Transit flight: everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask

The opportunity to save money, a stroll around the city or a thirst for adventure - there are many reasons why we choose flights with transfers. But those who fly this way for the first time have no fewer questions.

Who is this article for?

• for novice travelers;
• for those who encountered a transit flight for the first time;
• for those who are worried that they may not have enough time for a transplant;

What type of transplant do I have?

The first thing to figure out when faced with a transit flight is what type of transfer you will have.

Transits are different. For example, you may have single ticket when the entire flight (including transfers) is served by one airline. This is the most convenient option, since the carrier in this case is responsible for delivering the passenger to his destination. And if, say, the flight was delayed on the first segment and you did not make it to the second segment, then you will be required to be put on another plane of the same company. If the transfer time exceeds 8 hours, some carriers (for example, Emirates and Qatar Airways) provide passengers with hotel rooms. Your luggage will also be checked in and delivered to your final destination. Additionally, you do not need to register with such a ticket.

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Another option is the so-called "code sharing", when you buy a single ticket from one carrier, but fly part of the way on a partner company’s plane. In this case, you will also be checked in with your luggage to your destination and a transfer will be arranged for you. The only difference is that in case of unforeseen situations (damage/loss of luggage, etc.), all claims must be submitted to the partner company. Please note: for this type of flight, the name of the additional carrier may not be indicated on the ticket.

There is also such a thing as interline agreement- an agreement between airlines in which one carrier recognizes the tickets of another. That is, one company can sell you tickets to another. The bottom line is that this method allows you to buy a single ticket at a better price than if you bought several separate ones. There are often special fares on these flights.

Important! Tickets of this type always indicate all carrier companies. You will also be checked in for your baggage before the end of the flight, but you need to request this separately. Sometimes you need to get a ticket for the next leg of the journey when transferring - this is also worth keeping in mind.

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Well last option- several separate tickets. Many consider it the most inconvenient, since in this case you will have to pick up and re-check in your luggage at the transfer point, and also re-check in for the next leg of the route. If you miss your flight, you will most likely need to buy a new ticket. And the price of such a combined flight is often higher than in other cases. Therefore, if you nevertheless decide to fly this way, make sure that you have plenty of time for the transfer (it makes sense to play it safe and fly from the transfer point the next day).

But what to do with low-cost airlines? Let’s make it clear right away – low-cost airlines, in principle, do not have transfers. The routes that aggregator sites, including TripMyDream, offer you, are routes consisting of two or more separate flights. Therefore, in the case of low-cost flights, all responsibility for the safety of your luggage, and your arrival at your destination, is solely yours.

Transit visa. When is it needed?

We warn you right away - this point must be clarified before purchasing tickets. Typically, a transit visa is not needed if your next flight departs from the same airport and terminal you arrived at and if you do not need to claim luggage. Then you simply wait for the next plane in the transit area of ​​the airport, without going through immigration control.

But if we're talking about about transplantation in the UK, be on the lookout. Very often, travelers, tempted by low prices, buy air tickets with a transfer in London. For example, Ryanair always has a lot of offers for flights to different cities in Europe at the most low prices namely with transfers in Stansted or Luton, and then they are simply not allowed on the flight due to the lack of a transit visa.

But a transit visa is issued if:

• You are flying with a transfer and need to change airport.
• When transferring, you need to change the terminal, and to do this, go out into the city (the departure terminal is located in a different area, for example).
• You need to make two or more transfers in the Schengen area. In this case, a transit visa is issued at the embassy of the first country.
• Your transfer will take place in the UK (provided it lasts 24-48 hours). Then you need to apply for a Visitor in transit Visa in advance. But if the transfer lasts more than 48 hours, you will need a regular Transit Visa.
• You are flying on two different tickets (say, from to and from London to). Then you need a visa to claim your luggage and check in for your next flight.

Important! Some countries (for example, and) require a transit visa even just to stay at the airport in the transit zone.

With luggage another story, since it is received after passing through migration control. Therefore, make sure that your suitcases are checked until the end of the trip, and that you yourself have the right to stay in the connecting country without a visa.

