What does your airfare actually buy?

New York

IT'S NOT enough to look for the cheapest airfare anymore. Not when airlines are increasingly dividing and subdividing their cabins and charging separately for what used to be part of the fare. More legroom? That will be an extra charge. Overhead bin space? Only if you buy a more expensive ticket.

In the new world of airfares, similar-sounding fare classes such as "economy" and "basic economy" can mask big differences in the level of service offered. Complicating matters further, booking websites often do a poor job of explaining what travellers are actually getting for the listed price.