Frequently Asked Questions
The customer services team have put together the following list of answers to the most frequently asked questions.
For any other questions regarding an existing booking, please phone Customer Services on 01702 422 117 or check out our contact page.
- Can I submit my Advanced Passenger Information (API) details online?
- How can I contact Flightline?
- What are your Credit and/or Debit Card Charges?
- When will my tickets arrive?
- Which Terminal do I depart from?
- Do I need to advise you of any special requirements before I book?
- Can I pay a deposit to secure my holiday?
- What are the passport requirements for my holiday?
- Will I need a visa to travel?
- Can I change my booking?
- I wish to cancel my booking.
- I have paid a deposit, when is my balance due?
- Can I check-in online?
- What are 'Pre-booked Seats'?
- What is a 'Monarch Plus' flight?
- What is ABTA?
- Do I need Travel Insurance?
- What are Charter Flights?
- What are Scheduled Flights?
- When I enter more children than adults in the booking process, why does it change some of them to adults?
- There was a problem with my holiday, what should I do?
- Can I leave feedback about hotels and resorts?
- What are Social Bookmarking links?
- How do I report a problem with your website?
- How do I disable my Internet Browser's AutoComplete feature?
Answers
Can I submit my Advanced Passenger Information (API) details online?
Yes, you can give us your Advanced Passenger Information (API) details by using the link at the bottom of your booking confirmation. Alternatively, you can contact our customer services department on 0845 803 6768 before you travel and give them your details.
Visit the 'Contact Us' page for all contact details.
What are your Credit and/or Debit Card Charges?
We charge a 2.5% handling fee for payments made by Credit Card and there is a 1.5% charge for payments made by Debit Card (except Electron which is no charge).
Tickets are normally sent to us by the flight provider 7-10 days before departure. They will be checked and sent onto you. If you have just made a booking, and are departing within 14 days, it is likely that tickets will need to be collected from the airport on the day of departure. You will have been sent this information in your confirmation email.
Which Terminal do I depart from?
Visit London Gatwick, London Heathrow or Manchester airport websites for Terminal Information.
Do I need to advise you of any special requirements before I book?
To request any special requirements please use our online Special Assistance Form or phone Customer Services on 0845 803 6768 before you travel.
Can I pay a deposit to secure my holiday?
Some flights, holidays and accommodation can be booked upon payment of a deposit up to 12 weeks before departure.
Flights - Charter operators, you will only need to pay their standard deposit amount. This ranges from £40 to £150 per person, and will be displayed when you check flight availability on our website. Flight bookings with lowcost and scheduled operators must be paid in full at the time of booking (please see operators Terms & Conditions for more details).
Accommodation - 25% of the hotel or apartment cost will secure the booking.
Holidays - See Flights and Accommodation above for details.
Car Hire - Must be paid in full at the time of booking.
Airport Parking - Must be paid in full at the time of booking.
Transfers - Must be paid in full at the time of booking.
Travel Insurance - Must be paid in full at the time of booking.
What are the passport requirements for my holiday?
The answer to this depends on the policy of the country you are travelling to.
Everyone requires a valid passport and sometimes a visa to leave the UK and travel abroad. It is your responsibility to ensure that all members of your party have valid passports and visas for your trip, and that the names on the passports of all members of your party match the names on your tickets. British Citizens require a valid full ten-year British Citizen passport for travel outside the British Isles (this includes all children aged under 16 who are not already included on an adult passport).
An important consideration is how long there is on your passport before it expires. This varies from country to country, but ranges from the passport being valid on the return date, to it being valid for 6-months after your return date.
For UK Passport holders, this information can be checked on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) web-site (click on this link to access FCO) and then navigate to the advice for the country you are travelling to.
For non-UK passport holders, you will need to contact the embassy or consulate of the country you are travelling to. These contacts can also be found on the FCO website.
Your documents will be checked at the UK departure point for your flight or holiday, and if not deemed acceptable, you will be denied travel. Flightline recommends that all customers should re-check their passport and visa requirements six weeks before they travel.
If you need to organise a new passport, do not leave it until the last minute, allow plenty of processing time before your departure date, although you can pay an additional fee to expedite UK passport delivery. More information can be obtained from this link Apply for a UK Passport.
The answer to this depends on the policy of the country you are travelling to.
If you are travelling to an EC (European Community) country and have a UK Passport (British Citizen status) you will not need a visa.
For advice on non-EC destinations for UK passport holders, please visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website (click on this link to access FCO) and then navigate to the advice for the country you are travelling to.
