Editorial standards

The rules every explainer follows before it goes live.

1. Answer first

The first paragraph answers the question. The rest of the piece explains why and covers the exceptions.

2. Read the competition

We review the current top search results for the question and write down what they get wrong or leave out. That list shapes the piece.

3. Primary sources

We prefer the organization that sets the rule or did the research: government agencies such as the TSA and FAA, airlines' own policy pages, peer-reviewed studies, and trade and safety associations. Secondary sources are used for context and named in the text.

4. Fact-check

An editor checks every number, rule and quote against the cited source. Anything we can't source is removed.

5. Honest experience

We don't invent personal stories, testimonials or experts. If a piece includes the author's own experience, it is hers, in her words.

6. Dates and updates

Each piece shows when it was published, updated and last fact-checked. Rules change, especially airline and agency policies, so we recheck time-sensitive pieces regularly.

7. Topics we avoid

Medical, legal and financial advice. We may explain how a public rule works, but we don't tell you what to do with your health or money.