The Internet Myth

An associate in the industry recently had a very interesting conversation with an executive from one of the world’s largest airlines. Our associate forgot to mention that she was in the industry and the executive revealed how pleased the airline is with the internet – The average ticket has gone up 17%, even though most people think that the internet offers cheaper air fares.

Why not all fares are equal

On any given flight, an airline will have several different prices and conditions (fares) for the same seats. The airlines obviously want to sell the seats for the highest price, but they also want to fill their flights. For this reason the airlines release the fares gradually. The cheaper fares may become available closer to departure if the seats cannot be sold at the higher levels.

Waitlisting

Waitlisting is the term used to put you in a queue for a seat. The fare is not listed as available because it is being offered at a higher fare level. If the seat is not sold at the higher listed price it will come down and be sold onto someone on the waitlist.

Why Internet air fares can cost more

The only fares that can be booked on the internet are the higher priced fares that are listed as available. You cannot waitlist. You get the fares they want to sell, if they are available. If you have ever tried to book an international fare on the internet, you will also know how long it can take waiting for a system response as you hunt for a seat on various days. It can be frustrating. All of a sudden you’re buying the fare that is most convenient for the internet vendor and airline to sell you.

On the Internet you are forced to commit to what is available in a remote computer. Not only that, but you also have to decipher the fare conditions yourself.

Two comprehensive surveys in New Zealand have found that air fare buyers take 5 times longer to find a suitable fare on the internet than a travel agent does.
90% of the time, the do-it-yourself consumer also fails to come up with the best fare.

Only your travel agent will look for the best air-fare for you.

An experienced travel agent has fast access to many more fares and their availability. Maleny Travel’s depth of experience enables us to find fares unavailable on the internet. We can find the most appropriate fares, provisionally book you on the best available, and waitlist you on others. Maleny Travel works for you two ways; you get the flight you want and waitlist for the cheaper tickets. We also translate the fare conditions into plain English.