What does a connecting flight mean? All about connecting flights. Long transfer. Things to do

In your arms. You have chosen the dates, the price and are preparing for the trip. But there is important point: the flight is connected.

How the flight with a transfer from plane to plane takes place, you just can find out from this article.

You can fly to many countries only by making a transfer. Around the world, many thousands of passengers arrive at one airport every month to in 2-5 hours go to the next one.

If you need to make a transfer, then when choosing such flights, be guided by the factors listed below.

Transplant time

This is extremely important. Many airlines offer time - from 30 minutes to a day. But, as practice shows, 30 minutes is an extremely short time.

Moreover, if the transplant is carried out in major airport... Please note that you will spend time not only on the transition from one exit to the other, but also on the queue from the plane, then on passport and customs control.

Always keep tickets with passports in your hands or in your pocket to get them quickly

And the stress that accompanies any trip should not be discounted. Many passengers in the first minutes of arrival at a new airport for them are simply lost and cannot figure out where to go at all.

The best option is about 2 hours. This time is enough to get out of the plane and orient yourself at the airport. This is if you are flying with the same airline. When, if your flight is operated by two different companies, then you need at least 3 hours, since you will still have to receive your baggage and re-check in for the next flight.

Transit airport

This factor directly depends on the first one. Since, depending on which country the airport is located in, different rules will apply for transit passengers.

For example, in Europe, Russian citizens can stay in one terminal, without access to a city or another terminal, without having a Schengen visa on hand, for 24 hours.

Therefore, study carefully the visa policy of the transit country. Indeed, in many of them, you cannot go to the city or even leave the terminal during a transfer at the airport.

Read the signs carefully

Is it possible to leave the airport when transferring with a visa in hand or if Russia has this country visa-free regime? Yes, in this case you can, but it's better to check it in the storage room and calculate the exact time so that you can return to your flight on time.

In general, before the trip, carefully study the airport map, or rather download it to your phone or tablet.

This will help you find your way out faster. It will also reduce the stress that many people experience. Especially for those for whom a transfer at the airport, this is the first time.

Types of flights with connections

Tickets with transfers are conventionally divided into 2 types:

1. When you are flying with the same airline or companies that are part of the same alliance.
2. And when you fly on two different airlines.

These are two different cases, which we will discuss below.

We fly with one airline

How to fly with one airline? If both flights are operated by the same company, then I can tell right away that you get rid of all sorts of problems. It's over convenient option in all senses.

Firstly, air tickets with transfers will be issued to you and registered immediately before the point of arrival. Just in case, you can tell them when registering to do so.

Secondly, upon arrival at the place of transit, all you have to do is get off the plane, go through passport and customs control, find your way out and calmly wait for the boarding announcement.

After the plane has landed, after leaving it, look around. Almost all airports have signs indicating the location of terminals and exits to the field.

Prepare your passport and e-ticket before registration

If there are none or they are written in a language you do not understand, contact the airport staff. On the English language at the very least they speak in almost every country.

There is one technique that can sometimes work. Listen to the conversations of the people next to you. If they need to go to the same exit as you, then just follow them.

You may have to go through passport control, but this does not happen in all cases. For example, in the case of arriving from African countries to Europe, passports must be checked, but let's say they no longer exist in Belarus.

You may be asked a few simple questions: the purpose of your arrival in the country, the purpose of your trip to the country of arrival, and so on. If so, answer calmly and accurately. There is no need to get angry and nervous. On the contrary, this may cause suspicion among the staff.

Then you will have to go through customs control and sit comfortably in a chair, waiting for your flight to be announced. However, you shouldn't relax either. From time to time, check the exit number on the scoreboard. It can be changed.

We fly with two different airlines

In this case, it is better with the docking offered by various search engines. It is not recommended to plan and connect flights yourself.

If 2 flights are performed, then upon arrival at the transit point, you need to do the following.

After going through passport control, immediately go to collect your luggage. This may take an indefinite amount of time.

Typically, the flow of passengers from one flight immediately goes there. So just follow the familiar faces.

After arrival, immediately go to collect your luggage

When received, go to the check-in counter and check in for the next flight. To do this, you may have to change the terminal.

Please note that different countries different visa policies. For example, in Europe, you cannot leave the territory of one terminal if you do not have a Schengen visa.