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Another important nuance concerns the transfer zones themselves. Firstly, not all airports have them. Secondly, they do not always work 24/7; if you arrive late in the evening and fly out in the morning, and the airport is not open at night, you will have to take care of a place to stay overnight and arrange Schengen transit in advance. This is the most inconvenient option, so think through your action plan in advance so that you don’t have to huddle on a bench later.

I arrived at my transfer airport. What's next?

If you are flying with a transfer for the first time, then the main rule is keep calm and carry on. Don’t be nervous, your gate and plane won’t go anywhere and you’ll fly on calmly, don’t even doubt it!

So, you have arrived at your transfer point. What's next? Firstly, you should always have your tickets and documents with you so that at any time you can check the data on them (flight departure time, gate, terminal, etc.) with the airport information board and present it without delay before boarding.

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If you are flying on a single ticket, upon arrival at your transfer airport, follow the signs marked “Transfer” / “Transit” - you can easily find them transit zone, where you will wait for the next flight. Immediately find your flight on the information board and check the departure time, gate number and other information (sometimes it may change). We also advise you to immediately find your gate so that you know where you will have to go to board, and only then go for a walk around the airport.

Please note that if you are flying to a Schengen country, you will need to go through passport control immediately upon arrival. Those who fly with two separate tickets will have to go through a similar procedure, since in this case you are not included in the category of transit passengers. Upon arrival, you will need to collect your luggage, proceed to the check-in counters (signage to help you!) and re-check in by re-checking your luggage.

Stop. Should I pick up my luggage or will it be delivered?

It depends on the type of ticket. If it is a single ticket, then you can check your luggage to your final destination and not worry about it at all. But if you need to change airports during a transfer, you may need to pick up and check in your luggage again, even with a single ticket. Therefore, be sure to check this at baggage check-in.

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Long transfer. Things to do?

If your transfer takes 3-4 hours at most, you can safely skip this point. But it happens that you have to wait quite a long time for the next flight. If you have the opportunity to go to the city and the airport itself is not so far from it, go for a walk. The best way There's no way to pass the time. Make a trip plan in advance with a list of places you want to see, and calculate how much time it will take you to get from the airport to the city and back, plus the time you spend in the city, and add another half hour to be sure. To be sure!

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

When purchasing tickets, first of all, pay attention to tickets in which all flight segments are flown by one airline or airlines that are part of an alliance. In this case the majority possible problems associated with transplantation is eliminated. Even if the first flight is delayed and you miss 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 for the flight in advance.

Be sure to consider the following points:

1. Visa requirements. Always check visa requirements in Timatica. 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 in order to be allowed on the next flight. These can be printed tickets, electronic permits, return tickets, credit cards etc. For example, when we flew through Helsinki, at the airport during baggage check we were asked to show confirmation that we were indeed flying onwards and not staying in Finland. I bought an electronic ticket, and no route receipts we did not have. Boarding passes were only for the first segment of the flight. So it turned out that there was no confirmation of a further flight. Then, nevertheless, I found a letter in my mail from the airline indicating the cities of departure and arrival and the date. The surname was only in the title of the letter, there were no passport details, so in fact it was difficult to call this letter a document. Nevertheless, we were lucky and were still allowed into the transit zone. After this incident, I learned a firm rule: ALWAYS print out all possible documents and confirmations that may be needed at the transit point.

3. Baggage check-in.

You need to find out in advance whether you need to receive your luggage at the transit point and check it in again. If you need to check your luggage again, this immediately means that you will have to leave the transit zone, which means you will need a valid visa, which is required to visit the country. It is better to do this before arriving at the airport, because airline employees may mistakenly tell you that your baggage is checked in to your final destination. For current information about transit points, see the forums and the official website of the airport where the transfer will take place.

4. Baggage allowance. If different flight segments are operated by different airlines, check the baggage requirements for each airline. Because, for example, the maximum weight and dimensions of hand luggage may differ, as well as the checked baggage allowance.

