One of the most frequent questions of air travel enthusiasts is: "How is a transfer flight?" This is really interesting, because every second tourist has encountered flights with a connection in his life. What you need to know what subtleties exist in such flights? Let's go deeper and find out all about transit flights.
What does a connecting flight mean?
A transfer with a transfer means an intermediate point between the airport of departure and the final destination. For example, you need to get from St. Petersburg to Orenburg. Firstly, there is only one direct flight. You can choose it and fly with Rossiya Airlines, but the problem is that the ticket costs 2 times more than for flights with transfers.
Transit flights
Transit flights are different. Consider two possible scenarios:
- All flights are operated by one airline or partner airlines. In this case, you can receive all the necessary information from them. For example, buying an S7 ticket on the Internet, on the official website you will see information about the minimum connection time that you will need to know. It is S7 that takes responsibility for late flights. If you do not have time for a transfer, you will not be left in trouble: they will offer to settle in the nearest hotel and put on another plane on the next flight.
- Flights are operated by different airlines. How does a transfer flight happen? Baggage, check-in, consequences of being late for the aircraft - in this case, everything lies with you. If for any reason you are late for the flight, you will have to buy a ticket for another flight again.
Always consider in advance all possible circumstances and situations that may happen to you. If the transfer is made at another airport in the city, do not forget that you need at least 2 hours to complete the transfer. Consider traffic jams (if it is a metropolis or a large city), traffic accidents and more.
Benefits of Transit Flights
Many tourists choose flights with transfers. Reviews about them are various, both positive and negative. Let's take a closer look at the good things people often fly on planes with a dock.
With a change cheaper
One of the main advantages of transit flights is its affordable price.
For example, you want to get from Moscow to Seoul. A direct flight to Incheon Airport costs 22 thousand rubles. We study the prices of flights with transfers:
- Transfer at the Tolmachevo airport in Novosibirsk. S7 Airlines (Russia). Ticket price - 17 thousand rubles.
- Transplant in Istanbul. Turkish Airlines (Turkey). Ticket price - 17500 rubles.
- Two transfers: in Belgrade and Abu Dhabi. Airlines Air Serbia (Serbia) and Etihad Airways (United Arab Emirates). Ticket price - 18 900 rubles.
As we can see, even with two transfers, flying to Seoul is cheaper than taking a direct flight ticket.
Availability of an alternative
What to do in the situation with Orenburg if there is only one flight to your destination? People are used to the alternative. Tourists want to choose a ticket based on the time of departure and arrival, the presence of baggage and hand luggage, airport, air carrier, ticket price. And here again transit flights help us out.
Only decision
Sometimes it’s not possible to buy a ticket to the city that you want to visit. For example, because it is too far located. Then transit flights come to the rescue.
- For example, you want to get to Sochi from Nizhnevartovsk in the fall. But direct flights in this direction are carried out only in the summer.
How to get to Sochi from Siberia using transfers?
- Flights from Nizhnevartovsk to Moscow are carried out by several airlines at once: Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Uteir, and North Wind.
- Now you can fly to Sochi at any time. Flights from Moscow are carried out regularly.
- You can also fly to Sochi from Tyumen, flying there from Nizhnevartovsk. The flight is operated by Uteir.
Differences in transit flights
There are connecting and connecting flights. Let's see what the difference between the two is:
- On a connecting flight: you receive one transit ticket and several boarding passes. Check in once (at the first airport of departure). Passport control is not required again (at the transfer airport); you will not leave the transit zone. You don’t even think about luggage, it’s definitely taken to another plane. If the flight is delayed, you must provide food and overnight, as well as put on another plane, flying later in the same direction.
- On a connecting flight: you have two (or more) separate tickets on hand. Check-in takes place at each transfer airport. It is necessary to go through passport and other controls several times (meaning at each airport). You pick up and drop off your luggage again. In the event of a flight delay, all responsibility lies with you.
Knowing the difference is very important so as not to get into an awkward situation when buying a ticket.
Baggage when flying with a dock
Probably everyone is interested in what to do with luggage. How does a transfer flight happen in this case?
- If you have a single ticket (flights are operated by one airline, this is a connecting flight), then you need to check in your luggage to the final destination, being at the first airport of departure. Then it will be delivered to the next plane. You will not need to pick up a suitcase.
- In the event that you need to change the airport for a transfer, you cannot leave your luggage. You should pick it up.
- You will need to pick up your baggage and check it in again only if you are transporting items subject to declaration.
