Service of transfer passengers at the airport. Direct flight or connecting flight? Baggage rules

Transfer transportation - a type of transportation in which you fly from point A to point B with an intermediate landing (transfer); while the transfer time is no more than 24 hours.

The transfer point is called the transfer point, and the transfer itself is called the docking point. Transfer transportation differs from transit in that the flight from the transfer point continues with a different flight number. This may be a flight of the same airline that transported to the transfer point, or it may be a flight of another airline.

For reference. Minimum connecting time (MST) - the time required for the successful transfer of passengers and baggage from one flight to another at the transfer airport (from 60 minutes to 24 hours). Connecting between flights for more than 24 hours is considered a stop over.

Thus, the difference between a transfer and a regular transfer from flight to flight:

• no baggage claim required*;
• no need to re-pass all pre-flight formalities*;
• saves time.

* Provided that the passenger at the departure airport simultaneously checks in both for the flight to the transfer point and for the connecting flight from the transfer point to the destination airport (two boarding passes are issued to the passenger). In this case, transfer passengers do not need to check in at the transfer halls or at the check-in counters in the general hall of the airport, but should immediately go to the departure hall of international / domestic airlines to the boarding gate indicated on the boarding pass or on the information boards. More detailed information on through check-in can be obtained at check-in at the airport of departure.

Not all airports have the possibility of registering transfer passengers. Please check with the airport of departure if your baggage has been checked in to your final destination.

Benefits of transfer transportation

Additional options in choosing the date and time of departure.

If there are no direct flights in the schedule or you are not satisfied with their schedule, you can always choose the best transfer route through the transfer point on days of the week and time of the day that are convenient for you.

Lower airfare.

When selling a transfer flight at special through fares with a transfer at the transfer point, the total cost of the flight may be lower than the cost of a direct non-stop flight.

ATTENTION: If you have booked an air ticket on a transfer route, be sure to read the following information!
Please note that in order to pass customs control at the airport of transfer Zhukovsky (ZIA) you will need a transit visa of the Russian Federation.
In the absence of it, you may be denied check-in for the flight.

Obligations of the carrier in case of transfer

• When booking, the carrier is obliged to provide a transfer and receive confirmation at all stages of transportation (even on the sections of other carriers), which allows the passenger to arrive at check-in on time.

• The carrier is obliged to inform the transfer passenger about the pre-flight formalities and requirements at the transfer airport. In addition, the Carrier is obliged to provide passengers with the following information:

  • about the route, about the time of arrival at the airport of the transfer to go through the formalities before departure;
  • on the procedures to be carried out at the point of transit or transfer for onward transportation to the point of destination;
    When carrying out transfer transportation, a passenger traveling on an international flight with a stopover on the territory of the Russian Federation and then carrying out a flight on a domestic flight is obliged to receive baggage after passing through passport control at the airport of transfer (transfer) (regardless of whether the baggage is checked in to the final destination or to the transfer point ), go through customs control, check in for a connecting flight and check in baggage. (clause 6 of the FAR No. 82 dated 06/28/2007; art. 354 of the Labor Code of the Customs Union)
  • about the requirements of the country where the transplant is carried out.
• The carrier is obliged to provide a minimum connection time with the flight for which the passenger has booked a seat.

• At the transfer points, passengers are provided with services subject to a confirmed booking for the next leg of the route, if the loss of connection or flight delay was due to the fault of the airline.

If the connection time is more than 24 hours, the passenger and his luggage are checked in only to the transfer point.

• In the event of a flight delay, in case of loss of connection, the carrier must select a new route for the passenger and make appropriate changes to the original booking, re-register the carriage.

Checking in luggage for transfer passengers

The baggage of a transfer passenger must be checked in to the final destination, if the technical capabilities of the airport allow, if this does not contradict the laws of the country of connection and if the passenger does not express a desire to receive baggage at the transfer point.

The passenger must be informed of the point to which his baggage is checked out.

The baggage of visa-free transfer passengers is always checked in to the final destination. Admission of transit, transfer passengers to their checked baggage is prohibited.