5. Transplant conditions. Find out in advance how the transfer will be carried out - is it one airport or several, one terminal or different ones, what is the distance between the terminals, how and 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 transfers - the first flight may be delayed. It all depends on the conditions of a particular transplant. It’s one thing if arrival and departure are carried out from one terminal - here in most cases 2 hours are enough for a transfer, and quite another if you need to get from one airport to another - here 5 hours may not be enough. Again, read the experiences of people who have already flown this route - but keep in mind that your transfer may take longer, so plan with a strong reserve. It's better extra time spend at the airport rather than frantically run to 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 for all flights in advance online. Find out how long before the plane's departure online check-in begins and set reminders for yourself. It will be great if you can register for the 2nd segment of the flight in advance, so as not to spend additional time at the transit point (and this is not always possible, for example, due to the large time gap between the first and second boarding of the plane). However, if you have a single ticket, then most likely you will be asked to check in for both flights at once and will be issued boarding passes for all segments of the flight at once. But different airlines different rules, so check the airline website in advance to see if you can check in online.

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

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

2. How does the transfer take place within the transit zone?

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

2.1. First of all, find departure flight board(Departures) and find your flight.

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

2.2. Go through security check. Here you may be asked to show the contents of your hand luggage and here all liquids with a volume of more than 100 ml (even those purchased in the previous duty free) may be confiscated. Again, depending on your luck, they may not check. You need to find out about each airport separately.

2.3. After security you need to follow the Transit arrows(You don’t plan to go into the city) to get into the transit zone.

2.4. Once you are in the transit zone, first find where the the exit you need, and then, if there is time left, you can stroll through the duty free shops or pop into a cafe.

2.5. If your flight is not on the departure board, then you need to find a counter for transit passengers(again, look for the Transit sign) or the airline counter. You can find it using airport maps or simply by asking airport staff at the ticket check counters (next to the boarding gates). At the transit counter, be sure to check what time your flight arrives and what gate it will be.

2.6 . If you don't have a boarding pass, you can print it at the transit counter (or get information where you can do this), at self-service machines, or immediately before the boarding gate.

Your transfer will end here - your baggage will be transferred to your flight without your participation, you only need to get to the desired boarding gate on time. By the way, to be on the safe side (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 imagine the location of the exits and immediately know where to go.

3. How is the transfer going out of the transit zone?

If you want to walk around the city where you are planning a transfer, or you need to get to another airport (or terminal) of departure, then you will have to leave the transit area. You will most likely have to pick up your luggage, but not always, so check in advance if you need to do this.

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

3.2. If necessary, go to the baggage claim lanes 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), they may ask general issues about the purpose of your stay and/or ask to see a ticket to the next destination. If all the rules have been followed, you will be given an entry stamp and you can leave the airport for the city.

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

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

3.6. When you arrive at your departure airport, the 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 ahead!

The transfer time consists of the following activities:

4. 1. Baggage claim time. Baggage claim can be greatly delayed, sometimes luggage arrives only on the next flight. So if you're flying with a connecting flight and you can only check luggage for one leg of your trip, you might want to consider flying with no luggage, just carry-on luggage. But if you still have luggage, then allow more time to receive your luggage. Read reviews about a specific airline, how often baggage delays occur, at which airports this happens, how long baggage can be delayed, etc.

4.2. Passport control time.

It all depends on the case - there can be either a couple of people or a whole crowd in front of you in line. So you can stand in line for 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 plan to take a taxi, then plan your time taking into account the search for a taxi and possible traffic jams. If you are going to go to public transport, then add waiting time for transport.

4.4. Time to check in for the flight and go through all security checks, as well as passport control at the departure airport. 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 the queue there is much shorter.

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

First of all, let's figure out what a connecting flight is. This is a flight in which you do not fly directly to Right place, but two or more flights. For example, a regular flight looks like this: “Kyiv-Amsterdam”, and with a transfer it looks like this: “Kyiv-Warsaw-Amsterdam”.

These flights are usually needed in several cases, for example:

• There is no direct flight in the desired direction.
• There is a direct flight, but the departure date or time is not suitable.
• With a transfer it turns out to be much cheaper than direct (yes, this also often happens).
• Tickets for direct flights in the desired direction have run out.
• You missed your flight, but you really need to get to your destination.

Most often they fly far with transfers, for example, to Asian countries. Due to the fact that the distances are enormous and direct flights cost a lot of money, many fly with several transfers, which is ultimately faster and cheaper.

