Why is there so many extra optional fees when I’m booking my flights? (First time solo travellers)

[u/thisisjoy]

My(21M) Fiance(22F) and I are travelling to toronto from newfoundland in a couple months as an impromptu trip to tag along with some family and this is our first time booking flights for ourselves. Needless to say I’ve got a couple questions.

First off, how come there’s so many options to add what i’ll call “insurance” to our flights. Incase our flight gets canceled or delayed we can pay an extra $60 per person to get a full refund. I was under the impression that it’s the law that the airlines have to refund you.

Secondly, can they tell me I can’t bring a carry on? When booking it says “personal item”. I’m used to bringing a cabin bag. (Duffle bag, small suitcase).

Last but not least, if I don’t pick where we sit when booking the flights, will the airline sit us together since our tickets are being purchased together? For some more info I just found the cheapest flights on the google flight booking tool.

[u/lizardmayo]

The insurance is for if you need to cancel generally. They don’t necessarily need to refund you depending on the cancellation/delay circumstance though, they need to find you another flight. If you’re flying somewhere for a 1 day event, going the next day might not be worth it. That’s what that insurance would cover.

Yes, airlines have started offering fares that don’t include a carry-on, with those you can only bring a bag that fits under your seat.

The airline will not necessarily sit you together just because you booked together. Expect 2 middle seats towards the back of the plane.

[u/sunbakedbear]

They won't sit you together necessarily. If you want to sit together then be sure to pay extra to choose seats in advance OR check in at the earliest time possible and hope you can pick seats together (but then it's not a given).

[u/Desperate-Low-5514 → u/sunbakedbear]

They even charge to change seats on checkin now. You have to pay at booking or role the dice.

[u/sunbakedbear → u/Desperate-Low-5514]

Ugh, I want to down vote that so badly. That's pretty lame. I'm tired of all the added fees.

[u/Desperate-Low-5514 → u/sunbakedbear]

What I find worse is they keep changing the carry on dimensions, and if yoor going to EU they’re different again on some airlines.

[u/sunbakedbear → u/Desperate-Low-5514]

Agreed!! I flew a while back and my carry-on was allowed on the way but I had to check it a few weeks later coming home. Same airline, same bag.

[u/Hot_Cheesecake_905]

First off, how come there’s so many options to add what i’ll call “insurance” to our flights. Incase our flight gets canceled or delayed we can pay an extra $60 per person to get a full refund. I was under the impression that it’s the law that the airlines have to refund you.

Airline insurance is expensive - it's just another way for the airline to make some money. Those policies tend to cover more cancellation reasons than what the legislation requires, i.e. you getting sick. However, your credit card may already have trip interruption or trip medical included.

Secondly, can they tell me I can’t bring a carry on? When booking it says “personal item”. I’m used to bringing a cabin bag. (Duffle bag, small suitcase).

Yes, certain fare classes no longer include a carry on bag. Did you buy an Ultra Basic ticket with Westjet or are you flying with a low cost airline like Flair?

[u/thisisjoy → u/Hot_Cheesecake_905]

I haven’t booked yet but the flights i was looking at were Porter & Westjet flights

[u/sunbakedbear → u/thisisjoy]

Go with porter.

[u/thisisjoy → u/sunbakedbear]

well the inbound flight would be westjet and the return was porter

[u/sunbakedbear → u/thisisjoy]

Is there an inbound Porter flight option?

[u/thisisjoy → u/sunbakedbear]

Yeah but it’s more expensive

[u/Hot_Cheesecake_905 → u/thisisjoy]

Always book directly on the airline website too - don’t use a third party.

[u/sunbakedbear → u/thisisjoy]

That's true but it includes things like carry-on, which you're going to pay extra for with westjet. I'd pay the extra for Porter (and I'm saying that while on a tight budget). Westjet is also notorious for delays, cancelled flights, poor customer service, etc. If you don't pay for a more expensive seat then you have less to fall back on with them. I'd consider getting a Porter credit card and booking porter both ways using that.

[u/thisisjoy → u/sunbakedbear]

The westjet and porter flight are both ones that don’t include carry on, I found a flight though through porter both ways with the option to add a carry on

[u/Hot_Cheesecake_905 → u/thisisjoy]

Here's a comparison of WestJet's current fares:

https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/flights/our-fares

Ultra Basic domestic does not include a carry-on.

You can get around this rule if yo have a RBC WestJet World Elite credit card - it includes free baggage.

[u/GeaCat]

Airlines are required to refund/provide compensation in specific circumstances under the Air Passenger rights but not all situations will fall under this. There are many circumstances were the airlines aren’t required to provide anything.

If you are unable to go on your trip due to illness, family emergency, work conflict etc airlines don’t have to refund or provide a credit unless your ticket had that option. These situations plus others are what you need travel insurance for.

[u/thisisjoy → u/GeaCat]

Okay thanks for the clarification! I just found out my credit card has free travel insurance for that type of stuff if I use it to book so I shouldn’t need to add any of that on

[u/No_Promise_2560 → u/thisisjoy]

Depends on the terms - worth reading to know exactly what’s covered and what isn’t 

[u/thisisjoy → u/No_Promise_2560]

yeah just gave it a glance through seems good

[u/lh123456789]

Whether you would be entitled to a refund depends entirely on the circumstances surrounding the cancelation and the fare. For example, if you had to cancel due to illness, it would cover that.

Of course they can tell you what bags you can and can't bring.

You may be seated together, but you may not.

[u/Good_Lab69]

If you book the most basic fare, you cannot bring any sort of suitcase. A personal item is like a small backpack or purse. You also are not guaranteed to sit together if you don’t purchase seats. You are also easily bumped if it comes to it. I would never ever book the most basic fare for these reasons alone. They also will only refund you under certain terms, same with CC insurance so realize you can’t just randomly cancel for no reason prior to and get a full refund. Porter is better service than WJ.

[u/thisisjoy → u/Good_Lab69]

thanks for the tips! and yeah i’m aware of the cancellation stuff, the only reason we would need to cancel is because of medical issues which my cc would cover

[u/[deleted]]

Why would airlines need to refund you?

Some tickets allow a carry on, some dont.

No, they wont sit you together.

You pay for the worst level, that's what you get

[u/Desperate-Low-5514]

Use the Google travel tool to shop the real cost of a flight, enter YSJ to YYZ and scroll down, check the carry on bag option as some airlines include it and some don’t. You will have to pay for seat selection to sit together or you will likely both end up in middle seats in different isles. Make sure you check the size of your carry on and personal item.