As you can see, it is quite easy to fly with a stopover. To do this, plan your trip and follow the tips above.

Some passengers are willing to pay any money just to travel all the way on the same plane. And vice versa - there are people who invent unthinkable combinations and combine three or four flights in one trip. Why do they do it? What is a docking and what should a traveler who is flying somewhere with a transfer need to know?

First, let's understand the terms.... The words “docking” and “transfer” often mean the same thing, but in reality the concepts are somewhat different. A docking is a flight with a landing at one or more points. The same ticket is valid throughout the entire flight... Most often, stops are made for a change. vehicle- Passengers leave the plane, go to the airport and board another aircraft in another terminal. A different amount of time is allotted for docking - from a little over an hour to a day, but most often from 2 to 6 hours.

When flying with a dock, passengers usually have two questions.:

Do I need to re-register, customs, passport control and security screening?

Do I need to pick up and drop off my luggage when docking?

A mandatory procedure for docking is security control. It is conducted not by the airline, but by the airport staff to make sure you are not trying to smuggle a bomb into your carry-on baggage. In some large interchange hubs, screening is required at the entrance to each terminal.

Check-in for a connecting flight is made once - at the airport of departure... Next, you receive a document, which you show at the intermediate airport. In this case, customs are usually not required. Those who stay in the transit zone all the time of docking are not threatened with border control either. But if you want to go out into the city and get to know the culture of the country better, you should find out in advance if this is permissible in your case. For example, at European airports, you may have big problems if you wish to cross the border without a valid Schengen visa.

What about luggage? Everything is much simpler here. When you travel on different planes, but on the same ticket, the airline is responsible for your baggage. Its employees transfer your property from one plane to another without your participation. You only need to turn in things at the starting point of the path and get them at the end. If you do not find your suitcases at the airport of arrival, the carrier must also search for them. If you lose your baggage, you need to contact the airline's office at the airport and fill out the necessary documents.

So, the docking does not present any particular difficulties - we have just seen this. What does the transplant look like? Let's say you are flying from Moscow to New York, but there are no cheap direct flights. But you can buy one inexpensive ticket from Moscow to Paris and the second - from Paris to New York. A transfer will be considered the moment at the airport when you change from one plane to another.... In fact, this is not much different from transferring to another bus in the city. The only difference is in the details.

When switching from one flight to another, the passenger is responsible for his / her property... Yes, you will have to pick up and drop off your baggage during a transfer, and at an intermediate airport. The same applies to all procedures accompanying the flight. After arriving at the transfer point, you will need to get your baggage, check in for the next flight, drop your baggage, go through customs, security checks, and if you plan to go out into the city, then passport control. Check the visa regime in advance if you do not want to be detained for violating it.

At major foreign airports, orientation can be a problem. You must thoroughly figure out which terminal you are arriving at, where your next flight departs from, how best to move from the arrivals area to the departure area. Be sure to mark where you need to drop off and collect your baggage. And it is better to do this at home, in a relaxed atmosphere, a few days before the flight. Hurrying to study the layout of an intermediate airport when your plane is already aiming for its runway is not the most convenient option.

There is always the possibility that the plane will be delayed - for example, due to unfavorable weather conditions... If you have to arrive at the transfer point at approximately 5:00 pm, do not take a flight that leaves earlier than 6:30 pm. You simply will not have time to complete all the necessary actions. It is better to foresee in advance that luggage may be delayed, and the queue at passport control may be longer than usual. Total you need to take about two to three hours for a transplant... If possible, check in for the next flight online - if the plane is delayed, this will save a lot of time. Online registration usually opens in 12 hours, or even a day, so you can go through it even at the point where you start your journey.

When it makes sense to choose a connecting flight?

If you want to see a city (country) without staying there for a long time... Some states allow travelers a transit stay in the city without a visa (two to three days). It is enough only to present an air ticket confirming that you will fly out of the country on the specified date.

As we already mentioned, connecting flights may be cheaper than direct... If your trip to your dream country is threatening to turn into a financial crisis, it is worth exploring alternatives. It is quite possible that one connection or transfer will save you 30-40% of the initial amount.

Searching for cheap air tickets, we have long promised to write about more "advanced life hacks". Finally, hands have reached.