Important nuance! Sometimes for a transit flight you need to apply for a so-called transit visa, especially for long layovers. Check in advance whether this procedure is needed in a particular country - for example, in the USA you need to apply for a visa even if you do not leave the airport building itself.

What types of connecting flights are there?

There are several types of connecting flights and each has its own nuances:

• A “single ticket” is a situation where you fly with the same airline throughout the entire flight. This option is the best, with a minimum of inconvenience. In the event of a flight delay or other problems, the airline will take care of them - your tickets will be replaced without any problems. If the transfer is long (about 8 hours), then good airlines will even put you up in a hotel or take you on a free excursion if the airport is in a tourist city. In this case, you go through luggage and check-in only once - at the beginning of the journey.
• A slightly more complex option is called “code sharing”. In this case, you also fly on a ticket of one carrier company, but travel some part of the journey on another plane of a partner company. In this case, there is also a minimum of inconvenience - both you and your luggage will be checked in from start to finish, everything organizational matters The airline decides. If you lose your luggage at this stage, you should contact your partner company.
• Another option is called an interline agreement. This is an agreement between carriers when one recognizes the other’s tickets as valid. In this case, one company sells you tickets to another. The benefit lies in the price - often cheaper than retail.
• The last option is self-transplantation. This is when you first separately buy a ticket to one point, and then, separately, for another. In terms of security, this option is the most inconvenient - you will have to check in for each flight, pick up and drop off your luggage yourself. If you are late, you bear all responsibility yourself - there will be no compensation.

How does a connecting flight usually work?

In fact, the procedure is not complicated at all. A passenger lands at one airport, searches for the next flight and transfers to it. In most cases, no additional action is needed.

If you bought the tickets yourself, then after landing the first thing you need to do is pick up your luggage. After that, find check-in for another flight, go through it, check in your luggage and board.

One of the unpleasant moments with a transfer is precisely the luggage - due to the rush, even the best airlines very often lose it, and sometimes suitcases can be damaged during transportation, so it’s worth packing your suitcase in advance. This is done using the most common cling film- just wrap up your suitcase.

What to do if you miss your connection?

Statistics show that passengers are often late for connecting flights. Sometimes the problem is a delay in the previous flight, and often passengers simply get lost in an unfamiliar airport. Whether there will be any compensation at all if you are late depends on several factors. Firstly, do you have a single ticket, and secondly, whose fault was the delay.

• If you bought the tickets separately and on your own, most likely you will not be able to get your money back or receive any compensation. But in such a situation, it is always worth trying to go to the counter of your airline and ask for help in a human way. If you're lucky, they'll find you the next flight in the same direction or in some other way help you get out of the situation with minimal losses.
• If you bought flights with one ticket and were late due to your fault (for example, you got lost), you can also try to resolve this issue at the counter of your airline.
• If you are late due to a flight delay or for some other reason for which the airline is to blame, then you will definitely be put on another flight or the situation will be resolved in some other way.

It is advisable to fly direct flights - it is much more reliable. But if you still need to fly with a transfer, it’s better to buy everything with one ticket. This way, you can demand compensation from the airline and another ticket.

If you bought just such tickets, google information about the airport where the transfer should take place. IN major cities getting from one terminal to another can take quite a long time - for example, in Amsterdam just moving takes about 40 minutes. Plan in advance the route you will take to get to the next flight and make sure you have time to spare. In this case, the transplant will most likely go well.

They provide for a transplant. Unfortunately, this scares some people off, and despite more favorable price, they purchase an expensive but direct flight.

Passengers are worried whether they will have time to change seats? How to find your plane? Do I need to collect my luggage and go through passport control?

Now let's move on to the transplant...

Your actions depend on whether you have one ticket (for example, Moscow-Berlin-London) or two different ones (Berlin-London).

Transfer with one air ticket

At the departure airport, when checking in for your flight, you will receive 2 boarding passes at once. One, for a flight from the departure airport to the transit point and the second, from the transit airport to the destination. Keep both boarding cards close to your passport and try not to lose them.

On your boarding pass you will find all the necessary information: flight number, gate number and your seat in the cabin.

