Perhaps we have heard a person or two who have said that they were ripped of by the airline company. We hear these complaints and hope they never happen to us. All of us have to admit that airline tickets never come cheap – well except if we are lucky enough to purchase a discounted fare. So to avoid being “ripped off,” here are some facts and standard airline rules that you ought to know before purchasing that ticket.

1. Most tickets are non-refundable. Most refundable tickets are usually in the first or business class of service. So any cancellations would mean not getting your money back. But not to worry traveler, most of the major airlines (especially in the US) offer airline credits that you can reuse up to one year.

But here's the catch, most of the time, reusing the ticket would mean an additional penalty as an airline change fee. But looking at the bright side, you still get something out of a ticket that was supposed to be non-refundable. So if you don't want to pay any of these, only purchase tickets when you are absolutely sure of going to the trip.

2. Flight schedules change. Have you ever heard of the cliché “the only thing permanent in this world is change”? I'm afraid this would go the same for airline schedules. Delays or changes in schedules are usually caused by several things, all outside a traveler's reach; such as mechanical problems or even bad weather conditions.

Hence, to make sure that your flights are still on time, visit the airline's website or call them up directly to reconfirm that all the dates and times are still set. If you purchased a ticket with a travel agency, you can call them up as well. Travel agencies usually have access to the airline's database and they should be able to reconfirm your flight schedules for you.

3. Late comers are strictly not allowed inside the plane. Never ever be late for a flight. Chances are, if you don't show up on time, you will be tagged as a no show for the flight and most of the time, this would mean losing the entire value of the ticket. But there are other airlines who offer a “stand-by” status for those who weren't able to make it to their flights on time on a period of 24 hours. But still, this would be subject to seat availability of the following flights throughout the day.

4. Most of the airlines (especially major US airline carriers) now have imposed fees for every baggage checked in on the airport. Usually, the first checked in baggage costs $15 dollars and the second one would cost around $25. And heads up, the checked in baggage are also limited to a specific dimension and weight. So include these additional fees in your budget, educate yourself by logging on to your airline carrier's website. They usually have all the information about baggage restriction and fees that you need.

So travelers always plan ahead and anticipate additional charges on your trip. Understand the rules of airline tickets so that you will know what you are paying for and what are your options should you wish to cancel your trip. Understand that rules will vary from one ticket to another depending on the carrier and the destination of your trip. If you have, then everything should be smooth sailing for the rest of your vacation.