Best International Fares

Guideline for all trans-atlantic carriers that introduce core business fares - Quartzy

Today, small prints are more important than ever when it comes to reserving an economic airline pass for a trans-atlantic outing. Whereas in the past a traveller could count on a snack, a piece of baggage and the reservation of his favourite seating spot as part of the series, the dawn of the fundamental economics is now upon him - and airline companies are increasingly providing more and more fragmentary opportunities for long distance travel.

For the traveler, this naturally means that the reservation procedure demands even more detail. There are plenty of low fares, but there are also fares where you last board, on a central saddle, separate from your travelling companion - and possibly without food, luggage or blankets to talk about.

It' s a fact that these new "basic fares" may have the same seating arrangement as a classical economic fare, but it is important to recall the benefits that are much more important on longer journeys. Last thing you want is to get on a long plane with a base pass without being prepared. When using an on-line tour operator such as Expedia or Priceline to find your way around, you should be particularly wary of choosing the best deal for your date.

Often the interface of many aggregate and meta search pages is not as clear as that of airlines for ticketing conditions - and often only puts the lowest priced options at the top. Whilst the fares for some of these routes are not yet known, the base short-haul fares for an operator like British Airways are on a 10-20% lower on avarage than the regular economics fares.

Prior to the April début of many of these fares, Quartzy described some of the airline's key features. Your lowest priced economic travel pass, known as LowFare, is one of the most economical of all: it comes with a single passenger compartment, a carry-on luggage pocket and a piece of luggage (which must have a total of 10kg or 22 pounds - and they weighed at check-in) and an in-flight amusement system.

Anything else, up to and personalized with check-in baggage, food, beverages and a certain seating arrangement, will either charge you a la cart or approximately $90 more for the raffle pass per LowFare+ optional. Your WOW Basic pass is virtually just a chair and a car sack. Beginning in early 2009, there will be three levels of Business Light, the lower one being Business Light.

The new level will be cabin only, with no refund, limited rebooking or seating until check-in. On the other side, you are still eligible for meal, snack, drink and on-board enjoyment (and an air carrier representative has certified that you can buy hold bags or a la cart seating arrangement if, for example, you return with more bags than you took with you).

In the meantime, economy classic remains the default economics seating moment (including seating when booked and free luggage), and Economy Delight offers more luxury economics classes with more leg room than a default economics seating moment. For a long time, British Airways has had a base flight plan for its short-haul services, but will extend it to select Transatlantic services in April.

With a configuration very similar to that of Virgin Atlantic (the two strong rivals reported the changes in the same week), BA's economic fares will provide a cabin luggage option consisting of only one piece of carry-on luggage - which contains a basket and a piece of luggage - but no reservations at the time of ticketing. Like Virgin's low-fare long-haul tickets, seats include backrest seating and meals and drinks.

An agent of BA would not certify whether a seating arrangement or check-in baggage can be added a la carte without a full upgrading, as with Virgin's base rate. Now Delta has three different kinds of tickets in economics category, whereby economics is the cheapest one. Provides a standard business seating arrangement, but for services starting on or after April 10, it will charge $60 for check-in baggage for trips between the United States and Europe.

Your seats will also be available after check-in - sometimes even at the gates - which means you'll be more likely to get a centre saddle on a packaged plane and not necessarily those travelling together. Meanwhile, you still get an entertaining system as well as free earphones, amenities, meals, refreshments and beverages on international long-haul routes.

Delta's inland base economic fares are different. American Airlines will also be expanding its base prices for Transat Atlantic services from April onwards (as a partner in the OneWorld alliance, they are making the switch in cooperation with British Airways). As regards luggage, Ticket Holder will receive a piece of luggage and a basket of luggage (as opposed to the AA Home Base system where passengers are limited to a piece of luggage under the seat) and a charge will be levied for each piece of hold luggage.

In contrast to some competition, AA's primary transit system allows travelers to buy a seating arrangement at any point before checking in, but Group 8 customers will be able to get an on-board dining and dining experience, as well as entertaining and services, that's the same as a normal business man. At the beginning of April, the two affiliates, which are operating in a partnership with Delta, will also be expanding their base economies to the trans-atlantic market.

It does not include hold bags, reservations or the possibility to modify a flight itinerary. Registered bags are ?50 ($61).