Air – Agents: Destination Magic

Our Suppliers

Air transportation

Can you book flights?
Yes.

Should you book fights?
Probably not.

There are many reasons we strongly discourage agents from booking air transportation for clients:

Not usually commissionable*
Any mistakes, including spelling error or an incorrectly entered birthday can cause major problems at the airport
If a flight is delayed or canceled, and a guest needs to be rebooked, their agent is the first person they will call which means you have to fix it, and you are not earning any money to do that

If you decide to ignore the reasons stated above, and still want to book air, then you should carry your own errors and omissions policy.

*See Vax about the ability to add commission to flight bookings. For international flights, commission may be automatically included through suppliers other than Vax.

How to respond to a client who wants you to book air

Unless are is offered by the supplier as part of the package, it is best not to book a clients airfare. Often the best answer is the truth…“Most clients find that they can get better pricing on air travel on their own”. This is especially true since to be commissionable, a commission must be added on top of the price.

The details are Extrememly important

The passenger’s name must be right the first time

It’s cheaper to change a name with the government than with the airline. It might even be impossible. That’s how hard it really is.

This is an airline policy. Airline ticket name corrections can be frustrating and costly. If you’ve ever had to change a “Katie” to a “Catie” or a “Brian” to a “Bryan,” you know what we’re talking about.

It is vital that the name of the reservation is an EXACT match to the name that is written on the passport. If it is not your client could…

experience a significant delay at the airport
be forced to pay hefty fees for the change
be denied boarding altogether

All because their name was spelled wrong.

Tips to make sure names are spelled correctly

1. Get a copy of your client’s passport

When entering your traveler’s name, it’s fairly simple to get this right if you follow one simple rule: all the names must match the traveler’s passport.

To ensure this, make sure to get a copy of your client’s passport to have on hand.

2. Hyphenated last names

  If the middle name on the passport only has an initial, insert the initial–however, if it’s the full name make sure to enter it the same as it looks on your traveler’s passport.

Last names MUST be spelled out. If your traveler’s last name has a hyphenation, DO NOT enter the hyphen. Run all the last names together. For example, Smith-Jones instead put in SmithJones  

Learn How to Add Passenger Names on Centrav.com  

3. If you did misspell…make sure you change it within 24 hours*  

The first step is to slow down and make sure YOU are doing your part to ensure a quality booking process for your client.   If the name correction is caught within the 24-hour void/reissue period, there is no change/cancel penalty, and the likelihood of getting the same fare increases–possibly avoiding fees altogether!  After the first 24 hours, your ticket must be canceled and rebooked with the correct names. This means you’ll have different air rates, possibly different itineraries, and of course, cancellation/change penalties.

Avoid the headache!

One misspelled letter may seem minor, but the effort, cost, and process time involved to correct just one letter’ are the same as any other name correction.

  *Subject to airline policy 

Booking Flights

Booking exceptions

Every rule has an exception. Air can be included if booked with a supplier as part of a vacation package. For example, resorts like Sandals and Cruise Lines like Disney offer air as part of their package. In those cases, if a client’s flight is canceled, the supplier will work to get rebooked.

Important Points when booking air

You must be exceptionally careful when booking flights for clients. The information you enter must be exact.

Know what type of ID your client will need and ensure they have the proper documents
Guest name must match their government issued ID exactly
Birth date must match their government issued ID exactly
Flight times frequently change. Be sure you are on top of those changes and promptly communicate those to your client
Be aware of the flight class you are booking. Understand the fare rules including charges for baggage, seat assignments, and change fees
Ensure your client has all the information they need to travel including boarding passes
Make sure client knows when to arrive at the airport to ensure enough time to security checkpoints and to arrive in time prior to boarding time

Air Suppliers

More info to come.

*Commission Exceptions

When booking air in Vax, there is an option to add commission to the price, however, the price will be more expensive than what a client may be able get on their own.

There are some categories of air that do offer some commission. (Note: not all fare types are offered for all itineraries).

Published Fare: 0%
Bulk Fare: 5%
Contracted Fare: 15%

Regardless of the category, when booking flights ALWAYS add extra commission. We recommend at least $50-100 per ticket. To learn more about booking air and how to add commissions, watch the ALG training videos HERE.

Check back as other suppliers continue to be added. If there is a supplier you are interested in representing, let us know!