Flying High On Low Fares

Sarika Dandona gives you tips on how to get the best bargain

Adopting the slogan Go Globale, many Indians now spend a good part of their time globe-trotting. And with myriad airlines to choose from it is not surprising that one gladly shoves the burden onto a travel agent (TA). But is it wise to venture into anything blindly? How often have you heard of passengers stranded at the airport despite a confirmed ticket? Or wondered how your neighbour flew at bargain prices? How does one get the best deal in air travel?

A business traveller who travels regularly does not really have time to scout around. His criterion is to touch base without delay and with convenience. But for a personal trip it is important to shop around and survey the options.

 

In the peak season, one can only rely upon the TAs to give the best bargain but in a low season competition forces the airlines to announce attractive offers of discounts, freebies and add-ons.(See Box). But are these offers as good as they sound? Or just hype? After all, many do come with strings like validity term and conditions of the class of travel and/or sector flown.

Most offer discounts for direct flights without any stop-overs (unlike Air France). For instance, the catch in the British Airways (BA) discount plan is the requisite companion and the discount limited to just one ticket, or Air India that gives discounts to groups.

Since these schemes shop for customers during the lean phase, airlines often are overbooked as everyone feels that this is the best time to fly. Then one may have to wait nervously to get the green signal to climb aboard. These tickets bought in the lean phase can be used later but passengers who pay full fare get priority.

Although the discounts may seem sizeable a basic practice is to either hike the fare marginally beforehand or promote one of the fares set by the International Air Transport Association or those approved by the Director General Civil Aviation (See fares table) So the return fare to New York from Delhi by BA was Rs 43,070 (DGCA) till September 15,