Airline Consolidator Tickets

Often, but not always, the purchase from a consolidator (directly or indirectly) results in a lower price than the airline offers. Do not confuse this with low cost carriers such as Southwest Air in the USA and Ryanair in Europe. Low -cost carriers are able to occupy almost every place themselves.

It only sells remote foreign targets on a consolidated base. It is not possible for all jurisdictions to allow a consolidator to be active (especially in the Third World), in which case air fare is set according to the rules with its tariffs public. This is only true for inhabitants of this land (and its guests who would travel as locals to a subsidiary destination).

Inhabitants of land Y that allows Consolidator, for example, can travel cheap ( either outbound or return) to land Y that does not allow Consolidator. But those in land Y must buy the full fare to travel to land Y or anywhere else. In fact, this may affect reported tariffs by driving them lower in consolidator economies and higher in consolidator economies.

With the most consolidation and the lowest air rates internationally, the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Thailand and Hong Kong are the best known. Canada also has consolidation companies, although its rates internationally tended to be higher (even taking into account the US dollar rates) than those in the US.

Some other European nations also have them, but they are usually more costly than Great Britain or Germany, with the exceptions of France's flight to its former settlements. For bookings via an airline consolidator, it is usually best to make reservations three month in advance. If, for example, you want to travel on 21 June, you can make a reservation on or after 01 March.

It is unlikely that agreements between the airline and its consolidators will have been concluded before that date, as there is uncertainty about supply and the cost of fuels. Yet, many Consolidators are still willing to give you a place many month in advance at a higher selling rate, with no indication that rates are likely to drop if you are waiting.

That doesn't mean you have to expect up to three month before booking a trip to a high profile venue like the Olympic Games. Such a situation is very unlikely to result in airline companies releasing any seat at all to Consolidators, as their actual objective is to dispose of surplus seat that airline companies cannot dispose of themselves.

The first time you start posting to a consolidator, it is traditional to do so on a "request only" base. That means that the consolidator must first review your enquiry with the airline before you receive your acknowledgement - usually within two to three business working days. However, the consolidator will not be able to confirm your enquiry. Once you have received your ticketing (or e-ticket), call the airline to make sure everything fits.

NOTHING will be refunded after the flight of only one stretch of the tickets. Some airlines' Consolidators (or those who represent themselves as such) are not sincere, and they should be thoroughly reviewed before any exchange of currency takes place. Many of the biggest consolidators in the United States are members of the United States Air Consolidated Association (USACA).

Some of these consolidation companies are, however, only wholesalers and sell them only to tour operators. A number of tour operators have recognised the value and ease of making bookings on-line. It is a good suggestion to look for tour operators who have booked collective tickets and created their own reservation machine on a corporate website.

You will have three tariff rates available via your reservation machines, giving you three opportunities to find the cheapest tariff for your flights internationally. You will have unrestricted use of consolidator tariffs, airline advertised tariffs and promotional tariffs available on-line only. So if you already have a popular agency, visit their website and see if they do.

Book your tickets on-line and you will still be able to buy them at your own pace and at your own comfort and still use all the possibilities to find the cheapest price. When you see a route that you like but is not available in the reservation machine, call your local agency with the route you want.

Travelling agencies are also able to keep your booking between 3 and 10 workingdays before buying and paying for your booking. Mileage is available in most but not all cases. And paperless e-tickets are increasingly being used for journeys to other countries. In case a printed document is needed (either by you or the airline), it will be sent by expresspost or aerial messenger at extra cost.

There may be a fares on a printed pass that is much higher than the one you actually pay and not the lowest fares on the airline (or the bus fares). If you overbook, you'll be better off from being "pushed" and you'll probably get more or better mileage.