Check-in desks open two to three hours before the scheduled departure of the flight and Thomson Airways recommends that passengers check-in at least two hours before take-off for short and mid-haul routes. If you're travelling long-haul, check-in three hours in advance of take-off. Desks close 40 minutes before the flight. 

Travellers departing from Gatwick, Manchester or Birmingham (there's a fee for this) on morning flights may check-in the day before. Day Before Check-in desks are open between 12pm and 10pm.

Hand luggage: One piece of hand luggage weighing up to 5kg and with maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm. Handbags, for example, must fit into this one piece of hand luggage. 

Checked: There's no free checked-luggage allowance. Passengers may check-in up to five pieces of luggage. The fees - cheaper by 50 per cent if you pre-book online - are £10 each way per item shorthaul (UK-Portugal, Spain or Italy), £12.50 each way mid haul (UK-Canary Islands, Greece, Egypt, Turkey or Tunisia) and £20 each way long-haul flights (Florida, Mexico or Caribbean). The maximum weight per bag is 23kg. Infants (under the age of 2) have an individual luggage allowance of 10kg. 

Excess: Excess weight charges range from £10 (€12) per kg on short-haul routes (Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, for example) and £15 ($20) per kg on long-haul routes (such as the USA, Caribbean, Brazil or India). There's an extra charge of 2 per cent if you pay by credit card. 

Helpfully, baggage allowances can be pooled across a family or group.

76cm (33in). Seats in Premium Class have a pitch of 91cm (36in).

Seats are assigned during check-in on a first-cime, first-served basis. Seats can be reserved for a fee of £15 per adult, £7 per child.

Changes and cancellations can be made by calling the airline (0871 231 4787, 10p per minute plus network extras) only. It's £25 per name change per flight and date changes are £15 per date per flight plus any difference in fares. Changes must be made at least three hours before the flight is scheduled to depart.

Infants fly - on a parent's lap - for £15 each way (Gatwick to Fuerteventura, for example). There's no discount for children aged older than two.

Thomson Airways does not offer discounts for older travellers.

Pets are carried on most of Thomson Airways' flights. To arrange travel for your pet, call the Cargo department (0208 564 5584 or email: pets@aiacargo.com).

Small musical instruments can be carried as cabin luggage, larger items must be checked into the hold.

Meals are available for purchase and should be pre-ordered online or via the call centre. There is a range of meals such as vegetarian, diabetic, gluten-free and nut-restricted. Prices start from £12 per adult and £8 per child for return flights. From November 2011, passengers on shorter flights will be able to purchase food and drink onboard. On flights longer than seven hours, meals will be included in the price of the holiday. Long-haul flights feature seat-back TVs showing movies and television programmes, children's programming, interactive games and free headphones. In Premium Class the seat pitch is about 96cm (36in), there's a greater choice of in-flight entertaiment (movies, TV and games) and complimentary noise-reduction headsets.

Thomson Airways doesn't have a frequent-flyer programme.

There’s nothing like heading up in the skies to work up an appetite. See photographs taken by fellow flyers of meals they’ve been served and read reviews at AirlineMeals.net.

Moby Dick, Bleak House,War and Peace ... Do you need to pack a weighty tome or will the in-flight magazine keep you happily occupied for the duration of the flight? Thomson Airways' magazine is available on all flights and can be read online. Have a look at a recent edition, it's tucked in among TUI's brochures.

Thomson Airways is part of TUI Travel PLC, the UK-based holiday company.