Recently, the fake-ticket controversy involving Ctrip has been making headlines, and for a while many travelers were understandably worried about accidentally buying a fake airline ticket. At the same time, people on various forums often ask basic questions about air tickets. So today, here is a summary of the things you absolutely should do after buying a ticket.

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Common Problems That Can Happen With Airline Tickets

These days, most airlines sell electronic tickets. In many cases, you can print your boarding document on the website within 24 hours before departure and use it to check in at the airport. Or you can go to the airport and use documents such as your ID card or passport at the counter. However, because we often buy tickets days or even months in advance, there is a long gap between placing the order online and actually flying. During that time, a number of things can change. Here are some common issues that may come up:

  • Incorrect passenger information
  • The ticket has not actually been issued yet (not ticketed)
  • Flight cancellation / schedule change (cancellation/schedule change)
  • Flight overbooking (overbooking)

Below, we will briefly explain why each situation happens and how to deal with it. In later sections, we will also discuss additional points for different types of tickets.

Incorrect Passenger Information

This is something you absolutely want to avoid, because incorrect passenger information can often cause the ticket to become invalid or force you to pay a lot of money to change it. So:

  • Before booking, be sure to verify the passenger’s: name, passport/ID number, gender, date of birth, and nationality

Your Ticket Has Not Been Issued Yet

Paying online does not necessarily mean your ticket is confirmed (ticketed). This can happen whether you book through an Online Travel Agent or directly on an airline website. The basic issue is that after you submit the purchase request, the airline operating the flight may need some time to process it. In general, when you buy a cash ticket on an airline’s own website, ticketing can often be completed instantly; but if you redeem miles for an award ticket, it may take a few hours or even until the next business day for the ticket to be issued.

This is especially common with Chinese travel agencies. When booking through domestic Chinese agencies such as Qunar or Ctrip, you will often see a waiting period for ticketing. If the ticket can be issued within 24 hours, you will receive a confirmation email and you should also see your ticket number. Generally speaking, that ticket number is valid, but in some cases an unscrupulous agent may provide a fake ticket number while waiting to issue you a lower-priced ticket later and pocket the difference. In the U.S., I have used orbitz to buy tickets, and in most cases a confirmation number was generated almost immediately after placing the order, so the booking could be looked up right away.

So whether you booked a domestic China flight, a domestic U.S. flight, or an international flight:

  • After paying, the first thing you need to do is make sure the ticket has actually been issued (ticketed).

Flight Cancellation / Schedule Change

Flight cancellations and schedule changes usually happen for two main reasons: weather and airline planning changes. If there is severe weather, a flight can easily be canceled, and that is generally unavoidable. The second reason is when the airline adjusts its flight schedule—for example, canceling lightly booked flights, changing the connecting airport, or adjusting departure and arrival times to avoid route conflicts. Usually, the airline will notify you by email in advance.

  • It is a good idea to check and confirm your itinerary three times on the airline website: one month before departure, one week before departure, and one day before departure, to make sure the flight time is still correct and does not disrupt your connection or original plans.

Flight delays are not really part of this category, because those are usually last-minute issues that happen after you arrive at the airport and cannot be predicted in advance. We will discuss how to handle those situations in more detail in a future article.

Flight Overbooking

Flights are almost never planned to go out with every seat filled by travelers who actually show up. Some passengers will always cancel or change their plans. Because of this, airlines have their own methods for managing no-shows. The most common one is overbooking on certain flights. For example, for an aircraft that carries 100 people, the airline may sell 105 tickets, assuming that on average 5 passengers will cancel or change their flights. That allows the airline to maximize the load on each flight. In general, if your flight is oversold and you did not reserve a seat in advance, you may not be able to board. Of course, airlines usually provide compensation in these situations. You might get a free upgrade (for example, from a full economy cabin to business class), or be rebooked for free onto the next flight plus some financial compensation. If you want to reduce the chances of this happening, the best approach is:

  • Select your seat in advance, either right after booking or 24 hours before departure

Things to Watch For on Domestic China Flights

Verify That the Ticket Is Real

If you booked a domestic China flight, especially through an agent, the first thing you should do is verify that the ticket is genuine. In the past, when I bought tickets through agents on Qunar, after ticketing I would always use “Travelsky” from China TravelSky to verify the ticket. It is probably the most official way to check.

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Of course, you can also call the airline operating the flight, provide your ticket number, and ask them to verify it. If the ticket cannot be found or the ticket number does not exist, contact the agent and the airline immediately to find out what is going on.

Reserve a Seat

Whether you bought the ticket through an agent or on the airline’s own website, you may be able to use the ticket number to reserve a seat on the airline’s website, which can help reduce the risk of issues caused by overbooking. However, each airline has different rules. Some airlines only allow seat selection within 24 hours of departure, or only assign seats during airport check-in. So for the exact rules, call the airline or check its website.

Things to Watch For on Domestic U.S. Flights

After booking and ticketing, you will usually receive a record locator that you can use on the airline’s website to look up your flight and choose a seat. Of course, seat selection is not always free; some airlines charge extra for advance seat assignments. But many airlines allow you to check in and then choose a seat within 24-36 hours before departure. So make sure you check in at the right time and pick your seat.

Things to Watch For on International Flights

How to Verify an International Ticket (By OneMoreDay)

After booking, either the OTA or the airline will give you a six-character confirmation code (usually called a PNR). Using that confirmation code plus the passenger’s last name, you can check certain websites to see whether the ticket has actually been issued and, if so, what the ticket number is. Common websites include the following, each corresponding to different reservation systems:

Which system your ticket is in depends on the operating airline, but one of the three above will usually work.

For seat selection, if you are flying a Oneworld itinerary, the most convenient tools are the Qatar Airways website and the Royal Jordanian website. You can use the record locator from any Oneworld partner to select seats there. As for whether a seat is good or bad, you can check seatguru.com to avoid ending up with a poor seat.

Visa Issues

For international flights, in addition to the points above, the most important thing is to confirm whether you need a visa for your connection. If a transit visa is required, you must arrange it in advance. Otherwise, you may end up stranded at the airport, possibly even deported, or you may be denied boarding at check-in for your first flight. You also need to consider whether an overnight stay is required. Based on my current experience:

  • Same-day connections that do not require a visa/entry permit: Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, the European Schengen Area, and Air Canada-operated connections in Canada via YVR and YYZ
  • Departing from China and requiring an entry permit: Taiwan
  • Overnight connections that require leaving the airport and therefore need a transit visa: Japan

This visa information can be found on the IATA website. Here is the lookup page:

  • https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/home.htm

The examples here are mainly issues that may come up on China-U.S. itineraries, and additional tips are welcome. Of course, the most authoritative source is always the official visa rules of the transit airport and country involved.

Summary

Based on everything above, after buying a plane ticket you should:

  • Make sure the passenger information is correct, including name, date of birth, ID number, gender, and nationality
  • Make sure the ticket has actually been issued (you received a ticket number or record locator)
  • Verify the ticket (via Travelsky or the airline’s official website)
  • If possible, select a seat immediately or 24 hours before departure (online or by phone)
  • Make sure you have any required visas or permits (check the rules for the specific airport)
  • Watch for any flight schedule changes (email notifications and checks on the airline website)