher temps and days spent on the beach call for lighter clothing and fewer hair and skincare products than your average getaway. This makes it easier to get by with a just carry-on, so consider starting out with a lightweight travel bag. If you’re planning to bring home a boatload of souvenirs, try an expandable option but chances are you’ll still have room to spare amidst shorts, flip-flops and swimsuit suits.

Also, consider your destination’s accommodations when picking your suitcase. Hunkering down in a large all-inclusive resort with airport transfers and bellhops around every corner? If so, a 4-wheeled rolling case will do just fine. If, however, you’re trekking somewhere more remote, think about a backpack you can easily carry through winding jungle paths or on a motor scooter. Going for a blend of both? A rolling backpack might just be your best bet.

2. Build a 3 + 2 Daytime Wardrobe 

Whether you’re aiming for an unplugged retreat far from civilization or a beach-by-day and club-by-night kind of scene, you’ll find that beach living—and, therefore, dressing—remains pretty simple. Most of your time during the day will be spent on the sand with a good book (or a cocktail) so you’ll want to be cool and comfortable in the hot sun. Up to three different bathing suits should cover you for a week’s stay (assume one will be drying on the balcony at all times); two cover-ups with a supply of 2-3 cotton tank tops, t-shirts or short-sleeve shirts should cover you—both literally and figuratively—for the entire week.

3: Go Casual and Stick to One Color Scheme

Planning on hitting the town once the sun goes down? Luckily, the dress code beachside bar-hopping tends to be throw it on and go. Ladies look perfect in easy, breezy sundresses. While summery materials like silk and gauzy crepes run the risk of wrinkling, you can preempt major creases in how you pack. Lay pieces flat in drycleaner’s plastic bags and place them in a Garment Folder, and when you arrive and pull them out, the damage will be minimal. Take advantage of coastal humidity to hang dresses and separates for a natural steam, or turn on the shower to help them out a little more.

As for shoes, a beach break is perhaps the one trip for which you don’t have to sacrifice most of your suitcase space for 100 different pairs. Stick to a pair of comfortable flip flops for the beach, a pair of sneakers for more intrepid adventures, and a versatile pair of nude wedges to take you through dressier nighttime forays. Nude pairs perfectly with bright colors, as well as white and black, working overtime to complete any outfit.

If you can swing it, take the advice of fashion editors everywhere, who maximize their travel wardrobe by sticking with one color scheme—whether you go neon brights or black and white, everything will coordinate in the end.

4: Take it down a notch with toiletries and make a sunscreen strategy 

Think about paring down your makeup bag before you go, and switch to your lighter, summertime skin regimen. Between the sand and steamier temperatures, your body will undergo a natural rejuvenation without your having to lug around a huge toiletry kit.

Sun coverage, of course, is key. Inquire ahead about what might be available in your destination, and consider purchasing once you’re there. If you have to fend for yourself and you’re sticking with a carry-on, devote most of your quart-sized liquids bag to sunscreen, and transfer a large tube into a handful of 3-ounce plastic travel bottles. Pack even more in the form of a stick, which won’t have to be stashed separately. If you’re checking a bag and plan on arming yourself with full-size bottles, opt for creams over sprays.

5: Make beach bags do double-duty 

Eagle Creek’s 2-in-1 Ultra-Lights are great dual purpose vacation bags! Rolled up to easily fit into a suitcase, these bright and cheery bags serve as the ideal beach bag to carry magazines and sunscreen down to the water, and then when you’re packing up to leave, they’ll happily hold damp bikinis or dirty laundry for the trip home.

6. Make Sun Protection a Priority 

Protect your face from harmful UV rays using a baseball hat or a visor or compressible travel hat. If neither jives with your style, you can still get a large-brimmed hat or fedora into your bag with minimal crushing.

Simply stuff the crown of the hat with non-wrinkle items like bathing suits, underwear and socks, and place the hat upside down in your bag, carving out a little hole between your packing organizers. A hat should be the top layer in your suitcase, or placed right underneath a flat item you don’t want to wrinkle.

7: Think layers when planning what to wear coming and going 

They’re an instantly recognizable breed on both ends—the pale, still city-hassled new arrivals sweating in their winter wear gulping down arrival punch at the resort, and then on the flip side, the sad, sunburnt and shivering returnees nearly crying their way through the cab line at the airport. It’s possible to pull off something effortless and comfortable for an easy transition into the tropics and back out to reality, as long as you remember one word: Layers.

Be sensible about the weather—if it’s freezing where you live, then it’s OK to be a little warm on arrival, but you don’t want to get frostbite before you hop on a plane (or when you get back). Wear something as light as possible that doesn’t require suffering—white pants; ballet flats; a tank top; a thin, light-colored sweater and a light coat (or cotton blazer if possible), with a bright scarf thrown over your shoulders should do the trick. Pack a pair of flip flops in your carry-on, and once you land, you can swap out your shoes and peel off top layers accordingly. The same outfit in reverse will take you seamlessly through your trip back.

In a nutshell:
—Reduce your load mentally and physically and think fewer cares, clothes and cosmetics
—3 bathing suits + 2 cover-ups + cotton tees and tanks for the beach
—Roll silky sundresses in drycleaner’s plastic and stick to a color palette + nude shoes
—Pack a foldable / collapsible nylon bag for the beach and damp clothing
—Strategize sunscreen and purchase on-site or distribute into (clearly marked) travel bottles
—Stuff your sun hat or pack a cap
—Think layers for a transitional travel outfit