Student Group Travel and Flight Itineraries
Benefits of Longer Layovers and Setting In-Flight Guidelines
Jun 9, 2009
Traveling with students on a summer trip abroad can be daunting. This is particularly true during the departure and return flights. Good organization sets the tone for a successful trip and that begins at the airport. Longer layovers can actually be a plus with student travel. Airport and in-flight guidelines should be addressed in the weeks prior to departure.
The Flight Itinerary
Most airlines are comfortable with a 30-45 minute layover between flights. While this may work for individual travelers, it is not practical for groups, especially when going through numerous security check-points. International flights arriving in Munich, one of Europe’s busiest airports, debark at one end of the terminal but must make their way across the entire concourse to catch domestic flights.
The same situation is true of many large airports, whether in Paris or Rome. Any delay involving the trans-Atlantic flight will impact the remainder of the flight itinerary. Typically, airlines will not hold flights for longer periods even if a sizable student group is involved.
Teacher group leaders should look at every boarding pass prior to leaving the check-in counter to ensure that all flights in the itinerary are covered. A group arriving to a European airport without a boarding pass for the domestic flight will have to exit the secured area and proceed to the ticket counters in the main concourse to obtain the relevant boarding passes.
This can take valuable time, particularly since the group will need to go through the initial security check points, which are usually very crowded. Additionally, all checked baggage should be routed to the final destination: if the group is traveling to Budapest but changing flights in Frankfurt, baggage should be checked to Budapest.
Opting for a long layover when traveling to the South Pacific is even more crucial. Airlines like Qantas and Air New Zealand typically over-book. Missing a flight often means spending the night in Los Angeles or San Francisco, negatively impacting the overall tour. Groups flying from a smaller airport into a hub and then on to the west coast are most at risk for flight delays that are weather related, notably in the summer.
In Flight Policies for Students
Airlines are provided an alphabetical list of group travelers and typically pre-assign seats based on those lists. This does not mean, however, that the entire group will sit together during the flight. Tour providers purchase bulk seats, often a year in advance. These seats are the least expensive but can be located in different areas of the coach section of the aircraft.
Because students like to sit with friends, they trade seats and even appeal to non-group passengers to switch seating assignments. Flight attendants consider this a nightmare. Students should be advised to clear any changes with flight attendants but only after the flight is airborne and the seat-belt sign has been turned off. Changes in seating can involve special meal orders designated for specific seating assignments.
Non-American airlines usually do not adhere to U.S. alcohol policies. Thus, it is not uncommon for underage students to order alcoholic beverages with meals or during the flight. Unlike U.S. airlines, most European carriers do not charge for beer, wine, or cocktails. If the teacher group leader has a non-alcohol policy for the trip, flight attendants should be asked not to serve students.
Plan Ahead with the Tour Provider
Layovers and the creation of a reasonable flight itinerary should be discussed with the provider’s consultants months before definite flight arrangements are made. Pre-tour meetings with students and parents should cover airport and flight policies as they pertain to student travelers.
 |
