General Article Decoding Airline Terminology for Travel Agents and Travellers

Demystifying Airline Jargon (Terms)

With the rise of online travel booking, many travellers find themselves navigating a complex world of airline terminology but understanding some of this terminology makes booking a breeze.

Here we will delve into understanding these terms which will help you book flights for clients and you can also share this information with travellers on your website as a useful guide too.

Key Terms and Their Meanings:

• The Direct Flight: A flight that travels directly between the origin and destination, but may have intermediate stops where passengers remain on the aircraft. This will be indicated on the flights itinerary
• The Nonstop Flight: A flight that travels directly between the origin and destination without any intermediate stops.
• The Connecting Flight: A flight that involves a change of aircraft at a connecting city, to fly further on to the final destination.
• The Online Connection: A connection where you will remain on the same airline carrier, either for connecting or further travel.
• The Interline Connection: A connection where you change to a different airline carrier.
• The Open Jaw Ticket: A ticket where you depart from one city and return from a different city.
• The Consolidator: A company that purchases airline tickets in bulk and resells them at a discounted rate.
• The Set Tariffs: A set of pricing rules and regulations established by authorized organizations in the airline industry.
• Normal Fares: First, business, and economy class fares with no restrictions.
• Restricted Fares: Discounted fares with specific conditions, such as advanced reservations or maximum stay requirements.

Understanding Some Fare Components:

Airline fares are influenced by various factors, including:

• Distance: naturally longer distances, and far destinations generally result in higher fares.
• Demand: Flights during peak travel times or to popular destinations may have higher fares.
• Day of the week and time of day: Flights on weekends or during holidays may be more expensive.
• Restrictions: Fares with fewer restrictions (e.g., no change fees) typically cost more.
• Fuel surcharges: Airlines may add fuel surcharges to ticket prices to offset rising fuel costs.

Tips for Savvy Travel Agents and Travellers:

• Be flexible: Consider alternative dates, times, or airports to find potential savings. Mid-week and out of season flights are often quite a bit cheaper.
• Use airline websites and metasearch engines: Compare prices across multiple airlines. (*As a travel agent you can use the help of GDS booking systems and DMC for ease of flight bookings for clients).
• Sign up for fare alerts: Travel agents and travellers planning flights can sign up to receive notifications about price drops for your desired routes.
• Consider basic economy fares: These are often offer lower prices but may have additional restrictions.
• Pack light: Avoid baggage fees by packing efficiently. Additional weight and carry-on luggage can incur extra levies

You can save money understanding these flight terms and strategies, and become a more informed travel agent or traveller to potentially save money on your next flight.