When you get off the plane at your transfer airport, follow the signs that say “Transfer” or “Transit.”

If your destination is not a Schengen country and the airport has a special transit area, then you will be taken to the transit lounge where you will wait for your next flight.

If there is no transit zone, or your destination is one of the Schengen countries, then upon arrival you will immediately go through passport control. Please ensure that you have the appropriate visas. Read more about transit visas read when you need them and when you don’t.

Once in the transit lounge, check your boarding pass details with the information board. The gate number and departure time may change. Then follow the signs to the desired gate.

To avoid troubles when transferring, first of all find your gate and only after that go for a walk around Duty Free and restaurants.

If there is a lot of time between flights, then you can while away it in the lounge. Sometimes it's cheaper than having lunch at an airport restaurant.

Don't forget to check the information board periodically; the gate number and departure time may change any time.

If you are lost, do not hesitate to ask airport staff for information.

Concerning luggage, then if you had one ticket for the entire route, then you will need to collect your luggage only upon arrival at your destination. If you need it earlier, for example to change clothes, then ask about it when checking in for your flight.

The time required for a transfer depends on the airport. In some, 20 minutes is enough, in others, even an hour and a half is not enough. But don’t worry, if you bought a through ticket, even with a short connection, then everything has already been calculated by the airline and if the plane’s departure is not delayed, you will be on time.

If there is very little time left before the flight, then employees of some airlines meet such passengers right at the exit of the plane or bus and escort them to the next flight.

Transfer with two separate tickets

If you arranged your route yourself and have 2 separate tickets, then you are not considered transit passenger. At the transfer airport, you should collect your luggage from the belt and follow the signs to the exit (Exit). Then check in for the flight again and check in your luggage.

You should reserve your transfer time because if your flight is delayed, you will not receive compensation or a new ticket for missing the next plane.

Will liquids purchased at Duty Free be taken away upon transfer?

Questions often arise with goods purchased from Duty Free. There is no clear answer as to whether it is possible to transport liquids purchased in duty-free shops in another country. It depends on the airport and transit country. You can read more about this in the article about hand luggage or ask a specific question in the comments.

It often happens that there are no direct flights to the route chosen by the passenger. This is especially true for very long flights. long distances. In this case, the traveler is offered to purchase a ticket with transfers at the airport. And if the procedure for flying on one plane is clear to many and does not raise questions, then a transit flight often makes tourists nervous and worried.

In reality, a connecting flight is not as scary as it might seem at first glance, and in some cases it even turns out to be the most in the best possible way get from point A to point B.

As a rule, a connecting flight allows a traveler to save time and money, sometimes even significantly. We will tell you how a connecting flight works in this article.

Rules for flights with transfers at the airport

Air travel in transit implies the presence of an intermediate point (points) between the place of departure and the final point of the route, where the passenger will need to change one plane to another.

In this case, two scenarios are possible. The simplest and most convenient of them is when all flight segments are operated by one airline or partner companies, and the passenger flies along the entire route on one ticket. In this case, he checks in once and receives boarding passes for all segments of the flight.

The airline undertakes to carry out all manipulations with baggage. The passenger only needs to get off the first plane, go to the transit area, wait for boarding for the next flight and take his seat.

The airline is responsible for flight delays in this case, and if a passenger is late for a connection due to a delay of the previous plane, it will be obliged to send him on the next available flight.

Everything is much more complicated if a passenger flies on two unrelated tickets. In this case, he should pay more attention to travel planning, since the passenger is responsible for missing the connecting flight.

If for some reason it is not possible to fly with the same airline, you should choose a transfer option with a sufficient time difference - at least 3-4 hours - to catch the second flight, even if the first one is delayed.

How to transport luggage during a transit flight

The procedure for transporting baggage also depends on whether different flight segments are connected to one flight or not. If the flight is carried out on one ticket, then most likely the traveler will be able to check in his luggage to his final destination, and he will receive his luggage upon arrival at his destination.

If a passenger is flying on different tickets, he will have to take care of his luggage himself. At the transfer point, he will receive his luggage, after checking in for a flight of another company, he will check his luggage again and go through passport control.

Even experienced travelers can get lost in large, unfamiliar airports.