Advanced life hacks. Part one. 4 ways to save money by skipping flights :)

To begin with, again a little theory to understand the logic of airline pricing.

Theory: direct flights or flights with connections and skipping a segment on the ticket.

Let's tackle a couple of very common newbie questions.

- Why are direct flights more expensive than flights with connections?

- Is it possible to start a flight from the second (third, fourth, etc.) segment? Or skip a segment on your flight?

Example

Let us explain with an example: a ticket Moscow-Rome-Moscow from Alitalia costs 13 thousand rubles, and a ticket Moscow-Rome-Malaga-Rome-Moscow 9000 rubles. At the same time, flights from Moscow to Rome seem to be on the same flights. At first glance, it is illogical.

Why is the airline willing to sell you 2 flights more expensive and 4 flights cheaper? The answer is simple - this is how she tries to earn more.

All other things being equal (departure time, convenience, etc.), the passenger will always prefer a direct flight. It is more convenient and faster. Since it is more convenient, then he will be ready to PAY more for this convenience. There are certain categories of people for whom a direct flight is very valuable, and they are ready to pay one and a half to two times more, just not to suffer with connections. In particular, if the employer sends you on a business trip and pays for it, then you will still choose a direct flight, even if it is more expensive, because "the office pays." The airline is counting on this, for it direct flights are the MAIN market from which it seeks to make its profit. That is why when you are looking for tickets from Moscow to Rome, the direct flight will be offered to you at a more expensive rate.

On the other hand, when you are looking for tickets from Moscow to Malaga, you are generally not going to fly there with Alitalia flights via Rome. Well, that is, you may not mind, but this is clearly not the first thing that comes to mind. And all things being equal, you will fly a direct flight, for example, Vueling. Now let's imagine that Alitalia has insufficiently loaded flights Moscow-Rome and Rome-Malaga on these dates. It may happen that empty seats will remain and the company will not receive money for these seats at all. This is where you are "given a discount" and offered to buy tickets cheaper, giving "4 flights cheaper than two". We are just trying to explain it on our fingers, so it looks a little complicated, but in fact, everything is done by the system automatically using the rules of fares and booking classes.

If you want to go to Rome, then it seems to you a tempting idea to buy a ticket Moscow-Rome-Malaga-Rome-Moscow for 9000 rubles, and fly on it only the first segment to Rome and the last segment back from Rome. Alas, this will only work with the first part of the plan. Once you are not on your flight from Rome to Malaga, all other segments of your ticket will be canceled or simply “burned out”. General rule here it is - as soon as you missed at least one segment, forget about all the rest.

It would seem that this does not help us fly cheap, but this is only at first glance. because SEGMENTS AT THE END OF THE TICKET WE CAN "SKIP" EVERYTHING.

Practice: four "advanced" ways

Method 1: If you're looking for a one-way ticket, check connecting flights to neighboring cities. (Secretly, this is our favorite life hack)

Unclear? Let's take an example. We are looking for a one-way ticket Moscow-Riga. We check, and it costs 5,000 rubles. Expensive. We start to think and remember that AirBaltic, flying from Moscow to Riga, often gives good prices in the Baltics and Scandinavia. The most competitive and cheap direction from Moscow to the Baltic States - this is Moscow-Vilnius, in this direction AirBaltic will have to compete with Transaero and Aeroflot. Why not check a one-way ticket from Moscow to Vilnius via Riga? We check and ... AirBaltic is pleased to offer it to us for 2700 rubles. The bull's eye! We choose the option with a long connection in Riga and, well, ... as if we do not have time (forget, wake up, get sick), but for good reasons we never get to the Riga-Vilnius segment. Since we skip not the first, but the last segment, the ticket will be canceled, but only after we no longer need it. We will fly to Riga, but we will not fly to Vilnius. But after that there are no segments we need!

If you are flying with luggage, do not forget to tell at the check-in counter to check in your luggage not to the final destination, but to the intermediate one. With long connections, as a rule, there are no problems - you can motivate by the fact that you have there a “bottle as a gift”, which cannot be carried in hand luggage, clothes or medicines.

Method 2: If you are looking for a round-trip ticket - check if two one-way tickets can be combined

Well, not just a round trip like you might have done before. For example, if you are looking for Moscow-Tallinn-Moscow, then classic airlines will not have a round trip cheaper than two separate tickets Moscow-Tallinn and Tallinn-Moscow.

