| And if you didn't find it, did you try all your options? | | | | when we doubted our competence as travel experts! |
| Let's look at the ways that you can get cheap | | | | Travel Agents discounts and internet advice; "how to |
| airfares. | | | | guides" |
| Low Cost Airlines | | | | In some countries special cheap airfare rates are |
| The first and most obvious solution. Check all the usual | | | | available to people in the trade. There are ways of |
| suspects (Flybe, Ryanair, BMI, easyJet, and so on) | | | | getting a travel agent's card which are available at low |
| which will mostly be offering cheap flights related to | | | | cost on the internet as "how to" guides. Such schemes |
| European and European holiday destinations. Travel to | | | | are worth a look, especially in the US. Similar offers |
| and from the United States with a low cost airline is | | | | are often found relating to specific destinations, such |
| more difficult. They arrange things differently there, but | | | | as Disneyworld. The challenge is to find them in the |
| still take a look on the internet - there are one or two | | | | first place. |
| advertisers in this area. | | | | Air Travel Consolidators |
| Airline Pricing. | | | | This is the posh word for "bucket shops" a semi |
| We first came across this on a cross channel ferry | | | | derisory term that seems to have lost its currency. |
| (the English Channel that is). We were told by our ferry | | | | All are people who provide the service of getting |
| company that they had adopted "airline pricing", which | | | | cheap airfare rates, but they have different ways of |
| means that the later you book, the more you pay. This | | | | doing it. Sometimes they simply provide advice and |
| is done by allocating all the seats to several different | | | | help with your booking. Sometimes they have bought |
| price bands. The lowest priced places are offered first, | | | | seats which they are confident of reselling.In this case |
| and then the next lowest and so on. So its usually best | | | | by their purchasing power, or by accepting reduced |
| to book early, especially on the low cost airlines. If | | | | margins for themselves they can get you a bargain |
| you're booking late then fly at a time that's | | | | flight. Sometimes (especially true of destination |
| inconvenient for most people. | | | | specialists who have an interest in a particular places |
| Travel Agents. | | | | or countries) they cross sell hotel accommodation, |
| Just because you can operate the Internet efficiently, it | | | | tickets to attractions and events, and so on. Even if |
| doesn't make you an expert on cheap airfare rates. | | | | you can't find one of these air travel consolidators, |
| By all means look around first but then check with an | | | | maybe your travel agent already has! |
| independent travel agent or expert. They often have | | | | Good luck with your search - remember to use the |
| cheap seats on charter flights which have been mostly | | | | real world as well as the internet. |
| (but not completely) filled by the charter's main | | | | Bon voyage! Bon prix! |
| customer. We got 50% off on a flight to Madeira | | | | |