The baggage of transfer and transit passengers, when changing routes on their initiative, is re-examined and sent on the same flight as the passengers.

Transfer transportation of any types of weapons and ammunition is prohibited!

For reference. If the transfer goes through zone of the Customs Union, passengers must inform the Carrier in writing about the presence of goods subject to customs declaration before the start of baggage check-in.

* There are a number of Russian airports where it is possible to issue transfer transportation only on domestic routes. The organization of an international transfer is not possible due to the lack of a special transfer hall. This restriction applies to the following air harbors:

• Anapa
• Astrakhan
• Barnaul
• Blagoveshchensk
• Volgograd
• Gelendzhik
• Irkutsk
• Kazan
• Krasnodar
• Magnitogorsk
• Min. Water
• Nizhnevartovsk
• Orenburg
• Permian
• Rostov
• Simferopol
• Surgut
• Tomsk
• Tyumen
• Khabarovsk
• Chelyabinsk

To the attention of foreign passengers traveling to the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (i.e. to Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) by transfer transportation through the airports of the Russian Federation!

According to the requirements of the Customs Code of the EAEU, a passenger crossing the customs border independently imports / exports goods for personal use, including hand luggage.

The minimum package of documents for entry into the EAEU countries:

• Valid international passport;
• A valid visa or any other document that allows you to stay in the country where the passenger is going;
• A valid visa or any other document that allows you to stay on the territory of the Russian Federation.**

** This provision does not apply to passengers with transfers in Moscow (Domodedovo Airport).

Transfer passengers include passengers who, according to the ticket, arrived at the transfer airport on one flight and continue their flight on another flight of the same or another carrier.

Features of servicing transfer passengers are already noticeable when booking air tickets. They consist in the fact that the transfer passenger must be informed by the booking operator about the requirements for foreign citizens by the state authorities of the country through which they transit. These requirements are set out in a special TIM (Travel Information Manual) and relate to the passport, visa and customs regimes of countries of entry and exit.

At the airport of departure, transfer passengers have a priority right to depart over the rest, especially in the event of a flight delay. Registration of passengers of this category, in addition to standard procedures, includes confirmation of booking for a connecting flight and connecting time, as well as verification of documents required by state authorities at transfer airports. When baggage is checked in, a special tag marked “Transfer” is hung on it, which indicates the route and flight numbers. Baggage is loaded onto the aircraft separately, last, and unloaded first. Tracking the transportation of a transfer passenger and his luggage is assigned to a special airport transfer service.

After the departure of the aircraft from the airport of departure to the airport of transfer, a message is transmitted through the dispatch service about the presence of a transfer passenger on the flight.

At the docking point, a representative of the transfer service meets his client and assists him in making the transfer. Moreover, if the time until the next flight is less than 2 hours, the passenger is immediately escorted to the counter, where the check-in for the connecting flight takes place. In this case, the baggage is not issued to the passenger, but is reloaded from board to board under the control of the transfer service. If the time between flights is from 2 to 6 hours, the client is escorted to the appropriate administrative area or waiting area; if more than 6 hours remain until the next flight, the transfer service employee offers travelers delivery and hotel accommodation at their expense.

Since the transfer service has a certain responsibility for organizing this type of transportation, the time interval between connecting flights, in which the transfer service can guarantee a positive result of the service, is regulated. This time is at least 1.5 hours for connecting flights operated on the routes "Russia - Russia" and "International - International", and at least 2 hours on the routes "Russia - International" and "International - Russia".

It should be borne in mind that when connecting domestic flights and domestic to international (as well as international to domestic), the passenger is required to check in according to the same rules as on the original flight. As for the border and customs control, the sequence of their passage depends on the sequence of types of routes. Thus, a passenger arriving from a domestic flight and continuing the flight on an international flight first goes through customs and then passport and visa control. A passenger arriving from an international flight and continuing transportation on a domestic route goes through first border and then customs inspection. A passenger who has arrived from an international flight and continues to fly on an international flight is offered to go to the transit hall, where, in the presence of a transfer representative, he is checked in by an international airport dispatcher. In this case, upon check-in, the passenger is issued a boarding pass marked "Transfer from... to...".

