Air ticketing is everything that happens between choosing a flight and holding a valid ticket: reserving your seat, paying for it and having the airline issue the ticket that entitles you to fly. It sounds routine, but a small mistake, such as a misspelled name or the wrong fare, can cost money or even a missed flight. Here is how it works, step by step.
A booking is not yet a ticket
When you choose a flight, the airline’s system first creates a booking, also called a reservation. It is identified by a short booking reference, usually six letters and numbers, which you use to manage your trip and check in.
The booking only holds the seat. You are entitled to fly once a ticket has been issued against it, after payment. Every e-ticket has its own 13-digit ticket number. The first three digits identify the airline that issued it. If a booking is not ticketed before its time limit, the airline can cancel it and release the seat.
How booking a flight works
- Choose your flight and fare. Compare times, routes and fare types, not just the price.
- Enter passenger details exactly as they appear on your ID or, for international travel, your passport. Most airlines do not allow name changes after ticketing.
- Pay, and the ticket is issued. You receive an itinerary receipt showing your booking reference, ticket number, flights and baggage allowance.
- Manage your booking. Choose seats, add bags or request special assistance in advance.
- Check in online or at the airport counter, then collect your boarding pass.
Read the fare rules
Two seats on the same flight can have very different conditions. The fare rules tell you:
- whether you can change the date or time, and what it costs
- whether the ticket can be refunded
- how much baggage is included
- what happens if you miss a flight. On many tickets, missing one flight cancels the rest of the journey.
A slightly more expensive flexible fare can be the cheaper choice if your plans might change.
Documents and check-in
For domestic flights in Nigeria, carry a valid means of identification that matches the name on your ticket. For international travel you need a passport, any visas required, and sometimes proof of an onward or return journey.
Check your airline’s check-in deadline before you leave for the airport, because counters close well before departure. As a common rule of thumb, arrive at least an hour before a domestic flight and three hours before an international one. Port Harcourt International Airport is at Omagwa, roughly 30 kilometres north-west of the city, so allow for the road as well.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled
Part 19 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations sets out minimum rights for passengers. In summary, for domestic flights:
- If a delay is expected, the airline should tell you the reason within 30 minutes of the scheduled departure time.
- After a delay of more than two hours, you should be offered refreshments and a way to make a call or send a message.
- After more than three hours, you can ask for a refund or a different flight.
- If the delay runs overnight, between 10pm and 4am, the airline should provide a hotel and transport.
- For long delays, cancellations without enough notice and overbooking, compensation may also be due, unless the cause was beyond the airline’s control.
The exact conditions are in the regulation itself, so keep your ticket and boarding pass, ask the airline for the reason in writing, and make any claim promptly.
Why use a ticketing agent?
You can book directly with an airline, but an experienced ticketing agent can compare airlines and fares for you, find seats at short notice, handle group bookings, and be a person to call when plans change. That is most useful for group trips to meetings and conferences, family travel, and last-minute journeys.
Book with Empire de Panache
Our airline ticketing team gives instant quotations and books in real time on the airline of your choice, to destinations worldwide, for solo travellers, families and large groups. When you fly from Port Harcourt, we can also take care of the airport itself, with check-in and luggage handled for you, a seat in our VIP lounge, and a chauffeur to and from the airport.
Ask for a quote or call us any time. Our phone line is open 24 hours a day.
