Fired Airline Ticket Agent Reveals Airline Secrets (2 page)

Don't Be A Victim

If you don't know what you're doing when you book your travel, you could become a victim - of travel scams, unscrupulous travel agents, or even the travel providers. Here are some helpful tips:

Avoid Travel Scams

Beware of travel companies that offer, but can't deliver, promised fabulous vacations at low prices. If you've been offered a great bargain on a cruise or vacation, but you can't seem to get all the details about it unless you pay the company, you may be dealing with a travel scam. Once you do get information, there will be restrictions and conditions which make it more expensive, and even impossible, to take your trip. If you think you've been scammed, contact PassengerRights.com, your local Better Business Bureau, state Consumer Affairs Office, or state attorney general's office.

Know What You're Getting Into

When you purchase travel, whether directly or through a travel agent, you enter into a contract with the travel provider. This is an actual printed contract, and you may have to request it. All airlines, for example, have "Conditions of Carriage", which include their rules covering limits of liability for lost baggage, check-in deadlines, responsibility for delayed or canceled flights, compensation for injuries and many others. Knowing what these contracts say could save you a lot of hassle if you run into any problems.

An airline's passenger service manual dictates what airlines can and cannot do for passengers. Because your airline ticket is actually a "contract" between you and the airline, many of your rights are governed by the terms of this contract. Listed are some of the most important rights and additional information for you to know before you take your next flight. The more you know - the less the airlines can take advantage of you!

If You Lose Your Ticket

If you lose your paper airline ticket, you must fill out a lost-ticket application. Something important to remember is to jot down your ticket number. An airline can process your refund application more quickly with this information. If you use a travel agent, most times they will have immediate access to your ticket number.
Most airlines charge fees to process lost ticket paperwork. These can range up to $100 or more. Most airlines will issue a replacement ticket after you fill out the lost ticket application and pay the fee. Others will force you to purchase a replacement ticket at the currently available fare (the last minute - ridiculously priced - no advanced purchase price ticket) and wait for them to refund the old ticket - less the service charge. Some airlines can take up to 3 months to process the refund.

Here's a tip that I know I mentioned before, but I feel is worth mentioning again: "Ticketless travel" is the way to go if the airline you are using offers it. Your information stays within the airline's computer system and therefore cannot be lost. Upon presentation of valid identification, the ticket agent can issue your passenger receipt and boarding pass - and off you go!

T
hings You Should Know Before You Buy Your Airline Ticket

Every airline has specific rules that make up what is known as the "Conditions of Carriage." The conditions include the airline's rules covering limits of liability for lost baggage, check-in deadlines, and responsibility for delayed or canceled flights, compensation for injuries and many others. These conditions will be given to you, but you must request them. You should be aware of all of the hidden conditions associated with purchasing an airline ticket. Without reading these conditions you will never know if your rights were being violated.

Airfares change minute by minute.

Were you aware that the ticket you bought last week might cost less now - and you might be entitled to a refund of the difference? Did you know that by traveling during certain days or certain hours of the day might reduce your flight cost by up to 75%? It is important to ask whoever is selling you the ticket lots of questions regarding airfares. Be persistent - you might be able to save a lot of money!

Does that airfare sound too good to be true?

Make sure that you find out what all the restrictions are before you purchase the airline ticket. Is it non-refundable? Can it be changed? What are the change fees? If you’re thinking about taking a flight somewhere but there’s even the slightest possibility that you might not be able to take the flight, then purchasing a non-refundable ticket is foolish because if you have to change the date or cancel the flight, you won’t get any money back. These are important facts that may sway your decision to go with an advance purchase type fare.

Each airline has specific guidelines when requesting seats, special meals or services.

Will you get that aisle seat, vegetarian meal or wheelchair assistance that you ordered? It is important to find what the guidelines are to get your request granted. Have you checked the fine print on the back of your airline ticket lately? Well you should. There you'll find just one of the contracts that you have just entered into by purchasing your airline ticket. But wait - there's more! These are just the "visible" terms you have just agreed to. There is a whole lot more where that came from! The airlines file statements regarding their obligations to travelers with the U.S. Department of Transportation. These are the airline's "concealed" rules known as "Conditions of Carriage." The Conditions of Carriage cover everything from limits of liability for lost baggage, check-in deadlines, and responsibility for delayed or canceled flights, compensation for injuries and many other regulations. As mentioned before, you will probably not be handed one of these statements - you have to ask for it. These concealed terms can make a considerable difference in your rights as a passenger. As "Conditions of Carriage" vary from airline to airline, it is important to look for subtle differences that may be important to you, as these terms are non-negotiable. If an airline violates your contract (the ticket) or the Conditions of Carriage, you may be able to recover compensation from the airline for its breach of contract. Your rights to recover compensation are restricted by:

What is a consolidator?