If a passenger has lost his connection to a flight due to the fault of the carrier, the carrier is obliged to carry this passenger on his next flight, the next flight of another carrier, and in the event of a long break in air transportation, provide the client with food and accommodation at the expense of the airline. In some cases (if it is provided for by the carrier's rules), a transfer passenger in such a situation may be offered monetary compensation.

Air passengers can not only independently choose a company for flights, but also their types. What is a flight and what types of it can be selected, let's try to figure it out. A flight is the path of a vehicle from one point to another along a pre-approved route.

There are several types of air travel:

• transit;
• docking;
• transfer;
• regular.

What is the difference between them and what are the advantages of each, it is worth discussing in more detail.

What is a transit flight? This question is of interest to many tourists, especially those who have chosen a plane for the first time in order to get to another country or city. A transit flight is a journey with a connection that helps passengers reach places where direct travel is difficult. Some people are wary of this type of travel, fearing they might miss a second plane in an unfamiliar country. In fact, these fears are completely unfounded, especially if such a flight is organized by one company. In this case, the air carrier will independently plan the connection of two flights so that the passenger does not worry in vain. And to find out the take-off time of the second plane, the information in the tickets that are issued to all passengers when checking in for a transit flight will help.

If the passenger decides to plan a trip on his own, then he must take into account several important points:

1. The second ticket should be bought for a plane that will take to the skies about 3-4 hours after the first one lands. With so much time left, you can eliminate the occurrence of force majeure.
2. If takeoff takes place from another terminal, then it is advisable to have at least a couple of hours left in order to get to another point in time.
3. If you have to change the airport upon landing (this also happens), it is important to stock up on time. After all, air harbors are often located outside the city, where you still need to get, sometimes bypassing traffic jams.

Note that if the second plane takes off from another airport, and the passenger has to get to the air harbor on their own, then airport employees may be required to show a transit visa. You can clarify this point on the website of the air carrier, before booking a ticket.

However, all these nuances can be ignored if you entrust the booking of transit tickets to the company. In this case, passengers do not even have to re-register their luggage - this procedure is carried out once, during check-in for the first flight. It is worth noting that in this case it would be correct to call it not transit, but docking. That is, if you need to get an answer to the question - what is a connecting flight, then just figure out the differences between transit and connecting types. In the second option, the airline is responsible for issuing tickets and baggage, and in the first option, this work is entrusted to the passenger.

transfer flight

A transit air flight has a second name - a transfer flight, it can be operated by one or several companies that are part of a single alliance. When purchasing a ticket for this type of flight, in most cases, the passenger checks in the luggage once, and receives boarding passes for both flights at check-in. The transfer passenger will only need to check in once, when boarding the first plane, however, for an international flight, they will need to go through passport control again.

When purchasing a ticket for such a flight, the passenger may not worry that he will be late for the landing of the second aircraft, in this case the responsibility lies with the airline, which is obliged to provide the passenger with a free ticket for the nearest airliner on the desired route. If the passenger has to wait for the next flight throughout the night, the airline is obliged to provide a hotel room free of charge. That is, if a person did not have time for the second plane, then he has the right to contact the airline that was engaged in issuing tickets for the transfer flight in order to resolve the unpleasant situation.

The main difference between a transfer and transit is that in the first case, you change the plane. In the second, you wait until passengers are added and often fly the same transport without changing seats.

Regular flights

In civil aviation, flights are classified into two categories:

1. Regular.
2. Charter.

They are characterized by differences both in the organization and in the frequency of flights. What is a regular flight and how does it differ from a charter flight - these are the questions most often of interest to tourists. A regular flight is approved by an intergovernmental agreement, airlines are obliged to operate it all year round. Such flights are carried out by large companies, the planes go on the route strictly according to the schedule, even if there is one passenger on board. You can buy a ticket for a regular flight both in one and in both directions; airlines often provide significant discounts for pensioners and students.

The main features are:

• the price is more expensive than for a charter ticket;
• the passenger has the right to exchange the ticket, if necessary, you can return half of its cost;
• frequent flyers can buy a ticket at a significant discount;
• the departure of the aircraft may be delayed due to weather conditions, technical problems, etc.

