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13 Things Airlines Won't Tell You

By Michelle Crouch

From how to get the best seats to disgusting airplane habits to avoid,
get these insider secrets to a safer, cheaper flight.

Here's what a safety demo doesn't say:

Serge Bloch for Reader's Digest

We dim cabin lights at night so your eyes are adjusted to the dark if you need to
find a way out. We put up tray tables at takeoff and landing so passengers next to
you can escape if needed. And you should open your window shade, so if there's a
crash, firefighters can see inside.

We're extremely stingy about fuel

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iStock/Subsociety

It's expensive to carry because it's heavy, so keeping levels low saves us a lot of
money. But it also means if there's rough weather or an unexpected delay, we're
more likely to make an emergency landing because we're running out of gas.

If your flight is overbooked...

iStock/andresr

... don't accept the first $200 voucher we offer. We typically keep increasing the

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offer until we have enough volunteers willing to give up their seats. If we don't get
enough volunteers and have to bump you involuntarily, insist on cash
compensation instead (many airlines will write you a check at the airport).
Department of Transportation rules say you're entitled to as much as $1,300 in
cash, depending on your ticket price and how long you are delayed.

Booking a group trip?

iStock/andresr

Search for only one ticket at a time. If you search for, say, four tickets, and we have
only three at the lowest fare, all four are bumped to a higher price bracket. Want
to explore the beauty of the American West? Get more info about an amazing
travel experience to America’s Cowboy Country here.

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Our pilots can't eat together

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iStock/Matus Duda

Some airlines don't allow two pilots flying together to eat food from the same
source within an hour of each other. Either they have to eat at different
restaurants, or one waits at least an hour to make sure the other doesn't get
poisoned or sick.

Lost your luggage?

iStock/olaser

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Don't delay reporting it, even if the lines to do so are long. Most of us require you
to file a report within a very short time period. If you miss the deadline, your claim
may be denied.

Our seats really are getting tinier

iStock/Alija

You're not imagining it. In the Boeing 777s used for long-haul international flights,
we recently shrank the seats by one inch so we could fit an extra seat in each row.

Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize

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iStock/LaraBelova

You don't want that pretzel you dropped on the tray table. Most airlines don't
clean trays between flights. Before you touch anything, clean it with sanitizing
wipes.

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If your flight is cancelled...

iStock/m-imagephotography

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... get in line at the ticket desk or the gate counter, but also get on the phone. You'll
probably reach an airline phone agent before you get to the frazzled agent behind
the desk.

We're not a fan of price-comparison websites

iStock/pixdeluxe

We pay a fee every time you book through price-comparison online sites like
TripAdvisor and Orbitz, so we're making it harder for you to use them. Some
airlines (Delta, Southwest) don't release fares at all to certain third-party sites.

There's a right time to switch seats

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iStock/Yuri_Arcurs

Check the seat map about four days (100 hours) before your flight. That's when we
start upgrading fliers from coach to business and some of the best seats open up.

We are totally disgusted when...

iStock/gevende

... we see you walking around barefoot on the plane. That carpet? Everything you
can imagine has been spilled on it: vomit, milk, baby pee, and blood, to name a

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few.

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Know what you're entitled to

iStock/Izabela Habur

If we cancel your flight, we will offer to put you on another one. But you should
also know that even if you have a "nonrefundable" fare, we will give you your
money back if you ask.

Sources: Charlie Leocha, chairman and cofounder of Travelers United, a

consumer travel organization; Melisse Hinkle, head of content and social media
at cheapflights.com; Chris Lopinto, cofounder and president of expertflyer.com;
Rick Ingersoll, author of Frugal Travel Guy Handbook; George Hobica, founder
of airfarewatchdog.com; and a captain for a regional airline

And your life's about to get more interesting.

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