- If you have two or more tickets, you need to take care of your luggage yourself.
- Also, the airline may refuse to carry baggage on the plane and offer to do this to you, but only if the airport does not have the necessary equipment.
How does a transfer flight happen? Aeroflot warns that if your baggage is checked in only to Moscow, then you need to get it yourself and check in again to the final destination.
Transit Visa
This is a very important point related to documents. It is necessary to clarify it before the start of the journey. So, do I need a visa when flying with a transfer?
- If your flight is carried out from the same airport to which you arrived, or at least a terminal, then you do not need a transit visa.
- Also, you will not need a visa if you do not need to receive baggage.
You are just waiting for your flight in the transit zone. You do not undergo migration or any other control on which a visa is required.
What situations does a transit visa need?
- If you are flying on a plane with a transfer and you need to change the airport.
- If you have two or more transplants in the Schengen area. How then does a transfer flight take place if there is no visa? Execute it at the embassy of the country hosting the first transplant.
- If the terminal that serves your next flight is located in such a way that you must go outside to get into it (it may be in a different area), then you need a visa.
- The transplant will happen in the UK. If its duration is from 24 to 48 hours, you need to issue a Visitor in transit Visa. If from 48 hours - you will need a regular transit visa.
- If you fly on different two (or more) tickets. For example, from Kazan to Riga, and from there to Milan. You need a visa to get your baggage and check in for another flight.
- If the country of arrival is the USA, Canada, Australia. In these countries, a visa is necessary even if you are simply in the transit zone.
Transplant time
It is imperative to remember that transplantation sometimes takes a lot of time. Moreover, your first plane may be delayed. In order not to worry if you manage to dock or not, we advise you to choose the right tickets:
- The best option if you are flying in one company is to have a ticket with a transfer lasting at least two hours.
- Consider the human factor: you may get tired or confused due to excitement.
- Many airports have poor navigation. Not all tourists can easily understand for themselves where to go.
- Do not forget about the time that you will spend when passing to the gate, and then on board.
If you are flying two companies that are not partners, then the ideal docking time is at least three hours. Add time for baggage, check-in, checkpoints.
Interesting Facts
Would you like to fly 18 hours on a plane? Or would you choose a flight with a transfer?
- The longest non-stop flight was Singapore Airlines. Flight tickets are on sale from May 31, 2018.
- The New York – Singapore flight is nonstop and lasts 18.5 hours. In the opposite direction (Singapore - New York), the journey time is 17 hours and 50 minutes.
- A plane ticket can be bought for $ 1130 (74,315 rubles).
- The route itself will open on October 11, 2018. It will become regular.
- Today it is the farthest flight in the world.
- This airline already had such a flight, which was closed in 2013 due to the fact that the aircraft serving the flights was withdrawn from the aircraft fleet (Airbus A340).
- Previously, the New York - Singapore flight was operated by the same Singapore Airlines, but with a connection in Frankfurt.
- Now the flight will be operated by an ultra-long-range Airbus A350 aircraft. Business class seats 67, economy - 94 seats.
- The distance between New York and Singapore is 16,700 kilometers (9,000 nautical miles).
Would you dare to fly on this ultra-long-range airplane, having covered almost seventeen thousand kilometers in eighteen and a half hours?
Travel Tips
The following recommendations will help you choose the perfect transit flight:
- Get one transfer ticket. Then you do not have to worry during the flight whether you have time for the next flight or not. Why spoil your flight experience? Enjoy it and don’t think about anything else.
- Think carefully in advance how much time you will need to transplant. Especially if you fly this way for the first time.
- Find out the details of your route. Is moving to another terminal required? Maybe even to another airport? Learn the ways to get there. Particularly often, other airports or terminals in Paris and London are assigned for transplants.
- Think in advance what you will do during the transplant. If docking lasts about 3-4 hours, take books or a tablet with you in your hand luggage. They will help you cope with boredom. If your transplant lasts more than four hours, it would be advisable to spend all this time in the lounge area. This is a superior room where you can be offered food, drinks and Wi-Fi. The more hours you stay there, the less you will pay for the service.
- Think about where you will sleep in case of a long night transplant. You can book a room at the nearest airport hotel.
- Check in advance if you need to apply for a transplant visa. Even if not, you can do it at least in order to walk around the city.
Take these tips into account and your flights will be as comfortable as possible.
Conclusion
So, today we learned with you how flights operate with transfers. We found out how things are with luggage, what transit flights are like. Now you know exactly how to organize the perfect flight with a dock. Travel more!