For non-UK passport holders, you will need to contact the embassy or consulate of the country you are travelling to. These contacts can also be found on the FCO website.
Changeing a booking depends on the Tour Operators Terms and Conditions that apply to your particular booking. Please note that all Tour Operators charge to change a booking once the booking had been made.
To find out what charges will apply to a booking the Lead Passenger on the booking should phone our Customer Service department on 0845 803 6768, with their Booking ID or Document Number to hand, and the Customer Service department with advise what charge the Tour Operator will impose for changing the booking.
Please note that Tour Operator charges to change a booking depend on how close to the departure date your booking is (the closer to the departure date the higher the charges). Please check all your documents carefully after booking and if you need to change your booking do so at your earliest opportunity.
Important: All change requests must be made by the Lead Passenger and be received in writing either by email via our Customer Services Contact Form, by fax on 0845 803 6766 or by post to Changes, Flightline Essex Limited, Flightline House, 32-38 Milton Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex SS0 7JE, quoting your Booking ID or Document Number.
Canceling a booking depends on the Tour Operators Terms and Conditions that apply to your particular booking. Please note that all Tour Operators charge to cancel a booking once the booking had been made.
To find out what cancelation charges will apply to a booking the Lead Passenger on the booking should phone our Customer Service department on 0845 803 6768, with their Booking ID or Document Number to hand, and the Customer Service department with advise what charge the Tour Operator will impose for canceling the booking.
Please note that Tour Operator charges to cancel a booking depend on how close to the departure date your booking is (the closer to the departure date the higher the charges). Please check all your documents carefully after booking and if you need to cancel your booking do so at your earliest opportunity.
Important: All cancellation requests must be made by the Lead Passenger and be received in writing either by emailvia our Customer Services Contact Form, by fax on 0845 803 6766 or by post to Cancelations, Flightline Essex Limited, Flightline House, 32-38 Milton Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex SS0 7JE, quoting your Booking ID or Document Number.
I have paid a deposit, when is my balance due?
If you have paid a deposit, your balance is due 12-weeks before your departure date. The balance due date is displayed on your booking confirmation.
Please note that your balance can be paid before this date if you wish. To pay your balance please phone the Customer Service department on 0845 803 6768, with your Booking ID or Document Number to hand.
Please note that you can also email the Customer Service department to pay your balance via our Customer Services Contact Form.
Some airlines allow you to check-in online, please phone our customer service department on 0845 803 6768 for a list of airlines that allow online check-ins and how to proceed.
What is the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS)?
Many countries, including the USA and now Spain, require airlines flying to these countries to collect and supply Advance Passenger Information System data (API or APIS).
For travellers to Spain
The Spanish Government have introduced new requirements meaning that air carriers have to provide certain personal information about all travellers on their aircraft to the Spanish authorities before the aircraft leaves the UK. This information is sometimes known as 'advance passenger information' ('API' or 'APIS' data) and will will be formally implemented on 19th June 2007.
Passengers travelling to Spain or the surrounding Spanish goverened islands are advised to read the following information courtesy of the
Department for Transport.
What information will be sent?
They will need the information contained on the photograph page of your passport - such as:
> Full given names and surname (your passport and booking must match)
> Nationality
> Travel document number e.g passport
> Document expiry date
> Document issuing country
> Gender
> Date of birth
What will this information be used for?
The Spanish authorities will use the information for law enforcement purposes.
How will the data be collected?
The data will be collected either at the airport, when you check in, or in advance, usually when you make your booking. It will help to speed up the check in process if you provide your data before you arrive at the airport.
What if I have already made a booking?
Some carriers have made arrangements to collect your data in advance via a special web site. Please check with your carrier for full details. We strongly recommend you provide your API data on-line before you arrive at the airport, wherever possible. This will help to speed the check in process for you and other passengers.
Can I expect disruption at airports?
There may be some disruption at airports. If you are travelling to Spain, from the 19 June 2007, you are advised to allow extra time to check in for your flight.
I am not a UK passport holder. Does this apply to me?
Yes. This will apply to all passengers leaving the UK and travelling to Spain, regardless of nationality.
I recently traveled from continental Europe to Spain and was not asked for this information. Why was that?
The requirement to provide API data does not apply to flights departing from countries within the Schengen free travel area. The countries within the Schengen free travel area are: Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Greece, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden.
What if I don't want to provide this information? Will I be allowed to travel?
Your air carrier is legally required to provide this information to the Spanish authorities. If you refuse to give this information the airline may refuse to allow you to travel. For further queries please visit the Department for Transport website.