Therefore, you need to search taking into account the savings option described in method 1. Sometimes you can save on a ticket there, sometimes on a return ticket, and in some cases on both :)

In the example with Tallinn, we were able to save both there and back. For example, like this: there Moscow-Tallinn- (Vilnius) and Tallinn-Moscow- (St. Petersburg). We flew only Moscow-Tallinn-Moscow, of course. And it came out much cheaper.

Method 3."Bonus" trips - take 2 trips for the price of one

Before that, we considered only options, choosing the direction where to fly. The next step is to start playing with changing the city from where we are flying out.

The idea here is simple: since a direct flight from our city to the desired destination is expensive (we discussed above why it is expensive), then why not look for a cheap flight from another city (neighboring or not), but which we also do not mind visiting. That is, roughly speaking, why not combine the two trips.

Example: we have described one in detail using the example of saving on tickets from Moscow to Tenerife (s).

Another example: Aeroflot (and its subsidiary airline Russia) sometimes gives very good prices from Europe to Asia (e.g. Japan and South Korea), counting on transit European passengers. Something like Prague-Moscow-Seoul-Moscow-Prague. Why not fly to Prague for a couple of days before traveling to South Korea, if for the price of two trips it turns out like one? After all, for this we lack only the very first one-way flight from Moscow to Prague. On the way back, again having correctly selected a long docking, jump off in Moscow or St. Petersburg and do not fly the last segment. Here

Method 4. Multi-segment flight without last segment (s)

Air companies, competing with each other, sell cheap not only round-trip tickets, but also tickets on difficult routes. These are the so-called fork flights (or in English open-jaw). Plugs can be single - when either the cities of arrival (e.g., Moscow-Hamburg, Berlin-Moscow) or the cities of departure (e.g., Helsinki-Paris, Paris-St. Petersburg) do not match, and double - when neither of them match ( e.g. Copenhagen-New York, Miami-Stockholm).

We love these flights for several reasons:

1) they are good for seeing several cities in one trip;

Find by low prices Such flights are very difficult at first, but do not be discouraged - we often write about them quite often. Learning how to dock them and being flexible in directions to fly will pay off more than that.

Examples: you live in St. Petersburg and have read on our website about cheap ticket Finnair with a difficult route St. Petersburg-New York, Miami-Stockholm for 15,000 rubles. The entire flight looks like this: St. Petersburg-Helsinki-New York, Miami-Helsinki-Stockholm. Here, for sure, everything is clear. On the way back, we check in luggage to Helsinki, and from there by bus to St. Petersburg. Another example: so beloved by us and described many times

15.04.2016, 11:30

Direct flights are, of course, the most convenient and comfortable. But there are simply no direct flights to some parts of the world, and you can only get to them with a transfer. In addition, despite some inconveniences, transit flights have a significant advantage - connecting flights are usually cheaper.
How does a connecting flight take place than transit flight different from direct

• Direct flight is a flight when the flight from the airport of departure to the airport of destination is carried out on the same plane.

• Flight with a transfer- this is the case when you fly to your destination on several planes, most often on two, and during the flight you will have a stop during which you will need to change from one plane to another.

Features of transfers depending on airlines serving flights

• In the case when the flight is carried out by one company, you will first need to board the first plane of this airline, and at the transit airport, transfer to another plane belonging to the same airline. Such flights are also called connecting flights.

• In the case when the flight is operated by several airlines, you first board the plane of one airline, and at the transit airport, transfer to the plane belonging to another airline. These airlines may or may not have partnerships with each other.

• If you are exercising flight with partner airlines, you will have one itinerary receipt in your hands, in which both of your flights are entered, and the airlines are responsible for connecting and transferring.

• If airlines are not affiliated with each other, there will be two itinerary receipts - for each flight separately, and not the airlines, but only you, are responsible for connecting and transferring.

How baggage is handled on a connecting flight

If itinerary receipts will be two, then you will need to pick up your baggage on your own immediately after arriving at the transit airport, and then drop it back when boarding the next flight.

Moreover, if you are transporting things that are subject to mandatory declaration, then during the transfer you will also have to collect your baggage and check it in again for your connecting flight.

Where exactly does the transfer to another plane take place?