In case of force majeure, passengers of regular flights can be transferred to a second, connecting aircraft. In this case, the airline must pay the cost of the connecting flight and material damage to passengers.

Charter flights

Charter flights are not controlled by airlines, but by travel agencies. Air transport carries out such a flight not all year round, but in a certain period of the year, most often from spring to autumn. To buy a ticket, a passenger needs contact a travel agency, since not all airlines are engaged in such sales.

Features of charter flights:

• the cost is several times lower than for a regular flight;
• when returning the ticket, the money is not returned to the passenger;
• Airliners don't fly on schedule.

Most often, a charter flight starts early in the morning or late in the evening - free time is used in the flight schedule intended for regular flights.

The undoubted advantage of charter flights is that such a flight does not include transfers. However, the plane can deliver tourists to the most remote airport in any country. To get from the air harbor to the city center, a person will have to spend a lot on a taxi or other means of transport. To avoid additional costs, before purchasing a ticket for a charter flight, you should check with your travel agency at which airport the plane will land and how far from the city it is located?

1. Delivery of passengers to the “sterile transit zone” of the terminal, where access by unauthorized persons is excluded. Handing over transit cards to record the number of passengers

2. Various additional services before boarding the aircraft (souvenir shops, cafes, restaurants and other types of services).

3. Aviation security control

4. When boarding is announced, passengers are delivered to the aircraft via a boarding bridge or by bus

5. When boarding the aircraft, the transit card is taken away from the passengers.

(withdrawal of transit cards for counting those who came to boarding).

6. Landing in the aircraft.

Note

Passengers boarding the aircraft after the transit parking of the aircraft must be carried out in such a way that transit passengers take their seats in the cabin first.

If an aircraft replacement is planned, the following rules must be applied:

All transit passengers must be disembarked;

It is necessary to distribute boarding passes to transit passengers;

Boarding gate number and boarding time must be reported;

If necessary, provide the necessary assistance to transit passengers.

In cases where transit passengers remain on board the aircraft, crew members must check the number of transit passengers remaining on board the aircraft and ensure that only transit passengers are present on board the aircraft.

Transfer Passenger Service Procedures

If a passenger during international air transportation must make a transfer on the route (transfer), then this will require the performance of certain operations, both at the agency and at the airport of the start of air transportation:

a) in an agency

Clarification of the route and transfer points (route intermediate points),

Selection of connecting flights by points of transfer (transfer connections);

Reservation of a place for all sections of the route (reservation of scats);

Passenger information about the requirements for passports, visas and vaccinations in the countries of transfer, about the rules for carrying hand luggage;

b) at the airport of departure:

Checking the ticket and documents required at the transfer airport;

Issuance of an interline baggage tag "TRANSFER"

and if necessary, if any, payment for excess baggage to the destination or stopover;

Accumulation of data on transfer passengers for compiling a message about them (RTM - passenger transfer message).

Transfer passengers with a short stopover at a transfer airport (short time transfer)

Transfer- transfer of a passenger from service by one carrier to service by another carrier of the same airline or another airline. The transfer of a passenger from one flight to another when connecting flights must take the minimum time published in the international timetable.

Service of transfer passengers at the airport of intermediate landing is carried out by the transit/transfer group, which monitors their progress from the moment they arrive at the transit airport until the moment they leave for their destination.

At the transfer agent/dispatcher, the passenger checks in a ticket for a connecting flight, after which he/she enters the general flow with the originally departing passengers of this flight and passes through the airport security control before boarding the aircraft.

At this time, his baggage by the airline, in the presence of an agreement on the "interline" (interline agreement), is reissued for another flight and delivered to the aircraft of the connecting flight.

