Are you flying? Authorities leave recommendations (and alert for delays)

Na joint document, given the proximity of the summer holidays and the usual increase in leisure travel, the three entities advise passengers to check, before the purchase of the ticket, whether the name on the reservation corresponds exactly to the identification document or passport, as well as the date, time and airports of departure and arrival.

Passengers must read the fare conditions before payment, confirming whether the ticket allows changes or reimbursement and the applicable costs, as some tariffs do not allow changes or returns.

On connecting flights, the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC), the Consumer Directorate-General and the European Consumer Centre Portugal warn that passengers must confirm that the various flights are part of the same reservation.

If flights have independent reservations, airlines are not required to re-routing in the event of a loss of a connection, and any reimbursement will be dependent on the terms of the fare purchased.

Passengers must check before purchase whether the fare includes cabin or hold baggage and what the size and weight limits are to avoid additional costs at the check-in counter or at the boarding door.

In the case of ‘online check-in’, passengers must confirm whether it is necessary to print the boarding pass or simply present it on their mobile phone, as procedures may vary between airlines and airports.

Passengers with reduced mobility or in need of special assistance shall request support at the time of booking or at least 48 hours before departure, informing the carrier whether they travel with a guide dog or electrical mobility devices.

The entities recommend timely verification of the validity of identification documents and passports, as well as the possible need for visas, vaccination certificates or tests required by public health authorities.

Although digital identification documents can be accepted for boarding on national territory, passengers must carry physical documents when the journey involves flights outside Portugal, as the digital document may not be accepted in other countries.

ANAC, the Directorate-General for Consumer and the European Consumer Centre Portugal also advise passengers to consult the air carrier and the airport to know how early they should arrive, taking into account the ‘check-in’, security control, border control and distance to the boarding door.

With the entry into operation of the Entry/Exit System, the new European system for automated control of the external borders of the Schengen area, “the time required for border control may be longer, so passengers must take into account the location of the boarding door and the time needed to get there”, they warn the authorities.

The document recalls that the lack of appearance on the boarding door within the time required by the airline does not constitute a refusal to board under European rules on passenger rights.

In the event of delay, destruction, loss or damage to baggage, passengers shall lodge a complaint before leaving the airport and keep the documentation available.

The written complaint to the air carrier shall be lodged within seven days in the event of damage to baggage and 21 days in the event of delay in delivery.

The entities also recall that, in the event of cancellation of a flight, passengers may choose between reimbursement of the unused ticket, forwarding to the final destination at the first opportunity or forwarding at a later date, subject to the availability of seats.

The air carrier shall also provide assistance, including meals and drinks appropriate to the waiting time, two telephone calls or email access and, if necessary, hotel accommodation and transportation between the airport and accommodation.

In the event of cancellation or delay equal to or more than three hours upon arrival at the final destination, passengers may be entitled to compensation, except in situations of extraordinary circumstances outside the effective control of the carrier or if the cancellation has been communicated more than two weeks in advance.