Consolidators are the "discount warehouse outlets" of the airlines. Ticket consolidators buy tickets in bulk from airlines, at a cheaper rate or have seats that would have otherwise not been sold and then resell them either to the public or through travel agents.

Before you take advantage of the "really good deals" they are offering, here are a few things to remember:
1) If you are going to use a consolidator, always use a credit card. You would be surprised how many consolidators go out of business. If you use a credit card to purchase your ticket, and the consolidator goes bankrupt, you can dispute the charge.
2) Most consolidated tickets have really steep penalties for refunding or changing. Find out what they are before you purchase the ticket.
3) Your ticket is only valid on the airline in which the ticket was purchased. If your flight is canceled for any reason, another carrier may not honor your ticket.
4) Sometimes special discounted fares straight from the airlines are cheaper. Do your homework!
5) Don't assume you will get your frequent flyer miles. In most cases these types of tickets are not eligible, so you won’t get miles for your purchase.

How do I make sure I'm getting the lowest fare?

Have you ever noticed that you might be sitting right next to someone on a flight who paid a lot less money than you did? It happens every day - on every flight. You may not have discussed your fare with the passenger sitting next to you, but he/she may have paid hundreds or thousands less than you. That’s not fair, right!? Well here are some tips on how to get the lowest available fare so you’re not the one who feels like you’ve been duped by the airline:

What do you mean I don't have a seat - I have a reservation!
Airlines assume that a certain percentage of passengers will not show up for a given flight - so they overbook nearly every single flight to make sure that their flight goes out as full as possible. Overbooking in the airline industry is completely legal and permitted by federal law.

What do they do when all of the passengers show up?
1) The airline is required to ask passengers if anyone is willing to volunteer to take a later flight. The airline will try to see if some passengers are willing to volunteer without any compensation. If they see that there are no takers, then they will usually offer a free ticket or travel credit.

2) If there are not enough volunteers, even with free tickets or travel credits, the airline begins its own involuntary "bumping" plan. If you’re on the involuntary bumping list, you’ll just be denied from boarding the plane.

If you are involuntarily "bumped" (denied boarding), you may be eligible for compensation. The amount of compensation usually depends on how long the airline makes you wait. It is important to obtain a copy and read the specific airline's "Conditions of Carriage" to make sure that you receive the compensation you deserve. If you refuse the offered compensation because of some special damage or loss, you can seek to recover damages in court.

Delayed and canceled flights...What are my rights?

The Department of Transportation considers a flight "on-time" when it arrives at its destination within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time. If your flight is delayed longer, you can run into problems like missing a connecting flight. If your fight is delayed or canceled, your rights are determined by the specific airline's "Conditions of Carriage". Again, it is important to obtain and read a copy of these conditions so that you do not get taken advantage of. Generally, airlines are not obliged to provide any compensation if forces of nature such as bad weather caused the delay, diversion or cancellation. They also are not responsible for air traffic congestion at a particular airport. However, if the problems are due to tardy crewmembers or bad scheduling, they may be required to compensate you as per their "Conditions of Carriage". If you do not feel that you have been compensated satisfactorily, you can challenge the airline by taking them to court, but the Conditions of Carriage" are usually upheld. If you have been misled about the span of delay, a court can rule in your favor.

How do you find a good travel agent?

Choose one like you would a doctor or lawyer. Get advice from friends and relatives who use an agent they trust. Since travel choices are personal decisions that reflect individual desires and lifestyles, you will want to visit or call several agencies to find the one that best suits your needs. Consider everything from the appearance of the office to the agent's willingness to listen and answer questions. The best agents want to establish a long-term relationship with a client, not just make one sale.

What should be the determining factor in choosing a travel agency?

Your agency should belong to the American Society of Travel Agents, Inc. (ASTA). ASTA is the largest and most influential travel trade association in the world. Membership includes travel agencies, airlines, hotels, railroads, cruise lines, tour operators, car rental companies and travel schools. Through its continuing education and training programs, ASTA prepares its members to operate high-caliber, competitive businesses. Members also have the ASTA Travel Agent Manual, the only comprehensive guide to operating a travel agency. Due to the Society's on-going educational programs, resource materials and stringent Code of Ethics, ASTA travel agents are known as dedicated, hard-working professionals who provide superior service to their customers
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