In order to prepare for the meeting of transfer passengers and to comply with the minimum connection time, a message about transfer passengers RTM (passenger transfer message) is sent to the transfer airport in advance

Network schedule for serving transfer passengers with a short stopover at the transfer airport:

1 - unloading the arrived aircraft (baggage, mail, cargo)

B1 - unloading and separation of baggage "TRANSFER" and arriving passengers

B2 - baggage delivery to the distribution area and to the transfer area for re-registration

for a connecting flight

В3 - baggage re-registration of transfer passengers

B4 - delivery of baggage of transfer passengers to the aircraft

P1 - disembarkation of arriving and transfer passengers

Р2 - receipt by transfer passengers of transfer cards

P3 - check-in for a connecting flight with a transfer agent

P4 - security control before boarding the aircraft with the withdrawal of transfer cards

Р5 - boarding of passengers in the aircraft of the connecting flight

6 - aircraft departure from transfer airport.

Baggage

Passenger

Note:

1. During the issuance of cards, the compliance of the number of actually arrived transfer passengers with the number indicated in the "SZV" / "LDM" is checked.

2. If it is indicated in the “SZV” / “LDM” that there are passengers on board the aircraft with the booking status “SA” (for free seats) / RQ (unconfirmed booking), it is necessary to contact such passengers immediately after arrival, in order to to resolve the issue of the possibility of ensuring their further transportation. If the passenger cannot continue the flight due to lack of free seats, it is necessary to unload his baggage.

3. Passengers with a long stopover at an intermediate airport (stopover).

A long stopover (stopover) is a case when a passenger, having arrived at an intermediate transfer airport, is unable to continue the air trip over the next 24 hours due to the absence of a connecting flight on the day of his arrival.

A stopover is also called a break of the journey arranged at the passenger request in advance agreed with the carrier at the point specified in the schedule, except when stopover is not allowed at this point, i.e. If:

The carrier has no commercial rights at this point (the carrier has no traffic right), i.e., cannot exchange commercial loading;

The applicable fare or discount rules prohibit or limit the stopover.

Network schedule for servicing passengers making a long stopover at an intermediate airport on the route:

1 - disembarkation from the aircraft and unloading of baggage (disembarkation, unloading)

2- passport and visa control (passport, visas)

3- baggage collection (baggage collect)

4- customs, sanitary, quarantine control (customs, sanitary)

5- a note from the transit dispatcher about the continuation of the flight after the stopover

6 - leaving the airport

4 Service for visa-free passengers (TWOV - transit without visa).

The passenger has a ticket for a connecting flight with the booking status "OK";

The stay in the country of transfer is within 24 hours, but in total no more than 72 hours;

The passenger cannot leave the visa-free zone of the terminal or must stay in a hotel for visa-free passengers.

In the event that a passenger does not have hard armor on one of the sections (“OK” status), the following principles must be followed:

The passenger may be sent provided that he has no difficulties with visas and other formalities at the point where the reservation is not confirmed, and he also has sufficient funds to ensure his accommodation;

On arrival at the transfer airport, passengers go through all the administrative formalities of passport and visa control, hand over excess things to the luggage room, check the availability of a reservation for a connecting flight, accompanied by a transfer agent, proceed to the hotel for visa-free passengers. With short time intervals between connecting flights, visa-free passengers are in the transit (sterile) zone of the terminal.

Information about such passengers must be indicated by the initial airport in the summary load sheet / LOADSHEET in the column "Service marks" / "REMARKS" in the line of the airport from which the reservation was not confirmed. This information must be contained in the load telegram "LDM".

:At departure passengers go through all the formalities associated with the departure.

In any case, if there are transfer passengers on the flight who need a transfer on the route, then a message is sent to all transfer points about these passengers departing from the transfer points within a calendar day from the moment of arrival at the RTM transfer point (Passenger Transfer Message) - message about transfer passengers.

Information about transfer passengers from Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO) to Copenhagen (NRC) with a transfer in Copenhagen to other flights:

RA 216/06 - flight number from Sheremetyevo airport, date of departure.

SK 028/06 - flight number, which is scheduled to change in Copenhagen to Paris.

CDG Y3/RQI/SA1B3/1/0 - information about the number of passengers, their booking statuses, their baggage.

BA 302/06 - flight number for which a transfer is scheduled in Copenhagen to London

LHR Y2/RQ2/SA 2 В 2/1/1 - information about the number of passengers, their booking statuses, their baggage.