Online Ticketing For Overseas Travel - The Challenges

One may often wonder if booking Online is a better option than to depend on a travel company who specialises in all aspects of travel.  The most significant factor that attracts a prospective traveller to the Online mode is the price. 

Undoubtedly, barring a connoisseur in this field, Online ticketing comes with its own set of challenges.   Some common mistakes and calculation for change over tend to be overlooked and if a backup plan is not in place it will spell doom for an online ticket booking traveller.

Pre and Post midnight departures

If booking Online then care should be taken on the date of travel.  Most International flights arrive and depart during the night hours.  Airlines do this to bring down the landing charges for an aircraft landing on foreign soil. 

Thus, a situation may arise, when the check in date would be before midnight and the actual departure time is the next day, post midnight.  Some Online portals give departure date and check in date as the same without realising that the date proceeds further by a day after midnight. So caution should be exercised while booking.

Code Sharing airlines

While most passengers may not know, Airlines have a knack of sharing resources unknown to the traveller. The biggest drawback is neither re-bookings nor upgrades are possible.  It has happened in the past, many times passengers land up in the wrong terminal and inter alia miss flights. 

Transient Passengers  at International Airports

Online booking portals do not give a passenger any indication of layover  at a transient  International airport.  If prior information is not available on the arrival and departure terminals, the chances are it may lead to missed flight. 

The trick here is to book a ticket on the same airline till the destination airport from the originating country. This way, the onus of any force majeure condition falls on the operating airlines. You book cheap tickets with  different airlines and you end up with problems.

Intermediate destination cancelled flights

Let us say, your originating airport is City A and you need to travel to City C, with a stopover at City B.  In the unfortunate event of a partial cancellation at Airport B, what is the backup plan to go to City C?  Here is a tip, unknown to passengers; almost all airlines have what is known as an “InterLine Agreement”, where the passengers of One Airline at a stop over point will be accommodated on a different airline due to cancellations. This is done on a reciprocal basis and the passengers are not burdened with any additional travel cost.

The Switcheroo Effect and Wrong Bookings

For booking a ticket Online say, from City A to City B on a given date, passengers mistakenly subconsciously book from City B to City A. Under such circumstances, to rectify the defect, seeking refund is ruled out. Mistakes can also happen during the month of travel. Say if you wish to travel on 25th June and mistakenly key 25th August. Such mistakes can only be rectified with costs.

Price Vs. Flexibility

The airline to attract customers will display a non refundable fare. The more expensive flexible fare may show up much later as Airlines follow a “dyna price” mechanism, where the average revenue generated per seat for a given sector is greater than the potential anticipated revenue for the same sector. 

It is disadvantageous to a customer who is vulnerable to frequent itinerary changes. Therefore, before pressing the “Book” button, make sure that a reasonably firm itinerary is stuck and frozen for the ensuing journey.

How to avoid Online travel related Issues?

A professional travel agent is well aware of the various pitfalls involved in travel itineraries. In fact, this is their bread and butter and will not make mistakes that a novice or a regular traveler would make while booking. Look for IATA Accredited (International Air Transport Association) Travel Agency to buy your international air tickets, assistance in getting visa, Overseas Insurance and also Foreign Exchange.  IATA Accredited agencies have qualified professional stalls to assist you. They do get update on Visa rule, transit visa rule, minimum layover time, etc.,

How can Skyway International Travel help? 

Skyways have been in the business of providing all travel related services under one roof. They hold an excellent track record when it comes to servicing customers intending to travel overseas. Many of their customers are a “repeat” customer, which indicates the trust reposed by them in Skyway’s professional service.  

Feel free to talk to our executives on mobile no. 9845199077 or 9845172820 or 9845187717, all our staff have an 2 decade experience in this field  for best offers on ticketing, itinerary planning and international packages. In the end you as a traveller will not be disappointed and will thank your stars in associating with Skyways’.

Happy Booking through Skyways and Happy travelling