At FlightPicker, we know there can sometimes be confusion with regards to airfares. It is largely common knowledge that travelling is different from one platform to another, and sometimes it is not possible to tell exactly what is in a cost that is indicated. To ensure that passengers have a clear understanding of how fares are displayed on our website, what might be incorporated into the total cost of your fares, what additional charges may be applicable to your fares and how fares may change prior to booking.
This page is designed to answer some of the questions customers may have when booking a flight, and to clarify why they might choose to use an agent service or do the flight booking themselves; and the type of information they should review before authorizing payment from their accounts.
Knowing what a "Displayed Fare" means
A fare listed on FlightPicker typically represents an airline's transportation charge, taxes, surcharges and other charges at the time of fare display which are necessary for a flight. Airline prices are subject to change according to airline pricing policies, inventory levels, route demand, and airline booking patterns, and are therefore dynamic.
Fares can be revalidated before a booking is made, to ensure the same price and availability is available.
The Fare shown may include in many cases:
- The base transportation transportation charge of the airline.
- Carrier-imposed surcharges.
- Government taxes.
- Contribution to airport and passenger facilities charges on the basis of land use and construction.
- Service charges that are appropriate for services to be booked.
Services which may not be covered in the advertised fare
The quoted amount represents the fare and all necessary travel charges except for some travel related charges, which are optional and may not be part of the quoted fare.
The airlines also offer additional goods and services from which the passengers have an option to select and enhance their travel experiences. They can be booked at the time of ticket booking, once a ticket is issued or straight from the airline.
These are discretionary and range from checked baggage to preferred seats, priority boarding, lounge access, travel insurance, flexible ticket options, upgrades, on-board special requests and more.
They're not mandatory and not all travelers will use them, so they are likely not to be part of the first list of fares in a search unless specified.
One-Way, Round-Trip, and Promotional Fare Displays
Flights on FlightPicker may be associated with different modes of travel itinerary. A fare could be from one trip, two trips or what is in the promotional campaign.
The customer should never expect deployment of a promo fare advertised in an advert or route page to be available for all dates and passengers. Stock Availability, Travel Conditions and Promotions are some of the factors which may determine promotion pricing.
Travelers need to check the following before making a reservation:
- Travel dates.
- Number of passengers.
- Airports of origin and destination.
- Fare conditions.
- Included services.
- Restrictions if any, that apply to the selected fare type.
This review serves as a way to make sure the air fare is right on the money for the traveler's needs.
Online Self-Service Booking/Assisted Booking Service
FlightPicker offers the chosen customers several means to make a ticket booking. There are travelers who want to take matters into their own hands and book the flights themselves on the website and there are those that may want to get help from a support representative.
Online Self-Service Booking
Online self-service booking is the entire no-travel representative online booking procedure. Flight search is performed at the customer's leisure, an itinerary is chosen, all the passengers' information is filled in, and payment is made.
This method of booking normally represents the typical online booking price that is on the screen when someone books a vehicle online.
Assisted Booking Service
There are other customers who require some help before making an order. Assisted booking services can be offered using a telephone, email, live chat or other service options.
These may include assistance in booking process, explanation of fares, direction in booking process, help in payment and pre- and post-booking services.
In some instances, charges may apply for assisted booking, which may be different from the charge for self-service bookings.
Causes of Airfare Price Fluctuations
The real time inventory system of airlines influences the price of airfares.An airline constantly reviews airfares in relation to its capacity and demands such that fair prices are never guaranteed even after booking.
Fares can go up and down for a number of reasons: for instance, a change in seat availability or a change in fare structure by the airline, a fare class availability change, a shift in route demand, or a change to taxes/surcharges.
In case the fare alters prior to the issuance of a ticket, the customer may be informed of the fare, as it is changed.
This allows for transparency and enables recognition of the fact that airline pricing is dynamic.
Confirmation of Booking and Ticketing
A booking is said to be complete after successful completion of all mandatory procedures.
Occurrence of the event is normally confirmed when:
- The booking is accepted.
- Payments processed successfully.
- Seats are available when the airline says it is okay.
- You get a ticket number.
Both its price and availability depend upon the authorization of the airline until all these tasks are done.
All passengers are encouraged not to make travel plans immediately following advice concerning their trip.
Data on special offer fares and fares history
FlightPicker may show promotional fares (when available), flight sample pricing or travel deals it recently identified any time or as a promotion. The fares listed here are only for reference and may not be on offer for an extended period of time.
One or more of the following factors may affect the promotional rates: travel booking dates, available routes, customer eligibility, and fares' final deadlines, as well as limitation on quantities from various airlines.
Do not assume any type of work to be a guaranteed fare that is displayed on a blog page, destination guide, a travel article or promotional banner. This pricing can be historical, recent or offered for a specific period of time.
Conditions, restrictions, and rules for fares
Each airline will have their own price structure and traveling restrictions. Having written ticketed rules would be quite lengthy considering the many different combinations of routes, carbs, and ticket grades possible.
Some of the types of discounted fares may impose more requirements than flexible fare types.
Restrictions may include:
- Non-refundable tickets.
- Few opportunities for changes.
- No-show penalties.
- Non-transferable reservations.
- Travel credit limitations.
- Rules for making corrections on bookers as per the airlines’ approval.
When you get to know these circumstances prior to buying, there's a potential of trouble with your trip down the road.
Special lodge tax and an airport fee
Government authorities, airport operators and regulatory agencies place many taxes and charges on many airfares. These charges are subject to change based upon travel itinerary and applicable regulations.
These charges can be impacted by a variety of factors such as the country of departure and destination, and any countries in between, cabin grade, travel type, etc.
To make it clear what makes up the fare, taxes and fees can be shown as separate line-item items in some cases at checkout.
Taxes and fees may also be impacted if you make changes to your trip after you've booked.
Duties in regard to authorization and review of payment
Passengers should consider all details involved in the course of the booking process.This review facilitates the correct interpretation of the travel plans and preferences of the passenger when making a reservation.
Customers should verify:
- Passenger names.
- Flight itinerary.
- Travel dates.
- Fare restrictions.
- Selected optional services.
- Total payable amount.
- Currency of payment.
FlightPicker's Commitment to Fare Transparency
FlightPicker is about providing pricing data in a clear, accurate and honest way. We aim at the differentiation of mandatory travel expenses from additional travel services, thus letting our customers know how much will be paid for each travel booking.
We want them to know what their charge rates are clearly before they authorize the charges. Upfront of the ticket pricing means that customers are more likely to trust the business and have a better ride when booking a ticket.
Conclusion
Please read this Fare Disclosure Policy so that travelers will have a full understanding of how airfare pricing is displayed on FlightPicker. Transparency in fare components, booking processes, optional services, pricing fluctuations and fare conditions is what we hope to achieve throughout the booking process. Thanks to the customers’ careful consideration of all fare details prior to paying the fare, they can travel without any worry.