Another plane in the same airport terminal

The most convenient and fastest transfer option when flying - you will not need to leave the airport or terminal to transfer.

Another terminal at the same airport

This option is less convenient and a little more difficult than the first one - here you will need a little more time to get your bearings and move to another terminal.

Another airport

The most difficult transplant option. How is the transfer flight in this case? In order to transfer to another plane, you will need to move to another airport, and this will take additional time and requires special attention and preparation before the flight - you will need to study the route to another airport, the visa rules of the country of transit and, possibly, make a transit visa ...

The ones that can be found are almost always tickets with one or more transfers. So choosing a transfer ticket is the easiest way to save money on your trip (if you didn't have time to buy a ticket for a promotion or at a sale). Today I want to talk about how to fly correctly with transfers and some of the features of flights that you should not forget about.

When buying tickets, first of all, pay attention to tickets in which all flight segments are performed by one airline or airlines that are members of the alliance. In this case, most of the possible problems associated with the transplant disappear. Even if the first flight is delayed and you do not make the second flight, the airline is obliged to put you on the next plane.

If you buy two separate tickets (for example, Moscow-Madrid, Madrid-Cancun), then you need to be extremely careful and prepare in advance for the flight.

Be sure to consider the following points:

1. Visa requirements. Always check visa requirements in Timatika. I wrote in detail about how to do this.

2. List of documents... In addition to visa requirements, find out what other documents you may need at the transit point to be allowed on the next flight. These can be printed tickets, electronic authorizations, return tickets, credit cards etc. For example, when we flew through Helsinki, at the airport, at the baggage check, we were asked to show confirmation that we were indeed flying further and not staying in Finland. I bought an electronic ticket, and we did not have any itinerary receipts. Boarding passes were only for the first segment of the flight. So it turned out that there was no confirmation of the further flight. Then, nevertheless, I found in my mail a letter from the airline indicating the cities of departure and arrival and the date. The last name was only in the title of the letter, there was no passport data, so in fact it was difficult to name this letter as a document. And nevertheless, we were lucky, and we were nevertheless allowed into the transit zone. After this incident, I learned a firm rule: ALWAYS print all possible documents and confirmations that may be needed at the transit point.

3. Baggage check-in.

It is necessary to find out in advance whether you need to collect your baggage at the transit point and register it again. If you need to check in your baggage again, this immediately means that you will have to leave the transit area, which means that you will need a valid visa, which is required to visit the country. It is better to do this before arrival at the airport, because the airline employees may mistakenly tell you that the baggage has been checked in to the final destination. For up-to-date information about transit points, see the forums and on the official website of the airport where the transfer will take place.

4. Baggage allowance. If different airlines provide different flight segments, then check the baggage requirements for each company. As, for example, the maximum weight and dimensions of carry-on baggage may differ, as well as the allowance for checked baggage.

5. Transplant conditions... Find out in advance how the transfer will be carried out - is it one airport or several, one terminal or different, what is the distance between the terminals, how and on what to get from the point of arrival to the point of departure, if the terminals are far from each other.

6. Transfer time... Allow more time for connecting - the first flight may be delayed. It all depends on the conditions of a particular transplant. It is one thing if arrival and departure are carried out from the same terminal - here in most cases 2 hours will be enough for a transfer, and quite another if you need to get from one airport to another - 5 hours may not be enough here. Again, read the experience of people who have flown this route before - but keep in mind that it may take longer for you to transfer, so plan well. Better to spend extra time at the airport than frantically running on your flight with the risk of being late for it.

7. Online check-in for the flight. To save time at the airport, check in online for all flights in advance. Find out how long before the flight starts online check-in and set yourself reminders. It will be great if you manage to register for the 2nd flight segment in advance, so as not to waste additional time at the transit point (and this is not always possible, for example, because of the long time interval between the first and second boarding). However, if you have a single ticket, then most likely you will be offered to check in for both flights at once and boarding passes will be issued for all flight segments at once. But different airlines have different rules, so check in advance on the airline's website if you can check in online.

8. Stopover. If possible, make a stopover and leave 1-2 days for a transit transfer (during this time you can see the city, take a break from a long flight and just catch the second plane).