A pre-booked seat only guarantees that passengers on the same booking reference are seated together. This does not allow you to choose your seats (e.g. windows, bulkhead or aisle seats).
What is a 'Monarch Plus' flight?
A Monarch Plus flight includes pre-booked seats, an upgraded meal for all passengers 12-years old and over, complimentary soft drinks and 1/4 bottle of wine (with meal) or Bucks Fizz (with breakfast), free inflight entertainment and an inflight discount voucher.
Flightline Essex Limited is a member of ABTA. Our ABTA numbers are C0359 and W8319 and we act as retail agents for all tour operators. ABTA and ABTA Members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist when things don't go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA's Code of Conduct. For more information on ABTA, the Code of Conduct and the arbitration scheme available to you if you have a complaint, contact ABTA, 68-71 Newman Street, London W1T 3AH, tel 020 7637 2444 www.abta.com.
The above applies to the services offered by Flightline Essex Limited and does not apply to any services supplied by Rock Insurance Limited or any other company.
When travelling abroad unforeseen accidents and illnesses can occur. We all hope never to be taken ill or injuried abroad, but sometimes it happens. To protect yourself and your partner or family, you can purchase fully comprehensive travel insurance. You may be refused travel if you cannot produce a valid certificate of insurance. Medical treatment outside of the UK can be very expensive. In many countries you will not get treatment unless you pay before treatment or provide a valid insurance certificate, however serious the condition.
We do not offer travel insurance over the phone, but it can be purchased via our website.
Charter flights are more suited to holiday makers generally flying to typical holiday resorts found in a Tour Operators' brochures. They are often cheaper than scheduled flights, but not always. Their downsides are that they do not fly to as many destinations as scheduled flights and they often suffer from flight time changes.
Scheduled Flights are suitable for both holidaymakers and business travellers alike. They tend to be more expensive than charter flights, but they cover many more holiday destinations. They are regular scheduled flights so they suffer less from flight time changes, although flight time changes can still occur.
This is because Tour Operators do not generally allow more children than adults on a booking.
For example: If you are booking a flight for 3-adults & 4-children the booking system will change this to 4-adults & 3-children to comply with the Tour Operators Terms & Conditions.
There was a problem with my holiday, what should I do?
We would very much like to hear from you if you encountered any problems or difficulties during your trip. This will enable us to investigate how the problem occurred and provide you with an explanation. In addition, we can prevent future occurrences of the same problem.
So we can investigate thoroughly, we kindly request that you submit your complaint in writing by post to:
Complaints
Flightline Essex Ltd.
Flightline House
32-38 Milton Road,
Westcliff-on-Sea,
Essex
SS0 7JE.
Please give us as much detail as possible, including receipts, photos and all other supporting documentation. Please quote the Lead Passemger's name and your Booking ID or Document Number in all correspondence.
As ABTA members, we will acknowledge your correspondence within 14 days and reply within 28 days.
Can I leave feedback about hotels and resorts?
Yes. You can submit a review online via the manage booking section of the website. The information and rating you provide, whether positive or negative, will be posted against the hotel you stayed at for the benefit of other travellers.
What are Social Bookmarking links?
Social Bookmarking links allow you to bookmark, add to your favourites, tag and share your favourite websites and webpages from around the internet in all one place that can be accessed from anywhere that there is an internet connection.
How do I report a problem with your website?
Please fill in the Feedback Form, which is passed directly to the Webmaster.
How do I disable my Internet Browser's AutoComplete feature?
At Flightline, we often receive e-mails from our customers who require amendments to their booking details after their Internet Browser has automatically filled in parts of the booking form incorrectly. If you would like to disable this feature to prevent this from happening, follow the simple steps below depending on your preferred browser. If you would like to proceed with AutoComplete enabled, please take care when completing a form online and double-check each field contains the correct personal information before submitting to avoid any errors, which often incur a charge when corrected at a later date.
How to disable Internet Explorer's AutoComplete Feature
- Open Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Click Tools and then Internet Options
- In the Internet Options window click the Content tab
- Click the AutoComplete button
- Check/Uncheck the Form option to enable/disable it
How to disable Firefox's AutoComplete Feature
- Open Firefox
- Click Tools and then Options
- In the Options window click Privacy
- Click Saved Forms
- Click Settings
- Check/Uncheck Save information I enter in forms & the Search Bar to enable/disable it
How to disable Safari's AutoFill Feature
- Open Safari
- Click Safari and then Preferences, or use the Apple key
- Click the AutoFill tab
- Check/Uncheck each category to enable/disable the AutoFill feature for that category