9. Duty Free... Do not buy liquids in duty free the original point of departure, if you are going to leave the transit zone at the place of transfer, and you intend to carry the purchases in your hand luggage. Even if the packages are sealed, you may not be allowed on the second flight segment.

2. How is the transfer within the transit zone

So, you arrived at the airport, where the transit transfer, what to do next?

2.1. First of all, find board with departing flights(Departures) and find your flight.

If your flight is already on the board, then remember the gate number (Gate), and exact time departure. It is possible that the flight is delayed and you have a little more time left. And if your flight is not yet on the scoreboard, then after the security check, go to the counter for transit passengers.

2.2. Go through security check. Here you may be asked to show the contents of your carry-on luggage, and here you can also withdraw all liquids with a volume of more than 100 ml (even those purchased in the previous duty free). Again, as luck would have it, it may not be verified. You need to find out about each airport separately.

2.3. After inspection, you need to follow the arrows Transit(You don't plan to go out into the city) to get into the transit zone.

2.4. Once you are in the transit area, first find out where the the exit you need, and then, if there is time left, you can stroll around duty free shops or drop by a cafe.

2.5. If your flight was not on the board of departing aircraft, then you need find a transit counter(again, be guided by the Transit sign) or the airline counter. You can find it according to the airport maps or simply by asking the airport staff at the ticket check counters (next to the boarding gates). At the transit counter, be sure to check what time your flight will arrive and what the boarding gate will be.

2.6 . If you don't have boarding pass , then you can print it at the transit counter (or get information where it can be done), in self-service machines or just before the boarding gate.

This concludes your transfer - the baggage will be transferred to your flight without your participation, you only need to reach the desired boarding gate on time. By the way, for safety reasons (and especially if you have little time for a transfer), it is advisable to print out a diagram of the airport transit zone in advance in order to roughly represent the location of the exits and immediately know where to go.

3. How is the transfer going with the exit from the transit zone

If you want to walk around the city where you plan to transfer, or you need to get to another airport (or terminal) of departure, then you will have to leave the transit zone. You will most likely have to collect your luggage, but not always, so find out in advance if you need to.

3.1. So, you have arrived at the airport. Go through security first.

3.2. If necessary, go to the baggage claim belts and pick up your luggage.

3.3. After you have collected your luggage, go to passport control... Here they will check your documents, visa (if it is required to visit this country), may ask general questions about the purpose of stay and / or ask to show a ticket to the next point. If all the rules have been followed, then you will be given an entry stamp and you can leave the airport to the city.

3.4. If you plan to stay in the city for a few days, and you will fly from the same airport, then it is best to leave your luggage at luggage room, and take with you only the most necessary things.

3.5. If you need to get to another airport (or to another terminal), then along with your luggage go to the desired airport... If you do not have local currency with you, it is better to withdraw a small amount directly at the airport so that you have cash with you. How and what to get to the airport - find out in advance. When choosing a transport, keep in mind that you can easily get stuck in a traffic jam by taxi or buses, so if possible, use the metro or train.

3.6. When you arrive at the departure airport, further procedure will be no different from a regular direct flight.

4. How to calculate the time for a transfer if you need to leave the transit zone?

Always plan well!

Transplant time consists of the following activities:

4. 1. Time of baggage claim. Baggage claim can be greatly delayed, sometimes the baggage arrives only on the next flight. So if you are flying with a transfer and you can check in luggage for only one segment of the route, it may be worth thinking about flying without luggage, only with hand luggage... But if you still have luggage, then allow for more time to receive your luggage. Read reviews about a particular airline, whether baggage delays often occur, at which airports it happens, how long baggage may be delayed, etc.

4.2. Transit time passport control.

It all depends on the case - there can be a couple of people in front of you in the queue, or a whole crowd. So you can stand in line for either 5 or 40 minutes.

4.3. Travel time between airports (terminals). Think in advance at least 2 ways how you can get to another airport. If you are planning to take a taxi, then plan the time taking into account the search for a taxi and possible traffic jams. If you are going to go to public transport then add the waiting time for the transport.

4.4. Check-in time for the flight and passage of all security checks, as well as passport control at the airport of departure. If possible, check in online to avoid the check-in line. Even if you have luggage, the check-in time will be reduced, because at many airports, baggage check-in takes place at a separate counter, and there is much less queue.

4.5. By the received time add at least an hour for any unforeseen situations.